Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (state photo)
Big Gretch vs. the Republican-dominated state legislature went another round this week, with the state Senate voting along party lines to reject five of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's appointees to various state governing boards.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at State of the State (Photo: State of Michigan)
Dissenting state senators demanded that Whitmer work "more closely with legislators on responding to Covid-19" before casting their votes
Before the Wednesday vote, Sen. Aric Nesbitt, R-Lawton, said the Senate was using its power to pressure Whitmer to compromise with "the people's representatives." GOP lawmakers want the governor to ease restrictions on businesses and school athletics more quickly.
... The Senate is not blocking all of Whitmer's recent appointees. It's unclear how GOP leadership is picking which individuals to reject.
Republicans in Lansing have seized on this tactic -- refusing confirmation on relatively routine appointments -- as a way to show their displeasure with Whitmer's stewardship of the pandemic. Last week, they rejected 13 of her appointees. Those nixed Wednesday include nominees for the boards of Grand Valley State University, Northern Michigan University, Michigan Technological University and the state Board of Cosmetology. However:
One of Whitmer's most prominent recent appointees — Elizabeth Hertel, whom the governor selected to be the new director of the Department of Health and Human Services — has not yet been rejected. The state health director is in charge of issuing epidemic orders that institute COVID-19 restrictions.
Hertel's hearing is sheduled for later this month. Whitmer's office did not respond, but Democratic senators, in the minority in the legislature, criticized the votes.
