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Idaho’s Hardware Brewing Company owners said Monday night that they had violated state coronavirus shutdown orders earlier this month in order to keep their business from going under.
Appearing on “The Ingraham Angle,” Morgan, Doug and Christine Lohman explained that they had originally complied with the shutdown mandate, but takeout orders alone could not keep them afloat.
“We restored a beautiful old building. It’s 116 years old. We put our life savings into it and we made a destination place where people come in groups, they come for wedding parties, they come to stay and enjoy the ambiance of this beautiful building, play some shuffleboard, have some good brews [and] some great pub grub,” Christine told host Laura Ingraham.
“You do not drive 35 miles or more for me to come out in a hazmat suit and hand [you] a burger. So, we were starving slowly.”
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Lohman recalled that when Republican Gov. Brad Little gave them a second potential date to reopen, they thought they would be saved. However, neither they nor their neighbors fell under the jurisdiction of essential businesses on Little’s list.
“We were all told we’re not essential and we have to stay closed. So, we defied his order because we know of no law, no legislation that’s been passed…that says that we can’t operate. That we can’t enjoy commerce which is our…constitutional right,” she stated.
Under Idaho’s reopening plan, bars and nightclubs aren’t allowed to reopen until mid-June at the earliest, and restaurant dining rooms have to wait until between mid-May to mid-June. The Lohman family then decided to reopen with their regular hours.
Upon reopening, the Kendrick brewery hosted Lt. Governor Janice McGeachin, GOP Chairman Raul Labrador, Rep. Mike Kingsley, Sen. Dan Johnson, and local sheriffs who came to show their support for the defiant act.
McGeachin had reportedly also attended a “Liberate Idaho” rally earlier in the day.
However, it was because of that show of support that the brewery saw especially swift backlash from Little — along with the threat to remove their liquor license. Host Laura Ingraham called it “shocking” to see the reaction in the Republican-led state.
“If you continue to stay open in violation of the Stay Healthy Order, your actions will constitute an ongoing violation of the foregoing Title 23 and public health laws and can result in an administrative violation against and potential revocation of Hardware Brewing Company retail alcohol beverage license,” Idaho State Police Capt. Brad Doty wrote in a letter to the Lohmans.
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“I truly believe that the reason we’re being targeted is because the lieutenant governor showed up,” Morgan remarked.
“Had Janice not showed up to show her support, we wouldn’t have Gov. Little after us.”
