密歇根州共和党众议员保罗·米切尔周一对州长格雷琴·惠特莫提起联邦诉讼，声称她对冠状病毒大流行的处理违反了州和国家宪法。
在密歇根州成为美国国内冠状病毒死亡率最高的州仅仅三天之后，对惠特莫的留在家里的命令提出了质疑。
米切尔的案件认为，州长的留在家里的命令违反了他的宪法权利，旅行，接受医疗保健，从事商业和行使他的结社自由和政治言论，阻止他亲自对他的选民发言，根据底特律自由报。
诉讼中写道，“密歇根人可以也确实采取了合理的私人行动来保护自己免受感染，而不需要关闭公民社会。”。“鉴于预计的激增尚未发生，无论是法律上还是事实上，都没有理由继续执行任何进一步的强制性封锁令。”
米切尔声称州宪法的分权条款不允许州长关闭立法机构。他还表示，惠特莫4月30日发布的第二次紧急状态声明也违反了州法律，该声明是在她的第一份声明到期后发布的。
米切尔并不是第一个起诉民主党州长处理冠状病毒疫情的共和党人。4月下旬，共和党众议员达伦·贝利起诉伊利诺伊州民主党州长普里茨克因为他涉嫌违反宪法，延长了他30天的全州在家呆着的命令。
惠特莫发言人蒂芙尼·布朗表示:“我们的做法是不对未决诉讼发表评论。”。
新闻周刊联系米切尔的办公室寻求评论。这个故事会随着任何回应而更新。
现在——2018年8月8日，密歇根州底特律市，威斯汀图书凯迪拉克酒店，州长格雷琴·惠特莫在民主党团结集会后接受记者采访。
据当地的哥伦比亚广播公司新闻分支机构WWMT报道，上周五，密歇根州成为美国冠状病毒死亡率最高的州，确诊病例中有9%死于该疾病。该州的Covid-19死亡人数在全国排名第四——截至5月4日约为4020人。
为了对抗流行病，惠特莫安装了一些国家最严格的社会隔离措施。自那以后，她成了批评者的目标，他们认为她的措施正在损害经济。
4月15日，一些抗议者参加了“交通堵塞行动”抗议在密歇根国会大厦周围阻断交通，同时在外面挥舞着标志、美国国旗和枪支。4月23日，抗议者在她的住所周围行驶，并用扩音器抗议“女王城堡行动”
上周，兰辛的抗议者聚集在州议会大厦外，手持纳粹标志和邦联旗帜。惠特默说，抗议“描绘了我们历史上最糟糕的种族主义和可怕的部分”，并补充道，“你在所有的视频片段中看到的行为并不代表我们在密歇根的身份。”
唐纳德·特朗普总统上周五在推特上支持抗议者，他写道，“密歇根州长应该捐一点钱，然后灭火。这些是非常好的人，但是他们很生气。他们希望他们的生活能安全的回来！见见他们，和他们谈谈，做个交易。”
4月20日发布的调查底特律地区商会发现57%的受访者赞成惠特莫的冠状病毒反应，只有37%的人不赞成。
MICHIGAN GOP CONGRESSMAN SUES GOVERNOR WHITMER OVER CORONAVIRUS LOCKDOWN AS STATE REPORTS HIGHEST DOMESTIC DEATH RATE
Republican Congressman Paul Mitchell of Michigan on Monday filed a federal lawsuit against Governor Gretchen Whitmer claiming that her handling of the coronavirus pandemic violated both the state and national constitutions.
The suit challenging Whitmer's stay-at-home order came just three days after Michigan became the U.S. state with the highest domestic coronavirus death rate.
Mitchell's case argues that the governor's stay-at-home order violates his constitutional rights to travel, receive medical care, engage in commerce and exercise his freedoms of association and political speech by preventing him from speaking in-person to his constituents, according to The Detroit Free Press.
"Michiganders can and do take reasonable, private action to protect themselves from infection without the need to shut down civil society," the lawsuit read. "Given that the projected surge has not occurred, there is no basis, either legally or factually, to continue any further mandatory lockdown orders."
Mitchell claims that the state constitution's separation of powers clause doesn't allow the governor to shut down the legislature. He also says Whitmer's April 30 issuance of a second state of emergency declaration, which took place after her first expired, was also in violation of state law.
Mitchell isn't the first Republican to sue a Democratic governor for their handling of the coronavirus epidemic. In late April, Republican State Representative Darren Bailey sued Illinois Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker for allegedly violating the constitution through an extension of his 30-day statewide stay-at-home order.
"Our practice is not to comment on pending litigation," said Whitmer spokesperson Tiffany Brown.
Newsweek reached out to Mitchell's office for comment. This story will be updated with any response.
Now-Governor Gretchen Whitmer speaks with a reporter after a Democrat Unity Rally at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel August 8, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan.
Last Friday, Michigan became the U.S. state with the highest coronavirus death rate, as 9 percent of people with confirmed cases have died from it, according to the local CBS News affiliate, WWMT. The state also has the fourth-largest number of Covid-19 deaths in the country—approximately 4,020 as of May 4.
To fight pandemic, Whitmer instated some of the nation's strictest social distancing measures. She has since become a target for critics who contend that her measures are harming the economy.
On April 15, some protesters participated in an "Operation Gridlock" protest, blocking traffic around the Michigan Capitol Building while brandishing signs, American flags and guns outside. On April 23, protestors drove around her residence and used a bullhorn in a protest named "Operation Queen's Castle."
Protestors last week in Lansing carried Nazi symbols and Confederate flags while gathered outside the state capitol. Whitmer said the protest "depicted some of the worst racism and awful parts of our history," adding, "The behavior that you've seen in all of the clips is not representative of who we are in Michigan."
President Donald Trump tweeted in support of protestors last Friday, writing, "The Governor of Michigan should give a little, and put out the fire. These are very good people, but they are angry. They want their lives back again, safely! See them, talk to them, make a deal."
A survey released on April 20 by the Detroit Regional Chamber found 57 percent of respondents approved of Whitmer's coronavirus response and just 37 percent disapproved.
