NOT ENOUGH

Mazeppa – Leader of the New House Republican Caucus, Rep. Steve Drazkowski commented on the announcement today by Governor Walz on the partial reopening of businesses.   

“Governor Walz is continuing the destruction of the Minnesota Economy by picking winners and losers. 

Restaurants are being told that some of them can open under extremely restricted conditions in two weeks. Many of them will never open again because the math doesn’t work.  Many more are beginning to realize that the abrupt closure and your attempts to micromanage their activities will not work.  Many local governments are realizing this, too, and are supporting their efforts to take matters into their own hands. 

Churches are still under heavy restrictions.  Incredibly, the Governor and his Commissioners are trying to dictate the terms of services, not only by how many people can attend, but whether they can have music and what kind.

Governor Walz, you are not leading. You are attempting to control something that you cannot control except with threats of penalties, such as Attorney General Ellison seems to be doing all over the state. 

And big winners in this “gradual opening” are the state bureaucrats.  They got not only the pay raise they have been enjoying for months, but will also get another pay raise in July by the administration’s decision to unilaterally approve contracts that were not approved, as the law requires, by the legislature.  These increases are a slap in the face to every Minnesotan out of work, whose business or job was killed by the shutdown.  They are also a slap in the face to the people of our state, who are represented through their legislature. The Senate tried to work with the Governor to create a more reality-based contract and the DFL and the Governor refused and chose to side with their union friends.

When the legislature adjourned at midnight, Monday, the Governor lost an opportunity to discuss winding down the Peacetime Emergency and ending this authoritarian chapter of Minnesota History.  Instead, he and the House Democrats continue to use fear, intimidation, and theatrics to avoid questions about his decisions on the use of state resources and the emergency powers.

We also heard this week that Minnesota is leading the nation in deaths in nursing homes.  Governor Walz chose to use a model that did not make allowances for the most vulnerable populations and squandered precious time and resources by demanding a total shut down of our state’s economy.

The constitutional process has been hijacked, and we need to return to it as soon as possible.”

During the legislative session, just ended Monday at midnight, members of the New House Republican Caucus introduced a resolution to end the Governor’s peacetime emergency declaration. The resolution would have put an end to the executive orders that Governor Tim Walz has issued. The NHRC is led by Rep. Steve Drazkowski (Republican-Mazeppa). It includes Rep. Cal Bahr (Republican-East Bethel), Rep. Tim Miller (Republican-Prinsburg), and Rep. Jeremy Munson (Republican-Lake Crystal). 

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