Officials in two states issue cease-and-desist letters after Hobby Lobby defies coronavirus lockdowns

April 2, 2020 Matthew Chapman


On Thursday, The New York Times reported that officials in two states have sent cease-and-desist orders to Hobby Lobby, the Oklahoma-based crafts store, accusing them of defying stay at home orders imposed to fight the spread of coronavirus.

“W. Eric Kuhn, the senior assistant state attorney general of Colorado, where there are 10 stores, sent a cease-and-desist letter to the company after it had reopened its stores in the state this week,” wrote Neil Vigdor. “The letter said the company’s actions violated a March 25 executive order signed by Gov. Jared Polis directing Coloradans to stay at home and requiring all businesses to close that were not designated by state health officials as critical.”

“Ohio’s attorney general, Dave Yost, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that he had sent a similar cease-and-desist letter to Hobby Lobby and that the company had agreed to close stores in his state, where there are 10,” the report continued.

In addition to Colorado and Ohio, Hobby Lobby has also violated orders in at least two other states, with public health officials in Clark County, Indiana and West Allis, Wisconsin taking action to shut down stores that reopened.

Hobby Lobby, which has famously sued the federal government over laws guaranteeing contraceptive coverage to their employees, declined comment on the story.