The governor's pardon power extends to overturning administrative [bureaucratic] overreach; or else there is NO remedy.
The governor has the ball in his court, and should put a suitable end to liquor authority nonsense, a/k/a abuse of authority.
Surdyk is a hero. They should give away Surdyk bobblehead dolls. From one of the linked Strib reports:
Surdyk did not consult with any authorities before opting to open his store. It was a decision that he claimed was in line with his family’s tradition, dating to a 50-year-old state law that permitted stores to offer discounts on liquor for the first time.
“My father was the first one to discount liquor way back in the 1960s, and he didn’t wait till July to do it,” Surdyk said.
Wanted to be first
About 1 p.m. [evil and snide badge toting bureaucrat] Wilson showed up at Surdyk’s, where the parking lot was full of cars, and advised Surdyk to “lock the doors.” If he did not comply with the advice, [evil and snide] Wilson “was going to write me up,” according to Surdyk, who added that he planned on staying open till 6 p.m. By midafternoon, checkout lines stretched to the back of the store.
Said [evil and snide badge heavy bureauman] Wilson, “I documented three liquor sales so I could instigate citations.” The city allows a fine of $500 for the first violation, and doubles the fines for each added one.
“I’m guessing the fine for Sunday would be $3,500,” [snide and intransigent] Wilson said, but the matter will go to the city attorney on Monday.
“The City will also pursue [chickenshit] sanctions against the off-sale liquor license held by Surdyk’s based on the owner’s clear disregard of the law,” said a statement issued by the city Sunday evening.
Many customers, meanwhile, were at Surdyk’s to be among the first in Minnesota history to purchase liquor from a store on a Sunday.
“I have a receipt that I bought beer!” said Rick Spaulding, of Minneapolis.
“I guess maybe [Jim Surdyk] is trying to make a point,” Spaulding said. “But what if he loses his license for a week?”
[bracketed judgmental text added, not in original] Some laws, with built-in totally stupid delays, are bad law; and Surdyk called the bureaucrats out on unbending will to enforce bad law. Good for Surdyk.
Bobblehead manufacturers; here is your template image. If they really do close his store for the full month of July, the governor declining to exercise pardon power, at lest the man should be entitled to sell bobblehead "defiance dolls" in front of the shuttered popular merchant location. It would be exceptionally just, were that to be.
____________UPDATE____________
More excerpting, from a second Strib item:
At 2:27 p.m. Carla Cincotta, an agent from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division contacted Surdyk and told him to close down shop. Surdyk asked if he and all his customers would be arrested if he didn’t comply, the warrant said.
The agent said only he was breaking the law. She asked again he was going to close the business, and he said “maybe” and hung up the telephone. Two agents were sent to the store to take pictures of the illegal activity and he was informed he would potentially be charged with a gross misdemeanor,
Customers learned about the Sunday sale through e-mails. Surdyk’s, the family-owned liquor store in northeast Minneapolis, issued a social-media blast saying “Open Today,” followed by a short message that the store would be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We just decided to open up,” Surdyk told the Star Tribune on that day. “We’re here, we’re busy, it’s great. People are happy to be here.”
Anybody who hangs up the phone on a nuisance bureaucrat should be given a medal. For: Defiance of Stupidity, Above and Beyond the Call of Duty.
The days of an open frontier free of erosion of individual dignity by nattering badge toting busy-bodies are gone, and missed greatly. Kennedy knew it. We need a New Frontier.
___________FURTHER UPDATE___________
After the War for independence from British oppressive government, within years that could be counted on a single hand after the Constitution's ratification, there was the Whiskey Rebellion; tune time. Frontier taxation without Statehood even. No state, no representation; etc. There is spirit and tradition to Surdyk showing there was absolutely zero need to delay Sunday sales; by selling on Sunday so that liquor taxes were thereby generated for the public fisk. Not good, the authorities opined. He disrespects us. Uppity. Needs a lesson, showing the stupidity of a half-year implementation delay without any rational basis whatsoever. At least they did not lynch the man.