Suit Resolved With “Non-Compliant” New Prague Bar & Restaurant

On Tuesday, Minnesota Attorney General, Keith Ellison announced his office had settled a lawsuit against the New Prague business, St Patrick's Tavern & Restaurant for their violations of the Governor Walz's Executive orders 20-99 and 20-103.

One of the stipulations of one of the executive orders was was a temporary dial back of some activities to slow down or halt the spread of COVID-19.  For a time bars and restaurants we prohibited from hosting indoor consumption of food and beverages. The executive order was from November 10, 2020 to January 10th, 2021.

The Attorney General's Office made efforts to get the bar and restaurant to comply but the bar and restaurant remained open for on premises consumption of food and beverages.

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The owner indicated, after the phone call with the Attorney General's Office that she was not sure if she would comply or not.  Turns out the answer was , she would not comply because The St Patrick's Tavern & Restaurant remained open and actually hosted several hundred people on both December 18 & 19th. In return, Ellison's office filed a lawsuit against the business.

"It's every Minnesotan's responsibility to stop the spread of COVID-19. I thank this business for agreeing to meet its responsibility and rejoin the vast majority of Minnesota businesses that are already doing so," Ellison said. "My top priority has always been educating Minnesotans about their responsibility and winning voluntary compliance. Enforcement has been and will continue to be a last resort."

Terms of the settlement filed in Scott County were that the business would pay a $15,000 fine and comply with any present our future executive orders that apply to bars and restaurants.

According to the Attorney General's Office, any violations of the terms of the consent judgement by St Patrick's Tavern & Restaurant would result in a $25,000 civil penalty.

This isn't the only Minnesota business that the Attorney General's Office has settled for not complying with Governor Walz's executive order.  5 other business's have also settled their suits.

(KSTP)