Idaho Lieutenant Governor Janice McGeachin (R) walked off an interview with CNN when she was questioned about her recent executive actions undermining the state’s Republican governor.
Gov. Brad Little (R) is a Republican who is considered to be more mainstream while McGeachin, who was seen on video flashing a gun and a bible while protesting orders issued in the state to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, is more of a far-right Republican.
So it should come as no surprise that the two would butt heads. While Little was out the state this week McGeachin issued an executive order banning vaccine passports in schools and attempted to deploy the state’s National Guard to the border.
“Our constitution states that when the governor leaves the state, all duties that apply to the office of the governor then fall to the lieutenant governor,” McGeachin told CNN’s Dan Simon.
“But you know what you’re doing. You’re running for governor, but when he leaves town, you’re issuing these orders. You’re undermining what he’s doing when you’re doing this,” Simon said.
“I’m not going to talk anymore to an activist. If you’re asking me fair questions as a reporter, then that’s fine, but if you’re going to be an activist…..” McGeachin said.
Simon said he wasn’t “being an activist” and asked how McGeachin responds to critics.
“I am not anti-vax. I am not anti-testing of COVID. We know a lot of people that are suffering from this right now, but I am very much against it being a mandate in our state, and that’s what this is all about,” McGeachin said.
Gov. Little never mandated masks and allowed schools to make their decision on mask wearing. He banned state officials from requiring proof of vaccinations.
When Simon pointed this out to McGeachin she stormed off saying “interview’s over.”
Gov. Little said he would reverse McGeachin’s actions because he did “not authorized the Lt. Governor to act on my behalf.”
McGeachin will run for governor in 2022 presumably against Little.
