CDC Hit With Lawsuit Over the Reopening of Florida Tourism

As states around the nation continue to work toward a grand reopening of their economy, certain governmental machinations have prevented them from maximizing the recovery effort…and not all of them are taking it lying down.

In the past several days, states like Texas and Alabama have begun to reopen their economies, lift mask mandates, and encourage businesses to open to 100% capacity.  These states followed the science, and are openly cautiously, yet the CDC continues to show reluctance on the issue.  (This, despite their ever-changing guidance on how best to keep yourself safe).

Now, as Florida looks to bring their massive tourism industry back online, the CDC is dragging their feet, and The Sunshine State simply isn’t having it.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that the state will file a lawsuit against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, demanding cruise ships be allowed to resume sailing immediately.

“On behalf of the tens of thousands of Floridians whose livelihoods depends on the viability of an open cruise industry, today Florida’s fighting back,” he announced in a press conference on Thursday. “We don’t believe the federal government has the right to mothball a major industry for over a year, based on very little evidence and very little data.”

DeSantis called the CDC’s decision to delay the opening of the U.S. cruise industry “irrational” and said he believes that this lawsuit will have a “good chance for success.”

DeSantis has been largely carving his own path in the waning days of the coronavirus pandemic, signing an executive order forbidding businesses to require “vaccine passports”, and generally lashing out against those who would deem him too brazen during the crisis.