State Rep. Gary Eisen recently supported a resolution blocking a power grab by Michigan’s new governor that overstepped the fundamental division of powers between the governor’s office and Legislature. Eisen, of St. Clair Township, said a recent executive order issued by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is an after-the-fact veto of a law passed by the legislature last year and constitutes an abuse of her power. “I believe this is just a political move to test the waters on what she can get away with in her role as Governor,” Eisen said. “It is not up to that office to cherry-pick which laws to follow.” The governor may issue an executive order to organize a state department in any way she sees fit. However, when the executive order contains language with the force of law, the legislature has the duty to review the order as proposed legislation. The Legislature has the constitutional authority to reject it. Executive Order 2019-02 abolished three review committees that provided important oversight of the Department of Environmental Quality and gave citizens long-overdue access to the rule-making process. Eisen said, “The governor’s executive order would eliminate oversight, public input and transparency. We can’t allow this to happen and strip our constituent’s voices.”
