Page 19 - HOSPITAAL

A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 6 december 2018

Michigan GOP moves to strip Democratic officeholders' power

By DAVID EGGERT being addressed in the
Associated Press courts, rather than solely in
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — the legislative branch," he
Republicans who con- said. "This in an institutional
trol Michigan's Legislature bill designed to ensure that
voted Wednesday to ad- the legislative branch has a
vance a measure that strips voice."
campaign-finance over- Democrats countered that
sight power from the Dem- the legislation is an uncon-
ocratic secretary of state- stitutional overreach.
elect, and they moved to "The Legislature makes the
give lawmakers authority to laws, the executive branch
stand up for GOP-backed enforces the laws and the
laws if they think the incom- judicial branch interprets
ing Democratic governor the laws," said Rep. Robert
and attorney general are Wittenberg of Huntington
not adequately defending Woods. "Let's be clear: This
the state's interests. legislation would have nev-
The lame-duck moves fol- er been introduced, much
lowed within hours of similar less put on the agenda,
efforts in Wisconsin , where had we seen different re-
lawmakers voted earlier sults in the top-of-the-ticket
Wednesday to shift clout to elections less than a month
the Republican-controlled ago."
Legislature and weaken Democrats also criticized
the Democrat replacing the bill that would prescribe
the GOP governor. how Benson randomly se-
Michigan Democrats in Sister Kathleen Nolan, a member of the Adrian Dominican Sisters in Adrian, Mich., speaks out lects the four Democrats,
against Senate Bill 1171, or Michigan's One Fair Wage proposal, on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2018, on
January will jointly hold the the steps of the Michigan state Capitol in Lansing, Mich. four Republicans and five
governor, attorney general Associated Press independents to sit on the
and secretary offices for redistricting panel. They
the first time in 28 years, but they say they wanted bills fectual, saying its members mer and Democratic Attor- said the anti-gerryman-
the Legislature will continue rushed through a hasty would deadlock and be ney General-elect Nessel dering ballot initiative ap-
to be controlled by Repub- lame-duck session," said accountable to political are lukewarm about GOP- proved last month is self-ex-
licans. Patrick Schuh, state direc- parties that would submit passed measures and drop ecuting, and the legislation
A day after GOP lawmak- tor for the liberal group a list of possible appointees appeals in cases the state is unconstitutional and is
ers finalized an unprec- America Votes. He ques- to the governor. loses.Nessel, for example, not supported by organiz-
edented maneuver to gut tioned the timing, saying Also Wednesday, the has said she probably will ers of the ballot drive nor
minimum wage and paid such a commission was not House voted 58-50 for legis- not defend a law allowing people who voted for it.
sick leave laws , a Senate proposed until a Democrat lation that would empower faith-based groups to re- "The incoming secretary
panel passed legislation is on the verge of leading the Legislature, House or fuse to serve same-sex cou- of state was elected to
that would create the Fair the secretary of state office Senate to intervene in any ples who want to adopt preside over election mat-
Political Practices Commis- for the first time in two-doz- suit at any stage, a right children. There could also ters," said Senate Minority
sion to enforce the cam- en years. already granted to the at- be cases where legislators Leader Jim Ananich of Flint.
paign-finance law rather Republicans defended torney general. A bill that want to take the same side "She's perfectly capable of
than Secretary of State- the legislation, saying the won Senate approval on a as the attorney general but figuring out who is a Demo-
elect Jocelyn Benson, who six-member panel of three 25-12 vote over Democrats' make a different legal ar- crat and who is a Republi-
ran in part on a pledge Democrats and three Re- objections would influence gument. can without the help of this
to advocate for election publicans would initially be how Benson implements a Republicans disputed criti- lame-duck Legislature."
transparency. appointed by Democratic new voter-approved con- cism that the legislation Yet the GOP sponsor, Sen.
Democrats called the bill, Gov.-elect Gretchen Whit- stitutional amendment that would undermine the role Phil Pavlov of St. Clair, said
which could clear the full mer. Eric Doster, a former establishes an independent of the attorney general. the legislation would not in
Senate on Thursday, a bla- long-time lawyer for the redistricting commission to The sponsor, Rep. Rob Ver- "any way" affect Proposal 2
tant power grab that would state GOP, testified that draw congressional and Heulen of Walker, said it but rather follow its goal of
fly in the face of voters. Re- the commission would op- legislative maps instead of would simply let the Leg- partisan "evenness and eq-
publican Gov. Rick Snyder erate similarly to those in the partisan Legislature. islature intervene without uity" by restricting people
has not taken a position on other states and said "now The former measure is seen the court approval that it affiliated with a political
the measure or others. the time is right." as a maneuver to ensure currently needs, regardless party from providing legal
"At no point did voters say Other critics of the bill, how- that Republicans could of which party is in power. and accounting services to
they wanted the rules ma- ever, contended that the support laws if Democratic "We're seeing more and the commission.q
nipulated. At no point did commission would be inef- Gov.-elect Gretchen Whit- more public policy issues