Written with contribution from Sheriff David Clarke
A New Jersey gym owner who has gone viral on more than one occasion for defiantly standing up to Garden State COVID-tyranny says that the state seized $165,000 from his gym’s bank account for refusing to comply with health department orders.
Ian Smith is the owner of Atilis Gym in the town of Bellmawr and has remained committed to defying the state’s far-reaching mandates which would no doubt devastate his business had he opted to comply anyway.
Smith revealed the seizure on Instagram, where he blamed Governor Phil Murphy (D) directly.
“As of this morning, without warning and without permission and in the middle of litigation, Governor Murphy took it upon himself to empty our bank account, entirely…to the tune of $165,000,” he said in a video, holding up a piece of paper.
He explained he’s not charged his club’s members since April 1, 2020 and that most of the remaining funds had come from donations.
Smith explained that he’d managed to pay his bills through donations and online merchandise sales.
https://twitter.com/toddstarnes/status/1349864794917056513?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1349864794917056513%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.toddstarnes.com%2Funcategorized%2Fnew-jersey-gym-owner-says-state-seized-165g-from-bank-account%2F
As he has firmly stated prior, he’s not backing down.
Thousands of small business owners across the nation will no doubt appreciate that he’s decided to stick it out and stand up for his right to operate the club he’s worked so hard to build and grow.
“This will not stop us,” he said. “We will not stand down. We will continue to fight this fight because we know—based upon what is outlined in the constitution, that when we get to the right court, and when we get to a judge who respects the constitution, we will win this case.”
Never thought we would see in the United States, political prisoners. This business owner is on the doorstep of becoming one.
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