Bauer v. Summey

568 F.Supp.3d 573

Sean BAUER, Giovanni Brown, Alexis Chavez, Teddy Gorman, Hampton Jenkins, Sarah Midgett, Patrick Norwood, James Romer, Michael Salvo, Donavan Snovel, James Stewert, Howard Thomas, IV, Paul Watson, and Alex Wilkinson, Plaintiffs,

v.R. Keith SUMMEY, in his official and individual capacities, and City of North Charleston, Defendants.

Aaron Gdovicak, Alexander Glover, Andrew Lupisella, Benjamin Pastva, Brendan Schecker, Brice Mack, Carl David Grant, Cecilia F. Leone, Chris Edwards, Craig Hamilton, Dana Flanigan, Edward Marshall Anderson, Eric Glover, Gerry Harter, Hayley Bell, Jane Doe, John Charles Petro, John Daniel Johnson, John Doe Firefighter #1, John Doe Firefighter #2, John E. Baker, John McDonald, Jonathan Massie, Josh Turner, Joshawa Daniel Bell, Joshua Cor, Justin Kahle, Katelyn Brogan, Kip Hibbard, Kyle Gary Skeels, Logan Face, Matthew Brennan, Matthew Wilson, Michael Fedele, Richard Walls, RJ Walls, Robert Sacco, Robert Tackett, Scott Dabney, Thomas McNamara, Todd McCumbee, Travis Doverspike, Victor Kruzinsky, and William James Towne, Plaintiffs,

v.John H. Tecklenburg, in his official and individual capacities, and City of Charleston, Defendants.

Ashleigh Tucker, Blake Alvey, Chris P. Quinn, David Johnson, Denise Cobb, Elizabeth Moffat, Jane Doe Dispatcher, Jeffrey D. Watson, Jennifer Sciarrotta, John Doe Deputy #1, John Doe Deputy #2, John Doe Deputy #3, Jonathan Jourdan, Larry Donald Hall Jr., Matthew Hutchinson, McKenzie Everham, Paxton Chel Hatchell Prettel, Shanna Mascia, Stuart Joey Prettel II, Timothy Joseph Carroll, Dale McCants, Jr., John Christopher Adams, David Johnson, and Rickie Biggs, Plaintiffs,

v.Anna B. Johnson, in her official and individual capacities; Henry E. Darby, in his official and individual capacities; Herbert Ravenel Sass, III, in his official and individual capacities; Kylon Jerome Middleton, in his official and individual capacities; Robert L. Wehrman, in his official and individual capacities; Teddie E. Pryor, Sr., in his official and individual capacities; and Charleston County, Defendants.

Chris Herndon, Damon Bevins, Dustin Kreinbrook, Jeremey Eardley, Jonathan Flanagan, Joseph Martin, Justin Ellis, Kevin Frizzell, Kody Capatosto, Mark Ortiz, Rusty Dean Grow, Jr., and Travis A. Miller, Plaintiffs,

v.Colleen Walz, in her official and individual capacities; Debra Lehman, in her official and individual capacities; Eric Britton, in his official and individual capacities; Frank J. Broccolo, in his official and individual capacities; Isiah White, in his official and individual capacities; Leroy Blake, in his official and individual capacities; Mary Jones, in her official and individual capacities; Robert E. Wright, in his official and individual capacities; Stephen Rolando, in his official and individual capacities; and St. John Fire District, Defendants.

No. 2:21-cv-02952-DCN

No. 2:21-cv-03137-DCN

No. 2:21-cv-03178-DCN

No. 2:21-cv-03192-DCN

United States District Court, D. South Carolina, Charleston Division.

Signed October 21, 2021

Thomas Michael Fernandez, Fernandez Law, Summerville, SC, Thomas William Winslow, Goldfinch Winslow LLC, Murrells Inlet, SC, for Plaintiff Sean Bauer in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Giovanni Brown in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Alexis Chavez in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Teddy Gorman in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Hampton Jenkins in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Sarah Midgett in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Patrick Norwood in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, James Romer in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Michael Salvo in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Donovan Snovel in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, James Stewart in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Howard Thomas, IV in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Paul Watson in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, Alex Wilkinson in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN.

