Indianapolis Business Journal: Holcomb said he will not order IU to eliminate its vaccine mandate
Since reelection, Holcomb has been cast as problem for Indiana Republican Party and its extreme partisan agenda
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today called out the Indiana Republican Party for publicizing their party’s identity crisis in a way that’s dramatically harming the future of Indiana and its people in the process. This time, the manufactured battle focuses on Indiana University’s ability to protect its students, staff, and community from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – and luckily, Governor Eric Holcomb is using common sense by stopping his extreme partisan colleagues in the Indiana General Assembly and the Attorney General’s office from blocking such protections from taking place.
However, this civil war skirmish has more implications because it reveals once again how the Indiana Republican Party finds Governor Eric Holcomb as an obstacle to their dangerous objectives, all of which are meant to appease the former U.S. president. The receipts speak for themselves, too. Since the start of 2021, the Republican supermajority at the statehouse has overridden Gov. Holcomb’s veto on tenant-landlord regulations, a governor’s emergency powers during a crisis (like a pandemic), and local health officials’ authority to take action during a crisis (like a pandemic). These votes alone could cause further public confusion about pressing issues facing Hoosier families.
In contrast, the Indiana Democratic Party continues to deliver for the state of Indiana. After successfully passing President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, Democrats are hitting the road this month to share the good news about how this law is helping all of the state’s 92 counties and its communities put COVID-19 in the rearview mirror. Democrats are bringing solutions while Republicans are focused on partisan culture wars.
Here’s the latest chapter in the Republican civil war saga and a reminder of how irrelevant Governor Eric Holcomb has become for the Indiana Republican Party:
Latest INGOP Civil War Drama
Indianapolis Business Journal: Holcomb said he will not order IU to eliminate its vaccine mandate
“Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb said Sunday he will not issue an executive order that reverses Indiana University’s vaccine mandate, despite a request from Republicans in the Legislature and amid mounting political backlash against the school’s decision.” […]
“Holcomb also told WTHR that he found it “rich” that lawmakers would ask him to issue an executive order to ban the IU mandate. The request came from Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, and 17 other Republican members of the House, who said he should prohibit any state university from mandating vaccines that don’t have full U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.” […]
“Some of those same lawmakers have been critical of executive orders Holcomb issued throughout the pandemic that required masks and required businesses to close to try to prevent the spread of the virus.
The Legislature passed a law, enacted over Holcomb’s veto, that gives lawmakers the authority to call themselves into a special session during an emergency. Holcomb filed a lawsuit asking a court to block the law, saying it is unconstitutional. The governor is locked in a battle with Rokita, also a Republican, who claims the governor had no authority to file the suit without his permission.”
INGOP Finding Gov. Holcomb as Irrelevant
IndyStar: House overrides Gov. Holcomb’s veto of landlord-tenant bill
Associated Press: Indiana lawmakers override governor’s emergency powers veto
Associated Press: Indiana lawmakers override veto on local health rules
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