“Vague” Covid-19 Executive Orders Not Being Prosecuted in Broome
The Broome County district attorney isn't going to be dealing with people accused of violating Governor Cuomo's executive orders related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Michael Korchak said his office takes the health risks posed by the coronavirus very seriously. But he doesn't plan to prosecute matters related to "very vague" directives pertaining to things like mask-wearing or the size of gatherings.
Korchak said the executive orders involve civil violations which are "a lot different from criminal violations."
The district attorney said the "vagueness" of orders issued by Cuomo raise constitutional issues.
Speaking on WNBF's Binghamton Now program, Korchak said the orders amount to "another unfunded mandate from Albany" without guidance or funding to support enforcement.
Korchak said he'll consider issues on a "case-by-case basis." He said if a criminal law is violated, "we take that very seriously" and his office will take steps to prosecute.
As a result of Korchak's guidance, law enforcement officers in Broome County are not citing people for ignoring the governor's executive orders.
Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com
For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.
READ MORE: Here are 50 ways you can improve your work from home lifestyle