DETROIT _ Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told a national cable TV audience on Friday morning that Republicans in the state Legislature have helped fuel protests against her stay-at-home order at the state Capitol.
Speaking to host John Berman on CNN's "New Day," Whitmer was asked why the state Capitol was closed during Thursday's protests after being swarmed by protesters, some of whom carried firearms, during an April 30 event.
"The Legislature apparently didn't want to be around for this activity that many of them incited, frankly," she said.
Whitmer didn't mention any particular actions by members of the Legislature, which remained out of session on Thursday, closing the Capitol as the protest went on. But both the state House and Senate are under Republican control.
Republican leaders have also filed a lawsuit _ with a hearing scheduled Friday in the state Court of Claims _ challenging Whitmer's authority to issue and extend orders to close businesses and require people stay at home as a way to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Those orders are set to remain in place at least until May 28. Whitmer has cited estimates that her orders may have helped prevent what could have been another 3,500 deaths from the virus in Michigan and that reopening the state too quickly could result in a second wave of new cases and deaths.
Republican leaders, including state party Chairman Laura Cox, have maintained they are not associated with the protests while criticizing Whitmer for her many national TV appearances, saying she is interested in being Joe Biden's vice presidential running mate in November, a claim she has denied.
"We haven't had a role in organizing any of these protests," Cox said.
Whitmer maintained on "New Day" that the rallies have been politically motivated and are not simply people expressing their frustration over her orders. She said, however, she was glad fewer people took part in Thursday's event than in previous ones, which have attracted thousands in at least one case.
"I'm glad to see it was just a couple hundred people," she said.
