The forefront Republican candidate to replace Democrat Congressman Jared Golden in Maine’s Second Congressional District has filed paper work against Maine Governor Janet Mills.

Adrienne Bennett announced that she has filed a brief of amicus curiae in the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals in favor of local central Maine church’s motion for a temporary restraining order against Governor Janet Mills.

“This is a dangerous moment where Governor Mills is arguing that certain emergencies allow her to trample on the constitutionally protected rights of Mainers. Our churches and all people of faith need to know that when their rights are violated, they are not alone. We must fight back,” said the Republican candidate for Congress.

“Janet Mills is not the head of the church. Her government cannot dictate how, when or to whom we worship. She cannot discriminate against houses of worship and treat them lesser than secular institutions. I urge the court to intervene. We will fight this all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary.”

Bennett is being represented by Maine attorney Stephen C. Whiting of The Whiting Law Firm who had this to say about the brief filed against Governor Janet Mills, “While the Governor certainly has an interest in protecting public health, all Mainers also have an interest in seeing their Constitutional rights upheld. The Governor cannot use her power to protect public health in a manner that arbitrarily deprives Mainers of the right to free exercise of religion. Therefore, the public interest favors granting Appellant’s motion and preventing further violations of First Amendment freedoms.”

Earlier in the month Pastor Ken Graves and Calvary Chapel of Orrington, Maine filed a federal lawsuit that challenges Maine’s governor Janet Mills closure of places of worship as means to end the spread of COVID-19 in Maine. That story was covered by Big League Politics and can be read here.