Rhode Island Repeals Ban Against New Yorkers After Gov. Andrew Cuomo Threatened Lawsuit
On Saturday (Mar 28), New York governor Andrew Cuomo (D) threatened a lawsuit after Rhode Island governor Gina Raimondo (D) enacted an order banning New Yorkers from the state on Friday (Mar 27).
Sunday (Mar 29), the Ocean State lifted the policy; which asked authorities to collect information about New Yorkers entering the state, and to stop vehicles bearing New York license plates.
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Before repealing the order, Gov. Cuomo threatened, “If they uphold that policy, I’m going to sue. I think what they did is wrong. It was reactionary. I think it was illegal, but we’ll work it out amicably, I’m sure. No state should be using police to prohibit interstate travel in any way.“
After the repeal, Gov. Cuomo stated, “I spoke to the governor of Rhode Island yesterday, and we had a conversation. I don’t think the order was called for, I don’t believe it was legal, I don’t believe it was neighborly. I understood the point but I think there were different ways to do it.”
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But, defending Gov. Raimondo’s initial move, her press secretary, Josh Block, shared, “The Governor’s top priority is keeping Rhode Islanders safe. New York is a hotspot of this epidemic, and as a matter of public safety, it was critical to ensure travelers from New York are self-quarantining to avoid unnecessary spread.”