Michigan State Supreme Court is Forced To Repeat Itself
The Michigan State Supreme Court is being placed in the unusual position of ordering the implementation of one of its rulings - a second time. Early last month, the State’s High Court ruled that the State Board of Canvassers must certify the petition drive initiated by the group Unlock Michigan, and send the petition issue to the state legislature for action.
The Justices were clear. They are ruling the state board did not have the authority to attempt to investigate allegations about the petition drive as some members of the board are seeking to do and thereby holding up the certification process.
At stake is the effort to eliminate a state law that Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer used as the basis for her grabbing total control of the state by refusing legislative input. In a subsequent court case, the State Supreme Court ruled that the Governor’s moves along those lines were clearly contrary to state law. In other words, unconstitutional.
Unlock Michigan has faced an uphill battle all the way to liberal political groups attacking the petition drive to end the 1945 state law nearly every step of the way.
And now with about a month going by without the State Board of Canvassers following the original directive from the Supreme Court, a second order from the Court last Friday is again telling the Board of Canvassers to stop stonewalling, act on the order, and certify the petition drive.
Many opponents of the drive, including what appears to be at least a couple of State Canvassers appear worried that the Governor has no say in the legislature’s decision on an issue advanced in this manner. Many in the legislature and with the Unlock Michigan group, have been trying to figure out how they can work around a seemingly belligerent Board of Canvassers to wrap up the work to eliminate the state law in question.