A campaign to reign in Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency powers turned in hundreds of thousands of petition signatures today (FRI). The goal is to repeal a state law the governor’s used to shut down schools and businesses to slow the spread of COVID-19.
The Unlock Michigan campaign says the governor’s abused her authority by declaring and re-declaring emergencies. Spokesman Fred Wzolek says dealing with COVID-19 is the new normal and will be for months, if not years.
“We have to get back to where we govern the old-fashioned way where laws are proposed and debated and voted upon and then vetoed or signed, and not have just one person issuing edicts,” said Wzolek.
A fight is expected over whether there are enough valid signatures. The attorney general is also looking into a paid signature-gathering firm that’s work for the campaign has been thrown out.
Wzolek says the campaign easily exceeded the 340-thousand-47 signatures of registered voters it would take to put a veto-proof question to the Legislature, which is controlled by Republicans.