Republicans, again unable to cancel Governor Tim Walz’s COVID emergency powers during yesterday’s special session, gave the governor a political slap by removing his Labor and Industry Commissioner Nancy Leppink (LEP-ink), who oversees worker health, safety and wage standards. Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says, “She has not done her job. We should have done this sooner, but we had to manage around COVID and manage around the lawlessness, the riots, the death of George Floyd.”
We asked Governor Walz if Republicans might remove other key members of his administration, trying to force him to relinquish his COVID emergency authority. “I think they will attempt to do that,” he said. “My job is that I want to just reassure Minnesotans, we will put someone in that position. We will make sure we continue to do the things necessary to keep you safe.”
Republicans say Walz has overstepped his authority by keeping business restrictions in place when COVID is no longer an emergency in Minnesota.