The hearing was held by the Republican-led Michigan House Subcommittee on the Weaponization of State Government, chaired by state Representative Angela Rigas of Caledonia.
“So, I wanted you in here today to listen to you, to reenergize and be familiar with some of these things that, for some of the people in the legislature, did not serve during that period or had no clue what was happening because they were complying with these idiotic orders.”
The Subcommittee heard testimony from Owosso barber shop owner Karl Manke and Holland restaurant owner Marlena Hackney. Both alleges Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office targeted them during COVID-19 lockdowns.
In 2021, Hackney served five days in jail, was fined $15,000 and had her restaurant closed for five months after violating Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s order banning indoor dining.
“But in my establishment, they’re going to force me, where I am the taxpayer, I pay for the license fee, I pay for all the fees I have to pay, and they’re going to dictate what I can do or not do in my own business?”
In October 2020, the state Supreme Court ruled Whitmer lacked the authority to issue COVID-19 orders and states of emergency under either of the state’s emergency statutes.
Charges against Manke were dropped following the ruling and the state restored Hackney’s food license. She reopened her restaurant in September 2021.
