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D.C. Moves To Suspend Burger Joint’s Liquor License for Resisting the City’s Vaccine Mandate

District of Columbia is considering suspending a liquor license for a burger restaurant that has refused to validate its customers’ vaccine papers.

The city’s Alcohol Control Board (ABC Board), yesterday voted in closed session to recommend that The Big Board be referred to D.C.’s Office of Attorney General for a summary suspension notice. The first step towards suspending liquor licenses is this.

A public health order by Mayor Muriel Bowser stipulated that all patrons of bars and restaurants must have at most one shot before they can dine within the establishments after January 15. They will need to have their full vaccinations by February 15. A statement was issued by the Big Board tweetThat implied that it wouldn’t be applying the order on January 13. This rule applies to today, tomorrow and yesterday. We hope to see you on January 16th.

Businesses must display signage explaining new restrictions in addition to checking proof of vaccination. Customers and staff must also wear masks.

According to D.C.’s Alcohol Beverage Regulation Administration(ABRA), The Big Board was already warned by the city that its employees were not allowed to wear masks.

ABRA assessed a $1,000 fine on the company for employing unmasked workers. Two days later, it was fined $1,000 for not checking customers’ vaccine status.

The ABC Board was informed about the case on January 22. ABRA Case Report states that one inspector visited the establishment at approximately 9 PM on the night of January 22, and found numerous violations such as staff wearing masks, not checking the vaccination status of customers, among others.

Eric Flannery, the owner of the bar, was also visited by the city’s police and director of the Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture. The Big Board had earlier that day. tweetedThat nothing has changed was confirmed and that “all are invited.” I reached out to Flannery and The Big Board for comments, but received no response.

Its battle with the city regarding its vaccination mandate has earned it passionate support. It was fined its first time the next day. Daily Caller Henry Rodgers is a reporter who started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for this cause. It has already raised $15,000. Twitter accounts claim there was a rush to support the company, and lines stretched out at the door.

On the same weekend as the vaccination mandate was implemented in the city, I went to the restaurant. It was not all that difficult to actually eat there, even with the controversy. When I ordered beer, the only time that someone asked my ID was when it came to ordering. Similar stories are seen every day across most of the country, except that governments have not made vaccination compulsory for anyone who goes out to public.

Bowser’s order for vaccines is ignored or only partially enforced by many D.C.-based businesses. (Unfortunately, there are still many COVID-19-related cases.

The Big Board, however, brought the attention of its compliance to it and is now being punished.

DCist According to reports, the Attorney General of the City will prepare a suspension order regarding Big Board’s liquor licence. This will be signed by the chairman of the ABC Board before being served on the company. Big Board may request hearing regarding its suspension. This could take place sometime in the next week.