Louisiana Freedom Fighters

By Woody Jenkins, Editor, Central City News — BATON ROUGE ––  Editor’s Note: Since March 2020, a handful of courageous Louisiana elected officials and ordinary citizens have fought the illegal, unconstitutional mask mandates and vaccine mandates of Gov. John Bel Edwards and President Joe Biden. The radical Left in the media have lionized the petty tyrants sitting in the White House and many Governor’s mansions across the country.  However, at the Central City News, we believe it’s time to honor those who have stood for the Constitution and liberty.  This article is dedicated to them!

From March 2020 to the present, the people of Louisiana have been through hell.  People have died.  Many have lived in fear. Hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs or their businesses.  People have been forced to wear masks that don’t work, and many have been intimidated into taking a vaccine they didn’t want.

Meanwhile, the Governor, mayors, and other elected officials have openly violated the Louisiana Constitution and state law.  Most elected officials have been silent and thereby condoned what has been going on.

However, a few brave elected officials, business owners, attorneys, and ordinary citizens have refused to be silent or go along with clear violations of the Constitution.

The Central City News is honoring 25 of them. They have risked their careers and in some cases their freedom in order to stand firmly against the rise of tyranny and lawlessness in Louisiana.

On Friday, April 1, the Central City News and Real Health Medical will sponsor the Health Freedom Forum at Revolution Square at Hooper and Sullivan roads.  The event will feature world renowned physician Dr. Peter McCullough.

Reservations are necessary to attend.  They can be made at centralcitynews.us. The event will run from 12 noon to 5 p.m.  During the event, the 25 Louisiana Freedom Fighters will be honored.

Those to be honored are:

Attorney Gen. Jeff Landry who has been the most vocal and the most effective elected official in the state at fighting mask and vaccine mandates. The attorney general has not only been a leading spokesman for protecting our constitutional liberties during the pandemic, but he has led the legal battle in the courts.  He has filed numerous suits and amicus briefs in support of medical freedom. He succeeded in gaining a nationwide  injunction against the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate, which ultimately led to the United States Supreme Court striking down vaccine mandates for more than 100 million private employees across the United States.

Louisiana Solicitor General Liz Murrill has been the attorney general’s lead attorney in fighting mask mandates and vaccine mandate.  Ms. Murrill is a brilliant attorney who writes the briefs and argues the case before the highest courts in Louisiana and the nation.  Her appearance before the United States Supreme Court on vaccine mandates gained applause across the country.

Rev. Tony Spell, the pastor of Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, is the only person who has gone to prison in Louisiana for disobeying the mandates of Gov. John Bel Edwards. From the first day of Edwards’ emergency order, Rev. Spell has been consistent in saying he would continue holding worship services at his church.  The Governor, Mayor-President, Sheriff, District Attorney, commander of State Police, State Fire Marshal, Central police chief, and other officials have put tremendous pressure on pastor Spell with every imaginable threat. Ultimately, he was thrown into parish prison. However, he was soon released and continued holding church at “The Church That Never Closes.”  For the past 62 years, he and his grandfather have held more than 9,500 services without missing a single one.  His criminal case is now pending before the Louisiana Supreme Court, and his civil case is before the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Danielle Bunch, owner of Firehouse BBQ in Watson, refused to comply with the Governor’s mask mandate, despite being threatened with arrest and closure of her business by the State Dept. of Health.  Attorney Jeff Wittenbrink has been defending her.  Firehouse BBQ has never closed, is still open, and doing well.  Her case in dormant in the District Court in Livingston Parish.

Donnie Calloway, owner of Calloway’s Health & Fitness at 13436 Jefferson Hwy in Baton Rouge, refused to close its doors when Gov. Edwards ordered a lockdown, since Edwards had no legal authority to do so.  Calloway said if there is anything that should be open in these times, it is a gym.  Despite threats from the state, Calloway’s Gym has remained open from March 2020 to the present.

Jimmy Faircloth, attorney in Alexandria and former executive counsel for Gov. Bobby Jindal, has been representing physicians and nurses who have been threatened with being fired by their employers for refusing the vaccine.  His brilliant arguments and legal briefs have helped the courts and the legal community understand the important constitutional issues at stake.

Jeff Wittenbrink, attorney for 

Rev. Tony Spell at Life Tabernacle and for Danielle Bunch at Firehouse BBQ, has proven himself to be a outstanding constitutional lawyer that can do battle with the best legal minds in the state.  He has faced a complex legal situation and taken his clients from the district court to the supreme court at the state and federal levels. The case against Danielle Bunch is obviously going nowhere, and Rev. Spell appears likely to have major victories for the First Amendment  in both state and federal courts.

