REP. GROSSELL STATEMENT ON GOV. WALZ REOPENING GUIDANCE

CLEARBROOK — State Representative Matt Grossell, R-Clearbrook, issued the following statement regarding Gov. Walz's announcement about his inconsistent, overreaching reopening guidelines that continue to control many businesses and churches from fully operating even after June 1.

"The announcements today by the governor show exactly why he needs to stop acting like a 'king' and instead work with the duly elected legislature. He is one man in St. Paul making decisions for a state of over 5 million people spread out over 87 counties and almost 87,000 square miles. He is dictating rather than governing."

"The governor should listen to the heart-wrenching cry of small businesses, restaurants, bars, gyms, and churches who have plans to safely reopen — and he should trust Minnesotans to safely go back to living their lives. The governor is destroying the life's work of many Minnesotans by putting such stringent restrictions on their reopening, all under the guise of 'the government knows what's best for us.' At today's press conference, the inconsistent guidelines, which still pick winners and losers, cause me to ask this question: What science is the governor using? The science of virology, or the science of fear-mongering by use of the media?"

"The governor is not a king and he is very much abusing his powers and violating the constitutional rights of Minnesota citizens. This has gone on for too long and he needs to relent and give up his unilateral peacetime decision-making authority now. Enough is enough."