Idaho Lt. Gov. Bans Vaccination Warrants, Tries To Deploy National Guard On Governor’s 2-Day Trip

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Janice McGeachin Nathan Howard / Getty Images

“Some are born great, some attain greatness, and some have greatness imposed on them,” William Shakespeare wrote in Twelfth Night, setting up a prank to humiliate a pretentious servant. It is not known in which camp Idaho Lt. Gov. Janice McGeachin (R) would place herself, but on Tuesday she took advantage of Governor Brad Little (R) ‘s out-of-state trips – for the second time this year – to issue an executive order relating to the pandemic and put pressure on the Idaho National Guard to conduct border patrols.

As soon as Little left to meet with nine other GOP governors in Texas, McGeachin issued an executive order prohibiting private companies from requiring their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, among other things. She also asked Major General Michael J. Garshak how she could activate the National Guard and send them to the US-Mexico border, The Associated Press reports.

“I am not aware of any requests for assistance from the Idaho National Guard under the Texas or Arizona Emergency Management Assistance Pact (EMAC),” Garshak said in a one paragraph response. “As you know, the Idaho National Guard is not a law enforcement agency.”

Little, who sent state police soldiers to the border in June to help stop cross-border drug trafficking, has been a little more blunt. “I am in Texas to serve as the duly elected governor of Idaho, and I have not authorized the lieutenant governor to act on my behalf,” he said in a statement. “I will rescind and rescind all actions taken by the Lieutenant Governor upon my return.” He added, “Attempting to deploy our National Guard for political purposes is an affront to Idaho’s constitution and insults the men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving our state and country.

In May, McGeachin banned mask warrants when Little was on an official trip to Tennessee. Little canceled this order upon his return. McGeachin is one of an overcrowded group of Republicans running to replace Little in 2022. Little has not indicated whether he is running for re-election.

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