CLICK TO HEAR GOV. GRETCHEN WHITMER DISCUSS PETITION DRIVE
The petition drive continues to repeal a 1945 law that has given Governor Gretchen Whitmer the ability to issue executive orders without legislative approval.
The group behind “Unlock Michigan” plans to collect signatures on Saturday in Escanaba, at the Delta County Gun Owners event at the Municipal Dock.
Whitmer was asked Wednesday afternoon about the petition drive, and she again called the effort to limit her powers “dangerous”.
“I ask people to decline to sign if you see that out there,” Whitmer said. “We know these actions have saved us, and the vast majority of people get it, in the state, and support this. That’s precisely why we’re going to fight to keep these powers in this executive office so that a governor can take action to save lives.”
Whitmer said that she “does not relish” using the powers, and she says if she hadn’t, many more people would be dead in Michigan.
“If these powers weren’t in effect right now, we would look a heck of a lot like Florida, and Florida is in a crisis,” Whitmer said, referring to that state’s recent spike in coronavirus cases. “We went from third in the nation in cases, percent positive rates, and deaths, and now, we’re 40th (out of the 50 states).”
Whitmer added that some of the people collecting signatures are lying about what they’re up to. “Some are even saying they’re supporting me,” she said.
The group says it has now passed 200,000 of the 340,000 signatures it needs to put the question before the Michigan legislature. It says the 1945 law needs to be repealed so that the people’s representatives in the House and Senate can have input into decisions that affect their daily lives.
Whitmer, a Democrat, has been at odds with the Republican-led legislature since May 1, when the legislature declined to extend her executive orders, including the state of emergency. Whitmer has repeatedly extended it without approval.
Also at Wednesday’s press conference, Whitmer was asked if she will continue to extend the state of emergency until there’s a widely-available vaccine available, which could be another year or more.
“I can’t answer that with certainty,” Whitmer said. “If our numbers got low enough, then perhaps we could think about lifting that.”
The Unlock Michigan petition drive will be in Escanaba from 11:00 until 3:00 on Saturday at the Delta County Gun Owners event at the Municipal Dock.
They will also be in front of Scott’s Subs and Pizza in Iron River from 10:30 until 2:30 on Friday…and Thursday afternoon at 5:00 in front of the old North of Chicago Pizza in Sault Ste. Marie.
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