Gentlemen’s clubs notched another win thanks to a judge, albeit a proxy win.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel Wohlfeil had previously ruled two gentlemen’s clubs in San Diego (Pacers Showgirls International and Cheetahs Gentlemen’s Club) were exempt from COVID-related business closures thanks to the First Amendment.
The city had pushed back, arguing that restaurants were forced to close when the clubs were unaffected.
Now it seems those protections extend to restaurants. Judge Wohlfeil ruled all restaurants could resume on-site dining with safety protocols, dealing a blow to Gov. Newsom’s stay-at-home order. Earlier in the year, the two clubs had sued to stay open when a county order mandated them to close.
Gov. Newsom has already appealed, leaving the restaurants in a lurch regarding inventory and scheduling leading up to Christmas.
Earlier in the week, Judge Wohlfeil had ruled San Diego County provided no causation between live adult entertainment (or businesses with food service) and a rise in COVID-19 cases.