Joshua Ryan Langdon Hooser, Hooser Legal Counsel, Charleston, SC, Thomas Michael Fernandez, Fernandez Law, Summerville, SC, Thomas William Winslow, Goldfinch Winslow LLC, Murrells Inlet, SC, for Plaintiffs Aaron Gdovicak in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Alexander Glover in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Andrew Lupisella in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Benjamin Pastva in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Brendan Schecker in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Brice Mack in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Carl David Grant in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Cecilia F. Leone in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Chris Edwards in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Craig Hamilton in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Dana Flanigan in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Edward Marshall Anderson in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Eric Glover in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Gerry Harter in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Hayley Bell in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Jane Doe in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, John Charles Petro in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, John Daniel Johnson in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, John Doe in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, John E. Baker in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, John McDonald in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Jonathan Massie in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Josh Turner in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Joshawa Daniel Bell in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Joshua Cor in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Justin Kahle in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Katelyn Brogan in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Kip Hibbard in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Kyle Gary Skeels in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Logan Face in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Matthew Brennan in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Matthew Wilson in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Michael Fedele in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Richard Walls in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, RJ Walls in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Robert Sacco in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Robert Tackett in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Scott Dabney in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Thomas McNamara in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Todd McCumbee in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Travis Doverspike in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Victor Kruzinsky in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, William James Towne in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Ashleigh Tucker in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Blake Alvey in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Chris P. Quinn in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, David Johnson in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Denise Cobb in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Debra Blum in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Elizabeth Moffat in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Jane Doe Dispatcher in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Jeffrey D. Watson in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Jennifer Sciarrotta in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, John Doe Deputy # 1 in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, John Doe Deputy # 2 in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Jonathan Jourdan in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Larry Donald Hall, Jr. in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Matthew Hutchinson in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, McKenzie Everham in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Paxton Chel Hatchell Prettel in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Shanna Mascia in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Stuart Joey Prettel, II in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Timothy Joseph Carroll in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Dale McCants, Jr. in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, John Christopher Adams in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Rickie Biggs in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Victor Richard Trantham, III in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Chris Herndon in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Damon Bevins in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Dustin Kreinbrook in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Jeremey Eardley in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Jonathan Flanagan in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Joseph Martin in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Kevin Frizzell in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Kody Capatosto in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Mark Ortiz in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Rusty Dean Grow, Jr. in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Travis A. Miller in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN.

Bob J. Conley, Cleveland and Conley, Caroline Wrenn Cleveland, Caroline Wrenn Cleveland Law Office, Charleston, SC, for Defendants R. Keith Summey in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN, John H. Tecklenburg in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, City of Charleston in 2:21-cv-03137-DCN, Anna B. Johnson in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Henry E. Darby in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Herbert Ravenel Sass, III in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Kylon Jerome Middleton in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Robert L. Wehrman in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN, Teddie E. Pryor, Sr. in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN.

Bob J. Conley, Cleveland and Conley, Caroline Wrenn Cleveland, Caroline Wrenn Cleveland Law Office, Donald Higgins Howe, Donald H. Howe Law Office, Charleston, SC, for Defendants Colleen Walz in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, St. John Fire District in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN.

Bob J. Conley, Cleveland and Conley, Caroline Wrenn Cleveland, Caroline Wrenn Cleveland Law Office, Charleston, SC, J. Brady Hair, Derk Bleckman Kekkert Van Raalte, IV, Law Office of Brady Hair, North Charleston, SC, for Defendant City of North Charleston in 2:21-cv-02952-DCN.

Natalie R. Armstrong, Solomon Law Group LLC, Columbia, SC, for Defendant Charleston County in 2:21-cv-03178-DCN.

Zachary Meade Kern, Clement Rivers LLP, Charleston, SC, for Debra Lehman in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Eric Britton in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Frank J. Broccolo in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Isiah White in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Leroy Blake in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Mary Jones in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Robert E. Wright in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, Stephen Rolando in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN, William Thomae in 2:21-cv-03192-DCN.

ORDER

DAVID C. NORTON, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

The following matter is before the court on the motions for preliminary injunctions filed by plaintiffs in each of the above-captioned cases. Because the facts and law underlying the four cases are almost identical, the parties have agreed to consolidate the cases for the purpose of the court's resolution of the motions for preliminary injunctions. For the reasons set forth below, the court denies the motions.

I. BACKGROUND

This matter arises out of certain policies issued by the City of North Charleston, the City of Charleston, the County of Charleston, and the St. John Fire District imposing mandatory COVID-19 vaccine requirements on their employees and other affiliated personnel. Plaintiffs in each of the above-captioned actions filed suit against the respective government entities by whom they are employed or affiliated, challenging the COVID-19 vaccine mandates as violative of their rights under the United States and South Carolina Constitutions and under certain South Carolina statutes and common law. The court provides a brief summary of each of the challenged policies below.

A. The City of North Charleston Executive Order

On September 1, 2021, Mayor R. Keith Summey ("Mayor Summey"), in his capacity as the City of North Charleston's chief executive, signed and issued Executive Order Number 2021-0001 (the "Executive Order"). The Executive Order imposes a mandatory COVID-19 vaccine requirement on all City of North Charleston employees, volunteers, and interns, whether working on a full or part-time schedule. The Executive Order...