Amendment V Freedom from Confiscation of Private Property - CPAC FL 2021

Former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt, Shelley Luther of Courage to Stand, and Ian Smith of Atilis Gym speak on a panel at CPAC Florida 2021 moderated by Kerry Picket of the Washington Examiner. The panelists take up the issue of the constitutionality of COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns that forced certain businesses, mostly small businesses, to close while larger companies were kept open and deemed ‘essential’. Luther and Smith were personally affected by these lockdowns. Luther and Smith were defiant small business owners who kept their hair salon and gym, respectively, open under shutdown mandates. The business owners faced legal repercussions, and even arrest and jail, for their persistence. The lockdowns targeted small businesses with double standards in safety requirements and constantly changing requirements. For many businesses, the effects of the lockdowns were devastating and permanent. For Luther and Smith, the pandemic showed them that hard-working, honest small business owners will not find an ally in either the state or federal government.