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| Michigan Barber Has Licenses Suspended After Defying Shutdown Orders | Michigan Barber Has Licenses Suspended After Defying Shutdown Orders |
| (5 days later) | |
| A Michigan barber who reopened his shop in defiance of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s orders had his business and professional licenses suspended on Wednesday, the latest step in his escalating battle with the state. | A Michigan barber who reopened his shop in defiance of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s orders had his business and professional licenses suspended on Wednesday, the latest step in his escalating battle with the state. |
| The barber, Karl Manke, 77, who has been cutting hair in Owosso, Mich., for almost 60 years, likened Michigan under Ms. Whitmer, a Democrat, to “a police state.” He said he planned to keep cutting hair, despite the suspension of his licenses. | The barber, Karl Manke, 77, who has been cutting hair in Owosso, Mich., for almost 60 years, likened Michigan under Ms. Whitmer, a Democrat, to “a police state.” He said he planned to keep cutting hair, despite the suspension of his licenses. |
| “I’m not closing up; I’m not caving in to this,” he said on Wednesday, adding: “I’m not a rabble-rouser and I’m not a scofflaw. I’m a small-town barber. I just want to make my living.” | “I’m not closing up; I’m not caving in to this,” he said on Wednesday, adding: “I’m not a rabble-rouser and I’m not a scofflaw. I’m a small-town barber. I just want to make my living.” |
| Mr. Manke is just one of the latest business owners to defy orders to keep their doors closed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. | Mr. Manke is just one of the latest business owners to defy orders to keep their doors closed to help slow the spread of the coronavirus. |
| Last week, Shelley Luther, a Dallas salon owner who reopened her business amid the pandemic, was released from jail after serving two days of a weeklong sentence for being in contempt of court. Her release ended a legal drama that turned her into a red-state icon for openly disregarding orders to keep her salon shut as the virus continued to spread in Texas. | Last week, Shelley Luther, a Dallas salon owner who reopened her business amid the pandemic, was released from jail after serving two days of a weeklong sentence for being in contempt of court. Her release ended a legal drama that turned her into a red-state icon for openly disregarding orders to keep her salon shut as the virus continued to spread in Texas. |
| Mr. Manke has also drawn attention far beyond Owosso, which is about 32 miles northeast of Lansing. | Mr. Manke has also drawn attention far beyond Owosso, which is about 32 miles northeast of Lansing. |
| On Sunday, he appeared on “Fox & Friends,” a favorite program of President Trump, who has openly encouraged protesters in Michigan to defy Ms. Whitmer’s shutdown orders. A GoFundMe page has raised more than $25,000 for his legal bills. | On Sunday, he appeared on “Fox & Friends,” a favorite program of President Trump, who has openly encouraged protesters in Michigan to defy Ms. Whitmer’s shutdown orders. A GoFundMe page has raised more than $25,000 for his legal bills. |
| And Mr. Manke said customers had been flocking to his shop, with some driving more than three hours to show their support. He said he worked 90 hours last week, trying to keep up with the demand. | And Mr. Manke said customers had been flocking to his shop, with some driving more than three hours to show their support. He said he worked 90 hours last week, trying to keep up with the demand. |
| Mr. Manke said he initially closed his business, Karl Manke’s Barber & Beauty Shop, in March but reopened on May 4, as he grew increasingly concerned about his bills piling up. He wears a mask and recommends but does not require them for his customers, he said. | Mr. Manke said he initially closed his business, Karl Manke’s Barber & Beauty Shop, in March but reopened on May 4, as he grew increasingly concerned about his bills piling up. He wears a mask and recommends but does not require them for his customers, he said. |
| State officials said Mr. Manke’s actions jeopardized public health and violated the governor’s order extending the closure of nonessential businesses to May 28. | State officials said Mr. Manke’s actions jeopardized public health and violated the governor’s order extending the closure of nonessential businesses to May 28. |
