Tony Spell

Republican Louisiana lawmakers trying to chisel away at Gov. John Bel Edwards' coronavirus restrictions Wednesday sought to protect a Baton Rouge area pastor charged with violating those rules and advanced legislation that would keep emergency orders from governing churches.

While Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards has moved the state into phase one of its reopening strategy, allowing churches to operate at 25% of their capacity, Pastor Tony Spell is digging in his heels.

Life Tabernacle Church will not apply for a government loan, but will take people's stimulus money. What's more, since the church has continued to defy the governor's ban on in-person gatherings, one of the members has died from COVID-19.