Press Release: Gov. Little defends local control, denounces Lt. Governor’s irresponsible abuse of power
By Press Release • May 28, 2021The following Press Release was sent out by Governor Brad Little on May 28:
Boise, Idaho – Governor Brad Little issued Executive Order 2021-08 today – “Repealing Executive Order 2021-07 to Restore Local Control” – and provided the following statement to the people of Idaho:
My fellow Idahoans.
AdvertisementWe could talk ‘til we’re blue in the face about masks and whether they work – whether mask mandates work – but I think the people of Idaho are tired of hearing about it.
With the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccine and steady declines in case counts and hospitalizations, masks are, thankfully, becoming a thing of the past.
For the record, though, I have opposed a statewide mask mandate all along because I don’t think top-down mandates change behavior the way personal choice does.
AdvertisementBut, as your Governor, when it came to masks, I also didn’t undermine separately elected officials who, under Idaho law, are given authorities to take measures they believe will protect the health and safety of the people they serve.
An executive order that was issued while I was out of state this week runs contrary to a basic conservative principle – the government closest to the people governs best.
The executive order unilaterally and unlawfully takes away authorities given to the state’s mayors, local school board trustees, and others.
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, making law with the stroke of a pen.
The action that took place while I was traveling 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.
This kind of over-the-top executive action amounts to tyranny – something we all oppose.
How ironic that the action comes from a person who has groused about tyranny, executive overreach, and balance of power for months.
Furthermore, the executive order presents some pretty alarming consequences. For example, we would not be able to require safety measures for social workers visiting homes of at-risk individuals, or workers in our state testing lab, or employees at congregate facilities that are particularly vulnerable to outbreaks of infectious disease, threatening loss of life and added strain on the health care system we all depend on.
The executive order also conflicts with other laws on the books.
This is why you do your homework, Lt. Governor.
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 significant consequences of the Lt. Governor’s flimsy executive order require me to clean up a mess.
With my own executive order today, I will be returning Idaho law to what it was before 11 a.m. on Thursday.
To the people of Idaho, I want to thank you once again, as I have many times throughout the pandemic, for protecting your loved ones and getting us through some of the darkest months of our state’s history.
As your Governor, I have worked hard to protect lives and critical health care capacity for the entire state while keeping families safe and businesses and schools open.
Every decision has been a balancing act, and I do believe we achieved a balance. We managed to prevent a crisis in our hospitals, and we have kept our state open longer than almost every other state.
Idaho has the strongest economy in the nation and the most financially solvent state budget. With our record budget surplus, we provided Idahoans historic tax relief and made strategic investments in Building Idaho’s Future for our roads, schools, broadband, and other critical areas.
Few states can claim that kind of success.
It is an honor for me to serve as your Governor, and I remain committed to working responsibly to achieve our shared goal of making Idaho the place where our children and grandchildren choose to stay.
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Tags: Brad Little, Janice McGeachin, Mask Mandate
14 thoughts on “Press Release: Gov. Little defends local control, denounces Lt. Governor’s irresponsible abuse of power”
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No one who arbitrarily labeled some businesses “nonessential” and closed them so people could not earn a living can claim he respects the rule of law.
“No one shall… be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.” – 5th Amendment, US Constitution
No governor who continues to rule under a state of emergency for 14 straight months, long after the emergency has passed, and claims special powers can say he respects our constitutional republic.
Only reason he’s holding onto emergency powers is so he can’t be recalled. He needs out, RINO. He may be from Emmett, be he’s no Idahoan. How is giving freedom back to citizens, when the government infringed and overstepped an act of overreach? Mandating an article to be worn is an infringement. Can’t wait for him to be gone, recall, or voted out.
At least she made a move that aligns with what most Idahoans outside Boise want to see. He has played like a pawn in the whole process, and enjoys the power trip. There was no balance. The record budget surplus is due to unprojected revenue from outsiders moving in, thus creating more sales tax revenue from groceries, building materials, etc., and nothing to do with good governing by him or the legislature. He/they need to listen to the people and quit the political games and power trips.
Don’t forget about the COVID money he got for the state on top on what you stated. He didn’t spend it all on propaganda.
I am very impressed with Lt Gov.’s fight. The scared little man in the Gov.’s did the right thing by not overstepping local control. However, it is now time for our law makers to curb the powers of the Health Department and the Department of Health and Welfare.
The House in Idaho did great things this session but next year I hope the address this issue.
Lt. Gov. McLeachon ROCKS!
Agree, but I am concerned that the medical tyranny will come much faster and fiercer than people realize. WAiting until next legislative session will be too long. Not sure what can be done in the meantime though.
That’s a lot of talk about governing and government at the state and local levels, laws and regulations…not one thing about what the people want ! Just another Rino on a power trip who thinks he knows what’s best for us so sit down and shut up, nothing to see here. Lt Gov’s got my vote when we out the current King.
Any Legal, Correct and Humane proceeding that is used in order to remove this person from office immediately should commence asap.
Overreach, tyranny, oh and a blatant abuse of power, yep that about sums up your power trip as our current Governor Little. You only did this because you’re the federal government’s puppet and can’t stand someone actually standing up for the future generations of Idahoans, and their parents, the current! Tammy Nichols coined the phrase it’s not a swamp anymore, it’s a sewer! Janice McGeachin for Governor, I’m so ready to evacuate the sewer!
He is in for a shock when he gets voted out of office by the Lt. Gov. or someone else. Little has done little to stand up for our rights. Time for him to go bye-bye.
Irony! Stroke of a pen! Such a hypocrite, governor Little. Our legislature through proper channels attempted to Limit Your Tyranny BUTT you Governor Little, vetoed it.
I understand that this “pandemic” is unusual a YEAR ago. Sure the lock down was accepted for the first 30-45-60 days. But our freedoms may not be stolen from us by your Governor Little. If your sick stay home.
Don’t lock up the healthy, then make them sick and depressed and suicidal. We are not idiots. We see the light.
Masks do not work. So double up!!!!! I think not. If masks worked then there would be special “hazard” disposable receptacles for them. Instead they are thrown everywhere. This is WRONG!!!!!!
Kids do not get covid. Why are you smothering them in idiotic masks.
So Little believes that government officials need to demand how we take care of our health? Obviously he thinks we are a bunch of idiots that can’t come to our own conclusions based on research. He is either in some way complicit or completely stupid. Either way isn’t what we want running our state. I wonder how much Bill Gates money he took? There needs to be an big investigation into all this mess. This should never happen again.
The Lt did this on purpose knowing the Little king would rescind it , thus showing once more the true colors of said King ……
I support the Lt Governor! She has my vote!
RINO Little needs to go!