Attorney General Files Lawsuit Against 6 Central Minnesota Bars

ALBANY -- Minnesota's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit Sunday night against a chain of six bars and restaurants in central Minnesota that have vowed to reopen Monday or in the coming days in violation of the Governor's Stay Safe Minnesota Executive Order.

The Shady's bars are located in Albany, Burtrum, Cold Spring, New Munich, Rice and St. Martin. The lawsuit also names owner Kris Schiffler individually as a defendant.

Schiffler says in a Facebook post that he intends to open his Albany location at noon Monday and could open his other location later this week.

The Attorney General says this is the first enforcement action his office has taken to prevent the premature restart of on-site consumption in bars and restaurants. The Attorney General's Office is seeking emergency relief from the court to prevent the six "Shady's" bars from violating the Executive Order.

Schiffler is facing a $25,000 fine per day per location.

House Republicans, led by Representative Kresha, R-Little Falls, recently sent a letter to Attorney General Keith Ellison calling on him to stop threatening businesses, faced with a choice between opening and going out of business, with hefty fines and legal action. Rep. Kresha released the following statement regarding the lawsuit.

"It is truly appalling that the Attorney General would take a small business owner to court simply for trying to save his business," said Kresha. "Businesses have followed the governor's mandates for months now, and many have been driven to the point where they'll never open their doors again. The fact that our state's top lawyer is trying to sue a business out of existence is unacceptable. This is government overreach in the extreme."