East Michigan News

Rep. Roger Hauck (R-Union Township) isn’t backing Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s emergency powers being prolonged after the end of April, based on a statement he wrote that appears on the Michigan House Republicans website.

“The request from the governor for a 70-day extension was simply too much given where we stand now,” he wrote in a lengthy statement.

While Hauck said he’s not against Whitmer having the powers and authority she needs in order to lead the state of Michigan as it navigates through the COVID-19 pandemic, he did say that extending the emergency that long could create a perilous situation.

“Declaring how long she should hold that authority should not be one of those tools,” he continued on the site. “Separation of powers is a key component of our state government, and the legislature -- along with the people the body represents across the state -- needed to have input in this process. A dangerous precedent would have been set otherwise.”