LANSING, MI (MPRN)-- The Legislature’s Republican leaders are suing Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
They say she’s exceeded her emergency authority to deal with the COVID-19 health crisis and violated the state constitution. The GOP leaders want the Michigan Court of Claims to strike down the governor’s new emergency declaration. Her most recent declaration expired April 30th..
House Speaker Lee Chatfield says any new emergency declarations must be approved by the Legislature.
“This is a question of whether or not the governor has the authority to render the Legislature completely meaningless and take over all lawmaking authority.”
Governor Whitmer says she has the power to declare and re-declare an emergency and issue emergency orders for as long as the emergency exists.
The governor’s press secretary called the legal action a distraction.