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Déjà vu in Idaho executive power struggle (2021)
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The executive power struggle between Idaho Governor Brad Little (R) and Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin (R) heated up last month when McGeachin, during Little's absence from the state, attempted to deploy the Idaho National Guard to the southern border and issued an executive order outlawing vaccine mandates.
McGeachin took similar action in May when she issued an executive order banning mask mandates in her capacity as acting governor while Little traveled to a conference out of state. McGeachin claimed that the order aimed “to protect the rights and liberties of individuals and businesses.” Little rescinded the order, referring to McGeachin’s action as an “irresponsible, self-serving political stunt.”
McGeachin, who is running for governor in 2022, attempted to issue two further directives during Little’s most recent absence from the state on official business. McGeachin on October 5 released an executive order banning vaccine requirements and mandatory testing. She claimed on social media that the order fixed Little’s April executive order banning vaccine mandates by extending it to cover public schools and universities.
McGeachin also requested information from the head of the Idaho National Guard, Major General Michael Garshak, about deploying troops to the southern border. Garshak responded that the border states had not requested Idaho’s assistance and stressed that “the Idaho National Guard is not a law enforcement agency.”
Little described McGeachin’s attempted troop deployment on social media as “political grandstanding.” He issued an executive order the following day to rescind McGeachin’s order, referring to her action as a “redundant and unwarranted use of executive powers.” Little’s order could lay the groundwork for a legal challenge over the exercise of executive power in Idaho, according to Fox News.
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