Three Michigan Republicans in the state’s House of Representatives filed articles of impeachment against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
Michigan state Reps. Beau LaFave, Matt Maddock, and Daire Rendon wrote in their resolution Thursday that Whitmer “acted in conflict with her constitutional duties as Governor” in her executive orders responding to the coronavirus pandemic in the state.
“She has exceeded her constitutional authority, violated the constitutional rights of the people of Michigan, issued orders that are not in the best interests of the people of this state, and used the pandemic as an opportunity to reward political allies. These actions are a matter of public record, primarily in the form of executive orders and the enforcement thereof,” the articles read.
The articles of impeachment said that Whitmer “violated her constitutional oath of office by failing to respect the separation of powers and by exercising powers expressly granted to the legislative branch” in Michigan’s Constitution. The Republicans cited executive actions that include prohibiting evictions, banning nonessential medical procedures, and closing businesses.
The resolution also alleged Whitmer violated First Amendment rights provided by the Constitution, including the right of religious freedom.
“While the Governor’s later orders have included language indicating that places of worship and individuals participating in religious practices would not be subject to criminal penalties for violating the orders, the restriction itself – even if not enforced via criminal process in all circumstances – is a direct violation of the constitutional rights of the people of Michigan,” the resolution continued.
In response, Whitmer press secretary Tiffany Brown said the governor “doesn’t have any time for partisan politics or people who don’t wear masks, don’t believe in science, and don’t have a plan to fight this virus” in a written statement.
“Right now, she is focused on saving lives. The governor will continue to work hard for all 10 million Michiganders. This is about Michigan vs. COVID-19. Governor Whitmer doesn’t care if you’re a Trump Republican or a Biden Democrat. We are all in this together,” the statement continued.
Michigan’s Supreme Court ruled in a 4-3 decision in October that the Democratic governor did not have the power to continue her restrictions under two laws passed in 1976 and 1945, describing the act as an “unlawful delegation of legislative power to the executive branch in violation of the Michigan Constitution.”
