'Autonomous zone' Staten Island bar plans to sue Governor Cuomo over restrictions

Monday, March 15, 2021
STATEN ISLAND, New York (WABC) -- Some embattled bar owners on Staten Island, who have refused to comply with COVID restrictions, are now planning to sue Governor Andrew Cuomo.

The owners of Mac's Public House claim Governor Cuomo's COVID restrictions defied logic and they have declared their business an autonomous zone.
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The bar has been closed since December, but now the owners are planning to reopen without enforcing COVID regulations.

"Mac's is going to open and we're not going to follow any mandates," Mac's Public House co-owner Dan Presti said. "If you wanna wear masks, wear mask -- if you don't, you don't have to. Nowhere are small business owners supposed to be the mask police and enforce these policies."

Presti has been fined repeatedly for refusing to follow COVID regulations.

He was also charged with driving into a sheriff's deputy outside the bar in December.
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A grand jury declined to indict Presti for assault.



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