Pushing back against bureaucratic harassment

SPOKANE - Extortion, blackmail and harassment.

That's what the more than 50 area restaurant and tavern owners and their supporters called Liquor and Cannabis Board officers' threats of fines, license revocation and criminal charges during a protest at lunchtime Monday, Jan. 4.

The protesters turned out to board's Spokane office at 1303 W. Broadway Ave. to object to the "illegal" tactics being used by the employees in their efforts to shutdown indoor table service at eateries and adult beverage businesses from Spokane Valley south to Colfax.

Protesters started arriving in the pouring rain about 11:30 a.m. intent on being loud enough to disrupt the lunch hour of public workers. Instead, they found themselves the only ones present.

Pat Carbaugh of Airway Heights took time to post signs on the doors of the office as well as hang caution tape across the entrance.

"Nothing violent, nothing mean spirited," he said. "I'm just here to play my role and my part of being a patriot for the America way."

Gesturing at the locked door and blackened office, he said, "This is the representation we get."

Nearby, pastor John Schrock of Hope Baptist Church in Airway Heights waved the Gadsden flag at the entrance to the parking lot. On the adjacent street, protesters carried Trump flags and numerous signs calling for businesses to reopen now.

The Black Diamond owners, Brandon Fenton and Wayne Fenton, were both present at the rally as were several of their Spokane Valley employees.

The absence of government workers wasn't lost on them.

"I just wish they were here working instead of getting paid to sit at home," Brandon Fenton said. "Instead of doing their jobs and hearing us out, they just took the day off."

Fenton noted the Liquor and Cannabis Board doesn't have the authority to enact consecutive emergency rules without public input.

"They don't follow the law, yet they want us to follow proclamations that are not law," he said.

Fenton closed The Black Diamond, 9614 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley, last week, after liquor officers "blackmailed" the business by threatening fines, license revocation and court action.

"We are speaking with our lawyers and doing some research into legal action to stop them from threatening, harassing and extorting us," he said.

Fenton said the governor is likewise extorting and blackmailing businesses, by threatening to revoke any grant fund awards should a business violate his proclamations.

"He's using this as a way to blackmail businesses into doing what he wants," Fenton said. "It's a dictatorship."

Black Diamond employee Raymond Tiffany of Spokane Valley attended the rally to support his boss and rally for his job to be secure.

"We're currently shut down," he said. "I'm here to help keep our businesses open."

Caleb Collier of Spokane Valley was among the coordinators to speak at the rally.

"We're out here pushing back," he said, calling the liquor board's actions "harassment by bureaucrats."

"If they are going to harass our people, it's time for us to harass them," he said. "If you (liquor board employees) continue to harass us, you can expect us to stand in front of your building. If you continue making it hard for us, we're going to make it hard for you."

Caleb was joined by former state Rep. Matt Shea of Spokane Valley, who also called liquor employees' actions "illegal" and "unconstitutional."

"Liquor and Cannabis Board cannot do consecutive rules like they've done, emergency rules, without going through an administrative process," he said. "That needs to be challenged in court. Until them, people are going to be standing out here waiting for some answers."

Shea called on liquor board employees to be held accountable for violating the rights of business owners. He also called on Americans to stand up and demand a true accounting of what the coronavirus risk really is.

"Our businesses are being harassed," he said.

At about 12:20 p.m., protesters marched down the street to the Spokane County Courthouse, 1116 W. Broadway Ave.

There, they took to bullhorns and offered short speeches from the courthouse steps.

County employees peered out of windows to see what was happening.

Collier took to the steps first, calling out county commissioners and other so-called leaders.

"Where are the commissioners? Where is the mayor," he said. "A true leader stands in front ... they are in their nice warm houses. Most of them aren't even at their jobs."

Collier called on elected officials to stand with business owners and residents.

Shea stepped up, too.

"LCB is currently harassing our people; they are harassing our friends," he said. "We're going to make them uncomfortable. If they harass us, we will harass them."

Shea said that if bureaucrats continue down the path they are on, protesters may have to take their voices to their homes.

"If unelected bureaucrats cannot answer questions from the people, maybe we have to go to their house and ask them questions in person," he said. "They are not above us. They serve us."

It wouldn't be the first time protesters have taken their liquor board protests to the home of a public employee.

In November, Patriot Prayer's Joey Gibson of Vancouver led a loud protest at the Kennewick home of Austin Shively, a liquor board sergeant that Tri-City-area business owners have said is harassing them for keeping indoor services open.

Roger Harnack can be reached at [email protected].