Federal District Judge Terry Doughty of Louisiana had the courage to place separate injunctions against the Biden Administration’s vaccine mandate for health care workers and its vaccine mandate for workers in Head Start programs.  Doughty, who was appointed by President Trump in 2015, imposed his injunction over 24 states. https://www.virginiamercury.com/2022/01/04/federal-judge-blocks-biden-vaccine-mandate-for-head-start-workers-in-24-states/

Rep. Kathy Edmonston (R-Gonzales) has been a leader in fighting mask mandates and vaccine mandates in the Louisiana Legislature.  Among her many legislative accomplishments were passage in 2021 of HB349 to prohibit listing vaccine status on drivers license for use as vaccine passport {vetoed by governor). HB498 to prohibit discrimination based on vaccine status (vetoed by governor).  HR20 which requires schools and colleges to advise students and parents that vaccines are voluntary for Louisiana students under R.S.17:170. Rep. Edmonston has been a leading voice against mandates since March 2020.

Rep. Danny McCormick (R-Oil City) has been an effective legislator fighting for freedom in Louisiana.  In 2021, he authored and passed HB103, which provided that any employer who mandates a vaccine would be liable for any harm which resulted to the employee (vetoed by governor).  He also authored HCR5 which suspended all criminal penalties against pastors or anyone else for conducting religious services in violation of the governor’s emergency orders.  That resolution has the effect of law and, as a suspension of the law, cannot be vetoed. Rep. McCormick organized some of the first rallies opposing the governor’s lockdowns.

Rep. Valarie Hodges (R-Central) has been one of the most vocal critics of Gov. John Bel Edwards’ mask mandates and vaccine mandates.  She has been a leader in the legislature and at public rallies in support of religious liberty. Rep. Hodges was also instrumental in making sure Covid 19 was not used to open the floodgates to voter fraud in her election reform legislation and other election reform bills considered by the legislature.

Rep. Beryl Amedee (R-Houma) has fought hard to end the mask and vaccine mandates. In 2020, she authored HB642 to prohibit employers from mandating their employees to accept a vaccine; HB61 restricting the power of the governor to declare an emergency; HB82 prohibiting a school from sharing a student’s health information with the State Dept. of Health without parental permission; HB90 limiting orders quarantining persons, and HB99 allowing nursing home residents to have visitors.  In 2021, she authored HB578 protecting the bodily autonomy of individuals to decide for themselves what medications or vaccines they will receive.

Rep. Larry Frieman (R-Covington) has been a strong opponent of Gov. Edwards’ mandates. In 2020, he authored HB15 to provide that either house of the legislature could terminate any part of a governor’s emergency order, such as a mask order or a ban on worship services.  In 2021, he authored HB149 to allow both houses to vote to terminate any part of a governor’s emergency order.  The latter bill passed both houses but was vetoed by the governor. Rep. Frieman has been a frequent speaker at rallies in opposition to the governor’s mandates.

Jill Dillingham Hines, president of Louisiana Health Freedom, has provided sound scientifically-based advice to elected officials, the media, and the public throughout the pandemic.  Her honesty has resulted in Facebook and other left-wing social media outlets banning  her and Louisiana Health Freedom for varying periods.  She has an active presence at the legislature, working to defend the right of citizens to make their own health care decisions.

Jeff Crouere of New Orleans is an experienced journalist who writes a weekly newspaper column, hosts a daily radio talk show, and does a weekly TV show on one of the major TV stations in the city.  Throughout the pandemic, he has been a consistent voice fighting mask mandates and vaccine mandates and the other crazy decrees of the Mayor of New Orleans. Actually, he has been one of the few voices in New Orleans speaking out. He is often the keynote speaker at rallies at the state capitol and anywhere else in defense of liberty.

Dr. Rhett Bergeron, M.D., of Baton Rouge and Atlanta has been one of the few physicians in Louisiana openly speaking against mask mandates and vaccine mandates.  His two-page article in the April 2020 edition of the Central City News (pages 6-7) was one of the few uncensored sources in the nation where physicians and the public could understand how to protect themselves during the pandemic.  His Covid-19 treatment protocol in the December 2021 edition of the Central City News provided the latest scientific and medical knowledge available. For him to speak out publicly came at great risk personally and professionally.

Dr. Jeff Andry of Slidell has also been a strong voice emphasizing early treatment of Covid 19 including the use of hydroxychloriquine.  He joined with Dr. Bergeron to publish an early treatment protocol in the December 2021 issue of the Central City News, which influenced physicians across the state.

Jonathan Koeppel was a Spanish teacher at Fountainbleu High School in St. Tammany Parish when Gov. John Bel Edwards issued his mask mandate for students.  Koeppel spoke out strongly at St. Tammany Parish School Board meetings that children are not vulnerable to Covid19 and that the masks don’t work.  He refused to take the mask, and he was fired from his job as a public school teacher. He has sued the St. Tammany Parish School Board for this violation of his rights. Last September, he started a construction company.  He is working to elect new members of the St. Tammany school board.  He is considering running for the Louisiana House in 2023.

