Inside the Trump fight with California over opening churches amid coronavirus – By Matthew Ormseth, Alex Wigglesworth and Laura Newberry (Los Angeles Times) / May 20 2020
LOS ANGELES — California’s stay-at-home order, which is credited with slowing the spread of the coronavirus, has upended the economy and changed the lives of millions. But it has also caused special pain for people of faith, who no longer can worship in person as churches and other religious institutions have been closed.
The religious aspect of the shutdown has been much debated, though the vast majority of houses of worship have gladly complied with the rules to keep their members safe. Still, some churches have filed lawsuits, and a few have defied the order.
But now, the issue has become a point of dispute between the Trump administration and California.
The Justice Department warned in a letter Tuesday that the measures California Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus and his plans to unwind them might discriminate against religious groups and violate their constitutional rights.
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