SALEM, Ore. —Governor Kate Brown is being sued by several police officers and firefighters, over the vaccine mandate.
“My clients think that the governor’s mandate as written is unlawful,” said Dan Thenell, the lawyer representing the group.
Nine state troopers and 30 firefighters, have all put their names on the lawsuit. The group is against the governor’s state mandate to require executive branch employees to get a vaccine or lose their job. They are saying the mandate violates their constitutional rights.
“Get vaccinated or be fired and there are people that feel very strongly that that’s a violation of their liberty interest,” said Thenell.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the state troopers, and members of the Oregon Fraternal Order of Police. Oregon FOP is a membership organization of police officers and employees. The lawsuit also includes an association representing firefighters from the Kingsly Field base in Klamath Falls.
It says in part quote “Plaintiff’s right to control their own medical destinies in both expressive speech in the form of opposition to the covid-19 vaccine and expressive conduct in opposition to the vaccine mandate.”
Dan Thennel is representing the group. He says the lawsuit is not about the efficacy of the vaccine, or masking. He wouldn’t provide any of the member’s vaccine status.
“The lawsuit is about one personal choice to obtain it and having their employment conditioned upon it as a public employee,” said Thenell.
The lawsuit comes as Oregon’s Hospitals continue to overflow with COVID-19 patients.
The latest data from the Oregon Health Authority shows 2,379 new cases.
A copy of the lawsuit can be found here.
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