A federal court Friday heard firsthand accounts from business owners and politicians in Butler and surrounding counties who questioned the power and legality of the state's response to the coronavirus.

The lawsuit, filed May 7 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh, challenges Gov. Tom Wolf's disaster emergency declaration — specifically the business shutdown and stay-at-home orders over the coronavirus pandemic.

The lawsuit claims Wolf's orders violated certain rights granted by the U.S. Constitution.

The suit was filed on behalf of Butler, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties, four Republican lawmakers and several small businesses.

State Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine also was named as a defendant.

Friday's hearing before U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV was held to establish the facts in the case. The day was spent hearing testimony from those who attacked the state's red, yellow and green phase system and claimed it was arbitrarily implemented.

Among those testifying were Butler County Commissioner Leslie Osche, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, state Rep. Marci Mustello and Rep. Daryl Metcalfe and owners of several county businesses.

Read more in Sunday's Butler Eagle.