Republicans formally took control of the state House Wednesday after winning a majority of seats in the November election. One of the chamber’s first actions was to give the House Oversight Committee broad power to subpoena state officials to testify.
The oversight committee will have six subcommittees with purview over “weaponization” of government, the child welfare system, corporate subsidies by the state, public health and food security, homeland security and foreign influence, and public assistance.
Subpoenas would have to be approved by the full oversight committee.
Representative Mike Harris (R-Waterford), the House Majority Whip, said Republicans want to have every tool available at the front end of the process to compel cooperation. He said the rule will only be invoked if executive branch officials try to stonewall oversight activities
“Our goal is not to have that be the first gunshot that we make,” he said. “This is if we’re trying to obtain information, and we are not getting cooperation than that’s something we can fall back on.”
The inquiries will be directed at actions taken by Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration as far as COVID-19 orders and business incentives. The committee could also be interested in actions by Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. All are Democrats.
Democrats voted for the package of rules as a collegial gesture on the new session’s first day, but are not happy with granting the committees up-front subpoena power.
“Obviously, I understand the need for accountability and transparency in government, but creating artificial witch hunts and politicizing the committee structure is not the way to get it done,” said Representative Ranjeev Puri (D-Canton), the House minority leader.
The Whitmer administration had no comment on the House rules.
