The masks that the staff wear at Shooters Grill in Rifle as a pandemic-related precaution only accentuate the guns some of them open-carry, a trademark of the restaurant that has garnered it widespread publicity.

The fact that the restaurant is now serving customers indoors — contrary to what’s allowed under the orders of Gov. Jared Polis — only accentuates the restaurant’s Wild-West feel. It also reflects the defiant nature of its owner, also a Republican candidate for Congress, when it comes to what she sees as challenges to her constitutional rights and her ability to run a business without coming under the heavy thumb of government.

Lauren Boebert, a challenger for the 3rd Congressional District seat of incumbent and fellow Republican Rep. Scott Tipton, opened her doors to indoor dining Saturday, limiting customer numbers to 30% of capacity.

“I want Garfield County to be 100% open,” she told Garfield County commissioners this week.

She said she supported the first call by Polis to shut things down, but objected when he then kept extending restrictions even though she doesn’t believe the latest data on the threat posed by COVID-19 warrants that. She called the current infringements on business “absolutely unconstitutional.”

Garfield commissioners haven’t obtained a variance from the restrictions Polis has ordered, the way Mesa County has for establishments such as gyms and restaurants, but they are preparing to seek one, amid calls from some in the county, including Boebert, that they aren’t moving fast enough.

Garfield County has recorded 112 positive COVID-19 tests and two related deaths, according to the latest county figures.

Boebert informed the commissioners Monday that she had moved forward on her own to open her restaurant’s doors. For Boebert, it’s a matter of getting furloughed employees working again and being able to make her payroll.

“I understand the (potential) consequences. I am wiling to take a risk for my people,” she told the commissioners.

Garfield County Commissioner John Martin said Tuesday that he understands Boebert’s point of view, but the county has rules and regulations it has to follow and “there will be appropriate action, I’m sure” by the county for what he called Boebert’s “open violation” of the Polis order. He said he believes county health officials will make a recommendation about how the county should respond.

The recommendation will then to go the county board of health, and then to commissioners, he said.

This week, both the Polis administration and local health officials moved to shut down a Castle Rock restaurant that opened to indoor service, with customers reportedly packing the premises unlike at Shooters. As of now, at least, the state isn’t immediately moving in the case of Shooters.

Asked about the Shooters case, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said in a statement, “Counties typically lead on enforcement actions. If the state chooses to also take action, that doesn’t preclude the county from doing so. Typically the state will get involved when there has been no county action to suspend/close a violating facility — or when there are willful, flagrant violations.”

Boebert said in an interview that she doesn’t consider the Polis order to be a law.

“I didn’t see it passed by our legislature and signed by our governor,” she said.

Martin views it as a law.

“This is one of those laws we have to follow. It’s unfortunate but we do,” he said.

He wonders if the action Boebert has taken has anything to do with her running for election and trying to get out the message about her campaign platform.

Boebert said she thinks people understand her views on freedom, which she already had been advocating for some time.

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