Michigan Democrat political hacks stonewall citizen right to petition legislature

Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Fairfax, Va. –  Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in reaction to the Michigan Board of Canvassers rejecting a petition to limit Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s authority to keep her state in lockdown:

“Stand Up Michigan has done the near impossible in getting more than 500,000 voter signatures on a petition to limit Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s power to keep the state shut down.  Now, the Michigan Board of Canvassers, which certifies petitions, has done the unthinkable by not allowing the petition in a 2-2 partisan vote. Their vote effectively ends the right of citizen petitions in the state.

“In Michigan, we are seeing the living embodiment of the old saying that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. After Gov. Whitmer’s husband violated shutdown rules last summer, and the governor and her staff violate her admonition about flying to open states due to COVID concerns, it is the height of hypocrisy for the Democrats on the Canvasser Board to deny a citizen petition to allow all Michiganders to engage in the same freedoms that the governor herself enjoys. She blithely ignores her own edicts.  I do not begrudge Gov. Whitmer flying to Florida to visit her ailing father, I am, however, angered that through her illegally retained powers, she has denied tens of thousands of Michiganders that same ability to visit their ailing relatives.

“Gov. Whitmer should thank Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for rejecting the policies she follows and allowing her and anyone else to comfort and enjoy parents, spouses and children who are in their final days.  In a free country that is the individual’s decision not the government’s.

“The ugly scene of Whitmer supporters on the Board of Canvassers voting to stop a legal effort to afford the rest of Michigan the same rights that the governor freely enjoys is the ultimate example of Democrat privilege.”

For media availability, contact Catherine Mortensen at 703-478-4643 or cmortensen@getliberty.org.