Due to the absence of Idaho Gov. Brad Little from the state on Tuesday, Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin signed an executive order concerning the COVID-19 vaccination.
When Idaho’s senior officials began maneuvering, Little had been in Texas meeting with 9 other Republican governors, who were gathering to express their dissatisfaction with the way President Joe Biden is managing border issues.
Idaho Governor, Lieutenant Spar Over COVID-19 Vaccine
McGeachin, the far-right Republican, is standing for governor of the state of Washington. In Idaho, this same governor, as well as lieutenant governor, does not run on the same ticket as the president.
Employers are prohibited from asking their employees to get vaccinated against COVID-19 under the terms of an executive order signed by McGeachin on Tuesday afternoon. Many Republicans, particularly those in the mainstream, wish to remain out of the employment relationships.
Immediately upon his arrival in Texas on Tuesday, Little stated in a statement that he was “in Texas doing my responsibilities as the legally elected Governor of Idaho.” “I have not authorized the Lieutenant. Governor to operate on my behalf,” Little said in a statement immediately after arriving in Texas. “When I return, I will retract and reverse any measures done by the Lt. Governor,” said the governor.
Little was anticipated to return to the state by the evening of Wednesday.
Maj . gen also turned down McGeachin. Michael J. Garshak on Tuesday when he inquired about mobilizing soldiers and sent them to the United States-Mexico border. As of Wednesday, McGeachin wrote to Garshak in a letter acquired by The Associated Press, “my constitutional power as Governor provides me with the ability to activate the Idaho National Guard.” The letter was obtained either By Associated Press. “In my capacity as Adjutant General, I am asking information from you on the procedures that must be followed in order for the Governor to mobilize the National Guard.”
On Tuesday afternoon, Garshak answered with a single paragraph to my email.
Among other things, Garshak wrote to McGeachin, “I am not aware of any requests for Idaho National Guard support under the Emergency Preparedness Assistance Compact from Texas or Arizona.” It is important to understand that the Idaho National Guard is not a security agency. In June, Little dispatched a team of Idaho State Patrol troopers to a border to assist with information collection and investigation work aimed at preventing narcotics from entering the country from Mexico.
The assistance was sought by Republican Governor Greg Abbott of Texas and Republican Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona under the Emergency Preparedness Assistance Compact, which allows states to assist one another in the event of a catastrophe or emergency in their respective states. According to McGeachin, “On September 24, I spoke with my counterpart in Texas, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s office, and they reiterated the need for extra resources to assist with the crisis on our southern border.”
On Tuesday, McGeachin’s office did not reply to a request for comment about the case. A statement from Idaho Governor Brad Little said, “Attempting to deploy our Federal Troops for political posturing is a blatant disrespect to the Idaho law and an insult to the women and men who have committed their lives to serve our state and country.”