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 Brad Little repealed an executive order banning mask mandates across the state Friday morning, 24 hours after Lt.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.
Who didn’t see this coming?
Smile smile smile.
Well, the Little man owns ALL mask mandates in his state now. And he really is a little man at a time in which we need giants.
Props to the Lieutenant Governor!
Time to get him out of office.
For all the idiots that wish to continue wearing face diapers, the order DID NOT rescind their right to continue to do so.
Tinpot tyrant.
Wow, I like the Lt. Gov. She’s bold
One of the only benefits of this crazy past year is people are paying much more attention to just how crazy and tyrannical their governors are.
Agree...looks like this clown got tinpot tips from Ducey at the RGA in Nashville over the past few days.
And I think she is probably ‘brilliant’ when it comes to politics. She just exposed that Governor for the nazi wannabe that he is. Seems like come election time, the Lt Gov, if she so desires, could run away with it and win.
If I got to be governor for a day I could think of a lot better things to do.
What a sexist! This man needs to apologize. Women are every bit as capable of making a decision as you are governor womanhater!!!
* {reply fashioned as I imagined a lefty would reply were things reversed}
Ducey never issued a mask mandate; he just allowed the liberal mayors and supervisors to do so in their jurisdictions.
Not a tinpot dictator, just a weakling.
What are you talking about and why?
You’re mixing apples and oranges...I’m not talking about mask mandates...I am talking about the immature dictatorial stunt Ducey pulled in AZ today, and the possibility that attendees have have shared some power/control concepts at the RGA in Nashville.
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.
—it has confirmed my long held belief that governors, mayors, etc., authority should be limited to such things as how the rolls of paper hang in the bathroom stalls—
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