WIBC: The [Indiana] House has passed a bill giving #INLegis a chance to intervene in a governor’s emergency declarations
Yesterday’s vote follows months-long infighting between Gov. Holcomb and INGOP on his COVID-19 response
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, today once again highlighted the ongoing civil war happening within the Indiana Republican Party. This time, Republicans in the Indiana House of Representatives voted to strip away some executive powers from Governor Eric Holcomb after the governor issued a state response to the coronavirus, a pandemic that’s killed more than 11,000 Hoosiers.
Yesterday’s vote illustrates what little standing Holcomb has within his own GOP. In fact, it appears the GOP’s base has completely dismissed the Governor entirely. This very fact may be why Holcomb won’t do something as simple as enforce his mask mandate in the Statehouse, which he compared the task to being a school “hall monitor”.
WHY IT MATTERS: This problem for the INGOP has been years in the making. After many embarrassing, rhetorical missteps (often making national headlines), Hoosier Republicans have given up and given into their party’s fringe base. To them, they’d rather take advantage of the trust voters have given them than actually hold their colleagues accountable at the workplace and at the ballot box.
Here’s how this latest skirmish played out in the media:
WIBC: “The House has passed a bill making it easier for legislators to push back on a
governor’s emergency order.
The coronavirus pandemic exploded days after legislators adjourned last year — they didn’t come back for eight months, leaving no formal opportunity for them to weigh in on Governor Holcomb’s emergency restrictions…”
Indiana Public Media: “A bill giving the General Assembly more power in future emergency situations – and tying the government’s hands a bit – in future emergency situations is halfway to the finish line.”
IndyStar: Indiana House votes to rein in Holcomb’s use of emergency powers
“The Republican-led Indiana House voted Tuesday to implement more oversight over Gov. Eric Holcomb’s emergency powers, banning him from placing restrictions on churches and allowing the General Assembly to decide whether to come into session during an emergency.
The House vote came just one day after the Republican-controlled Senate dealt another blow to Holcomb, who is a fellow Republican, voting to override his veto on a 2020 bill that would prohibit Indianapolis from regulating relationships between tenants and landlords.” […]
“Bill author Matt Lehman, a high-ranking member of the House Republican caucus, said he was trying to find a balance with this legislation, so that the executive branch does not go unchecked for nine months.” […]
“Some Republicans, such as Seymour Rep. Jim Lucas, argued it didn’t go far enough to rein what he was an unconstitutional use of power by the executive branch during the COVID-19 pandemic.” […]
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