| “Mr. Manke’s actions in violating Gov. Whitmer’s executive orders as well as other health orders put the public at risk for contracting Covid-19,” Michigan’s attorney general, Dana Nessel, said in a statement Wednesday. | “Mr. Manke’s actions in violating Gov. Whitmer’s executive orders as well as other health orders put the public at risk for contracting Covid-19,” Michigan’s attorney general, Dana Nessel, said in a statement Wednesday. |
| “Any time you have a barber or other professional providing services to numerous citizens in close proximity to each other and those citizens are then returning to their various residences, there is a risk of contracting and spreading the virus,” she said. “It is paramount that we take action to protect the public and do our part to help save lives.” | “Any time you have a barber or other professional providing services to numerous citizens in close proximity to each other and those citizens are then returning to their various residences, there is a risk of contracting and spreading the virus,” she said. “It is paramount that we take action to protect the public and do our part to help save lives.” |
| Ms. Nessel’s office declined to say how it would enforce the suspension of the licenses, stating, “Our office is involved in pending legal action against Mr. Manke, so we cannot comment on these issues.” | Ms. Nessel’s office declined to say how it would enforce the suspension of the licenses, stating, “Our office is involved in pending legal action against Mr. Manke, so we cannot comment on these issues.” |
| Her office said that Mr. Manke’s professional and business licenses had been suspended after repeated warnings and citations. | Her office said that Mr. Manke’s professional and business licenses had been suspended after repeated warnings and citations. |
| Updated August 17, 2020 | |
| On May 6, Ms. Nessel’s office said, the Owosso police charged Mr. Manke with two misdemeanors for violating local health department orders and Ms. Whitmer’s orders. | On May 6, Ms. Nessel’s office said, the Owosso police charged Mr. Manke with two misdemeanors for violating local health department orders and Ms. Whitmer’s orders. |
| Then, on Friday, the director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued an imminent danger and abatement order, requiring Mr. Manke to close his shop, Ms. Nessel’s office said. But Mr. Manke did not comply with that order either, the office said. | Then, on Friday, the director of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued an imminent danger and abatement order, requiring Mr. Manke to close his shop, Ms. Nessel’s office said. But Mr. Manke did not comply with that order either, the office said. |
| On Tuesday, Ms. Nessel’s office said it had issued an administrative licensing complaint accusing Mr. Manke of several violations of the Michigan Occupational Code and administrative rules, including gross negligence and willful violations of health and safety rules. | On Tuesday, Ms. Nessel’s office said it had issued an administrative licensing complaint accusing Mr. Manke of several violations of the Michigan Occupational Code and administrative rules, including gross negligence and willful violations of health and safety rules. |
| David A. Kallman, Mr. Manke’s lawyer, said his client was contesting the various actions in court. He said Mr. Manke won an initial victory on Monday, when a judge denied the state’s request to immediately shut Mr. Manke’s shop and gave Mr. Manke until May 22 to respond in court. | David A. Kallman, Mr. Manke’s lawyer, said his client was contesting the various actions in court. He said Mr. Manke won an initial victory on Monday, when a judge denied the state’s request to immediately shut Mr. Manke’s shop and gave Mr. Manke until May 22 to respond in court. |
| Mr. Manke said on Wednesday that he had not yet received any official notification that his licenses had been suspended. And Mr. Kallman said Mr. Manke planned to appeal the suspensions once he received them. | Mr. Manke said on Wednesday that he had not yet received any official notification that his licenses had been suspended. And Mr. Kallman said Mr. Manke planned to appeal the suspensions once he received them. |
| “I’m not going to kowtow to these unreasonable demands,” Mr. Manke said. “I have a craft that I’ve worked at for nearly 60 years, and to just arbitrarily and unilaterally say, ‘I’m going to take your work right away’ — this is more of a police state now than anything I’ve ever experienced.” | “I’m not going to kowtow to these unreasonable demands,” Mr. Manke said. “I have a craft that I’ve worked at for nearly 60 years, and to just arbitrarily and unilaterally say, ‘I’m going to take your work right away’ — this is more of a police state now than anything I’ve ever experienced.” |