Posted on 05/28/2021 2:23:44 PM PDT by george76
The governor called Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin's executive order "an irresponsible, self-serving political stunt" that subverted the decisions of local officials.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little repealed an executive order banning mask mandates across the state Friday morning, 24 hours after Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin issued the surprise action while the governor was out of town.
In a statement, Little slammed McGeachin issuing the executive order as "an irresponsible, self-serving political stunt" that subverted the decisions of local officials and the people of Idaho.
McGeachin was serving as acting governor when she issued the order banning mask mandates statewide among state political entities, including schools. The order went into effect at 11 a.m. Thursday, catching districts by surprise in the middle of the school day.
Little, who had left Idaho to travel to the Republican Governors Association conference, said he was not informed about the executive order ahead of time. McGeachin is running against Little in the upcoming governor's race.
In his statement, Little accused McGeachin of making a politically motivated power grab to strip decision-making authority from mayors, school board members, and other local officials.
"Just like the states begrudge federal government mandates, local governments in Idaho resent the state doing the same thing. The executive order usurps legislative powers. It replicates a bill that was debated considerably in the Legislature but failed to pass a body of individuals representing Idahoans from all corners of the state, and makes it law with the stroke of one person’s pen," the governor wrote. "The action that took place while I was gone this week is not gubernatorial. The action that took place was an irresponsible, self-serving political stunt."
Taking the earliest opportunity to act solitarily on a highly politicized, polarizing issue without conferring with local jurisdictions, legislators, and the sitting Governor is, simply put, an abuse of power," Little continued.
McGeachin wrote in a statement on her Facebook page that the governor "chose to revoke your personal freedom by rescinding my order.
"I understand that protecting individual liberty means fighting against tyranny at ALL levels of government — federal, state, and local. It is your God-given right to make your own health decisions, and no state, city, or school district ever has the authority to violate your unalienable rights," she wrote. "As your Lt. Governor, I remain undeterred and unwavering in my commitment to defend your rights and freedoms against all who would violate them. Now, more than ever, we must stand together against those who prioritize their own power above individual liberty."
Little has repeatedly declined to issue a statewide mask mandate, even amid the worst of the COVID-19 death toll in Idaho. However, he has long argued that individual cities, counties, and school districts should make the decisions on face coverings they feel are best for their own communities.
Law experts warned on Thursday that McGeachin's executive order could face legal challenges. Several school districts, including Boise and West Ada, said they were consulting their own district lawyers about their school boards' authority to enforce health and safety protocols before making any changes.
Little reiterated that the order to ban mask mandates conflicts with other Idaho laws and presents "some pretty alarming unintended consequences." For example, the governor said, it would no longer be possible to require safety measures for social workers visiting high-risk clients, workers in the state laboratory, or employees at facilities vulnerable to outbreaks of disease.
"This is why you do your homework, Lt. Governor," Little wrote. "Let me offer some advice as Idaho’s duly elected Governor – governing in a silo is NOT governing. I am always reluctant to engage in political ploys, especially when I have been steadfast in meeting the simultaneous goals of protecting both lives and livelihoods. I do not like petty politics. I do not like political stunts over the rule of law. However, the consequences of the Lt. Governor’s flimsy executive order require me to clean up a mess."
The governor's executive order functionally undoes McGeachin's action, returning Idaho law to what it was before.
Would that we had more such irresponsible, self-serving political stunts. They are the best kind!
That’s the pot calling the kettle black.
Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin probably just won the election to be governor with this action.
“She was wrong to overide a mandate as a Lt. Governor while an acting Governor was out of town.”
Mike Curb used to do it to Jerry Brown all the time back in the seventies. It wasn’t wrong. It was hilarious. Brown couldn’t fly around the country because his GOP lieutenant governor would stick it to the Dems when he was gone. Play by the rules types like you are the reason we always lose. By the way, I like your new word, “authprity.” Has an AOC ring to it.
‘...repealed an executive order banning mask mandates.”
Foolish. The Governor should simply leave the order and privately tell the Lt. Gov. to be more careful next time. End of story.
good on you Lt. Gov Janice.
that slick weasel gope is the one violating the Constitution (while falsely/lawlessly applying his version of “federalism”), you’re the one upholding your oath to protect our “equality under the Law.”
She just nipped the governor with the burdizzo.
The current governor is now a steer.
According to what has been written, in Idaho the Lt Gov is the ‘acting’ gov when the gov is out/absent. She seized the opportunity and it has exposed the gov for what he is: another nanny state bureaucrat.
*snicker*
She knew what she was doing and neutered the foolish jerk. He walked right into her web.
If I got to be governor for a day I could think of a lot better things to do.
______________________________________________
Yeah. But she’s running for the office. And this little trick may be the one political play that gets her in.
Those 7 Oregon counties may want to consider joining Utah instead.
“She was wrong to overide a mandate as a Lt. Governor while an acting Governor was out of town. Regardless of the issue her authprity only goes so far and she did abuse that.”
No she didn’t. She was using the powers given to her to issue orders in the absence of the Governor from the State. She used the authority that she has according to the law of governance in her State. I love what she did, and may she win her race against this lily liver’ed RINO Governor for his office.
Pubs so very often play the role of nice guy and then get squashed every time when their opponents don’t play by the same rules, and they never do. Pubs MUST develop a spine and a willingness to fight fire with equal fire. If the enemy gets down and dirty, double down and get even more down and dirty.
Examples: Biden stole the election, Pubs swallowed it with little fanfare. Biden is about to grab our guns; Pubs will swallow it as will the Sheeple among the populace. Biden is spending us into disaster, Pubs are swallowing it (except for the few Pubs that DO have a spine and are willing to fight). Most won’t, they will pull their verbal punches, and get walked over.
Biden will get us into a war, Pubs won’t do anything about it. Biden is setting it up for us never having an honest election again if these socialists can help it. He will get his bill passed (HR 1) and Pubs will do nothing to stop it (like walk out en masse depriving them of a quorum, and not returning until the bill is tabled.
Biden will pack the Supreme Court, and the cowards now sitting on the Supreme Court will allow it to happen to them just like they wouldn’t hear any case about corruption in the 2016 election and thus allowed the disastrous regime we now live under to exist.
So, your sensibilities would not allow for a bold countermove by this Lt. Gov, just like Pub “sensibilities” do not allow for any protesting of the 2016 election theft, because the Dems say it didn’t happen. We must fight to the end now, or live under tyranny by power hungry “leaders” like this Governor. Choose your poison.
I think that ranks as one of the stupidest comments of the day.
Good God...even Massachusetts,with a Governor whose hatred of Trump can light a small town,has declared an end to masks,etc,etc.
Brilliant political move.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little (R) on Friday repealed Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin’s (R) executive order that banned statewide mask mandates one day earlier, calling her action an “an abuse of power.”
I feel confused. If I read the article correctly, it was the Lt. Gov who imposed the ban, which was repealed the next day by the real governor. I can’t imagine this stunt would win her many votes in Idaho but I don’t know the local politics. Will probably be great for fundraising though, and a later job at a Soros funded NGO or something if she doesn’t win the job.
OK, I see where I got confused. Weird double-negative wording “Repeal mask mandate ban”. I read it the other way around.
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