GOP Legislature moves toward suing Whitmer, as armed protestors watched from Senate gallery

As Senate members sat in session on Thursday, about 20 protesters, some of whom were armed with long guns, stood above in the gallery, while roughly 600 more protested on the Capitol lawn and outside the House and Senate chambers.

“Directly above me, men with rifles yelling at us. Some of my colleagues who own bullet proof vests are wearing them. I have never appreciated our Sergeants-at-Arms more than today,” state Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia) tweeted from the Senate floor about law enforcement in the chamber.

Link to tweet

While right-wing protesters flooded the Capitol lawn, House and Senate sessions pressed on to vote on bills that would limit the governor’s power and allow lawmakers to take her to court if she expands the state of emergency declaration without approval from the Legislature.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer did just that on Thursday evening.

She signed Executive Order 2020-68, which declares a state of emergency and a state of disaster until May 28. Last week, she signed an extended stay-home order until May 15. This week, it was upheld in court.

Read more: https://www.michiganadvance.com/2020/04/30/gop-legislature-moves-toward-suing-whitmer-as-armed-protestors-watched-from-senate-gallery/