Susie Labry is a long-time citizen activist and motion picture actress.  She closely monitors the Louisiana Legislature and grades the conservative voting record of each legislator with an emphasis on their votes on Gov. Edwards’ mandates.  Her ratings have provided valuable understanding of how legislators vote on the mandates, as opposed to how they present themselves to the public.

Michael Lunsford, president of Citizens for a New Louisiana, a non-profit organization that focuses on government transparency, especially at the local level.  Lunsford and his group work mostly behind the scenes to keep government honest and protect our liberty. Lunsford and his Baton Rouge director Jamie Pope worked hard on the petition by the Louisiana House to terminate the governor’s emergency orders.  One of their challenges was to get the signature of House Speaker Clay Schexnayder, which he ultimately did. They have been staunch opponents of Edwards’ mandates.

• Moon Griffon, long-time radio talk show host who many consider the Rush Limbaugh of Louisiana, has been a strong statewide voice throughout the pandemic pushing government to respect the Constitution and not Gov. Edwards’ illegal mandates. He blasts away daily with breaking news, insightful commentary, and Cajun humor that is devastating to leftists and socialists everywhere but especially in Louisiana and the Governor’s Mansion.

Kim Powers, newly-elected member of the Central Community School Board, began fighting Gov. Edwards’ mask mandate in the spring of 2020.  When the State Board of Elementary & Secondary Education finally held a hearing on the matter in June 2020, she attended to speak on behalf of her two girls against the mandate.  Instead, because she was not wearing a mask, six officers of the Department of Public Safety (not State Police) under the direction of the governor physically removed her from the meeting. Ms. Powers cited Art. 12, Section 3 of the Louisiana Constitution which gives every citizen the right to attend public meetings without wearing a mask, but they removed her anyway.  She since filed suit against BESE, and that case has been to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal and is now back in the court of District Judge Eboni Johnson-Rose. Ms. Power has became a popular speaker at rallies against the mandates.  Then last year she ran for a vacancy on the Central Community School Board and was elected in a landslide. Since being elected, she has been having a positive impact on the board.

Alana Newman is a mother and leader of Health Freedom Summit.  Last summer, she was attending a meeting of the Louisiana House Health & Welfare Committee at the State Capitol, waiting to testify against mask mandates in schools.  The chairman, Rep. Larry Bagley, presided over the meeting for five hours without a mask.  Yet, he demanded over and over that all of the 150 people in the room put on masks.  Some refused.  Then out of the blue, Rep. Bagley pointed to Ms. Newman who was sitting quietly in the room and ordered guards to physically remove her from the room.  They  picked her up, dropped her on the floor, showing her underwear, then picked her up again and dumped her in the hallway.  Their brutality and rudeness — in a state where people have a constitutional right to attend public meetings — was shocking.  Ms. Newman is considering filing suit.  She is preparing for the Health Freedom Summit, which she sponsors.  

Lydia Romero is a mom who has been watching the Lafayette Parish Council and the Lafayette Parish School Board for several years.  She does what good citizens are supposed to do: Exercise her right to attend public meetings and comment on what they are doing.  In October 2021, she was attending a meeting of the Lafayette Parish School Board when two sheriff deputies accosted her and demanded she put on a mask.  She told them she had a legal right to attend the meeting without a mask.  They proceeded to lift her out of her seat and carry her out of the meeting, depriving her of her right to attend a public meeting in accordance with Art. 12, Section 3 of the Louisiana Constitution.  In addition, rather than the deputies being charged with a crime, they filed criminal charged against Lydia Romero.  She is set for pre-trial hearing on April 7.  Ms. Romero is considering filing suit against the Sheriff’s office and the school board.

Claston Bernard was a two-time U.S. National Champion for LSU in the Decathlon.  For several years, he was the best all-around athlete in the United States.  He also ran for Jamaica in the Olympics.  In recent years, Bernard has become a leading spokesman for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  He speaks extensively across Louisiana opposing mask mandates, vaccine mandates, and other violations of our liberty.

These 25 heroes are among hundreds, perhaps thousands of Louisianians who have gotten out of their comfort zone to stand and speak out against Gov. John Bel Edwards and his lawless rule.

***

The public will be able to honor these leaders at Health Freedom Day from 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, April 1 at Revolution Square at Hooper and Sullivan roads in the City of Central.  To make reservations, send your name and address with a check for $20 to 

Central City News

910 North Foster Drive

Baton Rouge, LA 70806

Or pay online at centralcitynews.us.

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