Michigan Republicans Want to Impeach Gov. Gretchen Whitmer - Do You Support the Move?

What's the story?

• Three Republican state representatives in Michigan have introduced impeachment articles against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D).
• Reps. Beau LaFave, Matt Maddock, and Daire Rendon claim that Gov. Whitmer committed crimes and misdemeanors by exceeding her authority:

"She has exceeded her constitutional authority, violated the constitutional rights of the people of Michigan, issued orders that are not in the best interests of the people of this state, and used the Pandemic as an opportunity to reward political allies."

• The day before, House Speaker Lee Chatfield expressed disagreement with attempts to impeach Whitmer:

"It’s no secret that I disagree with a lot of what this governor has done. I’ve even taken the governor to court and won, because of how she dealt with COVID-19, but Republicans are not the party that impeach someone because we disagree with them."

• Gov. Whitmer's press secretary, Tiffany Brown, issued a statement on the governor's behalf:

"Governor Whitmer doesn't have any time for partisan politics or people who don't wear masks, don't believe in science, and don't have a plan to fight this virus. Right now, she is focused on saving lives. The governor will continue to work hard for all 10 million Michiganders. This is about Michigan vs. COVID-19. Governor Whitmer doesn't care if you're a Trump Republican or a Biden Democrat. We are all in this together."

What next?

• To impeach Whitmer, the Michigan state constitution would require a 2/3 vote from the state Senate to remove and convict her. Bob LaBrant, a longtime Michigan attorney who served as counsel to the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, says there's no way Republicans will reach this threshold, given that Democrats control 42% of state Senate seats.
• To date, only one Michigan elected official has been impeached by the Senate. That was in the 1940s, when a judge was removed after issuing quick divorces on the side.
• Whitmer was the target of a kidnapping plot by a far-right militia group earlier this year.

What do you think?

Should Whitmer be impeached for overstepping her authority while responding to COVID-19?

(Image Credit: Policy Talks @ the Ford School: The Detroit Grand Bargain by University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy via Flickr)