‘I Will Keep Fighting For Business Owners’ State Rep. Candidate Danny DeVito Files Right To Know Request About Allegheny Co. COVID-19 Field Response Team

CARNEGIE (KDKA) — State Rep. Danny DeVito has filed a right-to-know request about Allegheny County’s COVID-19 Field Response Team.

The team released its first report just yesterday. According to the report, 68 businesses were checked on by the team to make sure they were adhering to local health guidelines.

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DeVito, a state Representative for the 45th Legislative District, called the establishment of the county’s COVID-19 Field Response Team “disturbing” in a press release.

You can read DeVito’s full statement below:

“At the beginning of my campaign, I promised to always fight for small business owners. I plan to keep that promise. One of the most disturbing stories of this past week was the establishment of a ‘Covid Field Response Team’ that will have authority to roam around Allegheny County and harass small business owners.

According to the press release from the Office of the County Executive dated July 22, 2020, the purpose of this team will be to visit businesses and ensure that they are ‘following the rules.’ The press release declared that this new entity would have authority to enforce public health orders. The press release targeted restaurants and bars, while saying nothing about the rioters and violent mobs blocking traffic and harassing hard working Pennsylvanians that somehow seem to be exempt from public health regulations.

The citizens of Allegheny County deserve to know who is on this team, who is profiting from the contracts associated with the team, and the process by which team members are vetted and credentialed. Therefore, I have submitted a ‘Right to Know’ Request to the office of the Allegheny County Executive seeking ‘Any and all contracts related to the COVID-19 FIELD RESPONSE TEAM described in the press release dated July 22, 2020. This includes any and all contracts between Allegheny County and individuals AND/OR between Allegheny County and any type of business entity.

Just as we led the fight for small business owners in the Courts with the landmark case Friends of Danny DeVito, et. al v. Governor Wolf and Secretary Levine, we now continue the fight on behalf of small businesses. I will keep fighting for business owners and keep taxpayers updated on any new information. We should be coming together as neighbors to help one another, not empowering a snitch squad. We will not allow totalitarian extremists to destroy our way of life: Our land and liberty will be preserved for future generations!”