Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) released a defiant statement in response to the state Supreme Court striking down her notoriously controversial coronavirus mandates on Friday, reminding Michiganders that her rules are still in place for another three weeks.
What are the details?
In a 4-3 decision, the state's high court ruled Friday the governor's unilateral orders were "an unlawful delegation of legislative power to the executive branch in violation of the Michigan Constitution," and therefore "the executive orders issued by the Governor in response to the COVID-19 pandemic now lack any basis under Michigan law."
According to The Washington Examiner, the court gave a long list of businesses that were forced to be shuttered under Whitmer's mandates, including:
Restaurants, food courts, cafes, coffeehouses, bars, taverns, brew pubs, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, tasting rooms, clubs, hookah bars, cigar bars, vaping lounges, barbershops, hair salons, nail salons, tanning salons, tattoo parlors, schools, churches, theaters, cinemas, libraries, museums, gymnasiums, fitness centers, public swimming pools, recreation centers, indoor sports facilities, indoor exercise facilities, exercise studios, spas, casinos, and racetracks.
In response, Whitmer — who has been battling it out with the Republican-led Michigan legislature ever since she put her rules in place without their backing — accused the justices who ruled in the majority of playing politics. She also reminded her constituents that her regulations are still the law of the land for the time being.
"Today's Supreme Court ruling, handed down by a narrow majority of Republican justices, is deeply disappointing, and I vehemently disagree with the court's interpretation of the Michigan Constitution," the governor said in a statement, according to MLive.com.
"It is important to note that this ruling does not take effect for at least 21 days, and until then, my emergency declaration and orders retain the force of law," she continued.
Whitmer added, "Furthermore, after 21 days, many of the responsive measures I have put in place to control the spread of the virus will continue under alternative sources of authority that were not at issue in today's ruling."
Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R) hailed the court's decision, saying, "This is a giant win for the people of Michigan and for the democratic process. The people of this state have been denied a voice and a seat at the table in decisions that have impacted every facet of their lives and their futures over the past eight months. They deserve to have their representatives bring their voice and their concerns into this decision-making process."
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