MI Legislature Repeals 1945 Law Which Gave Dem Gov Whitmer ‘Sweeping Power’

Michigan’s Democrat Governor Gretchen Whitmer has just had unprecedented power granted to her during the pandemic revoked. Whitmer was utilizing a 1945 law to issue emergency orders related to the coronavirus pandemic until October 2nd, when the Michigan Supreme Court struck down the law as an unconstitutional ceding of legislative power to the executive branch of government, reports the Free Press.

The 76-year-old Michigan law was first created in the wake of race riots throughout Detroit. The Detroit Free Press reports “Gov. Gretchen Whitmer used the law to issue sweeping health and safety restrictions in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, moves that eventually garnered pushback from Republicans and other opponents.”

The emergency powers law of 1945 came as a response to Detroit riots, “in which 25 of 34 deaths were Black residents, most of whom were killed by law enforcement” which “prompted a Republican and Democratic senator to propose giving the governor sweeping power in the time of a crisis” reports the Detroit Free Press.

Now, thanks to the Michigan legislature, the 1945 law is officially dead. On Wednesday, the Republican-controlled state House voted 60-48 in support of “initiative petition language that repeals the Emergency Powers Act of 1945.”

The state Senate approved the initiative just one week earlier. “Hundreds of thousands of our families, friends and neighbors changed Michigan forever when they decided they had enough and stood up to make a difference” said Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Farwell.

Fred Wszolek, a spokesman for the Unlock Michigan petition drive applauded Wednesday’s vote and the organization’s efforts. “Our Unlock Michigan citizen army collected over 540,000 signatures in just 80 days. Now, 292 days later, we’ll complete our mission with a final vote in the Legislature to end Gov, Whitmer’s rule by decree” said Wszolek.

The opponents explain of the 1945 law that it gave Whitmer too much power to act without legislative input or oversight. “Repealing this emergency law tells the people of Michigan that they have been heard. And our action today helps reestablish needed balance between the executive and legislative branches during an emergency, something that has been so desperately missing during this pandemic” said Representative Matt Hall, R-Emmett Township.