Michigan Board of Canvassers meet Tuesday to consider Gov. Whitmer recall petition

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - On Tuesday, the Michigan Board of State Canvassers will meet and consider a petition to recall Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

The board will meet at 2 p.m. in Lansing to consider the petition to recall Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel. The petition is citing the governor and AG's efforts over the past 15 months during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the petition, Michigan resident Hannah Curley submitted the petition on May 14, citing Whitmer's State of Emergency declarations in 2020:

"Governor Gretchen Whitmer continued a State of Emergency after April 30, 2020 without legislative approval. After April 30, 2020 Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued multiple Executive Orders using the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act 302 of 1945. After the October 2, 2020 Michigan Supreme Court’s Order for Docket #161917, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a press release stating "Governor’s Orders remain in effect at least 21 more days."

The petition says Nessel ordered charges of two different business owners, including the arrest of one:

"On May 13, 2020, Attorney General Dana Nessel announced in coordination with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Barber Karl Manke’s Professional License, as well as the License for his Barbershop, were summarily suspended. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced the arrest of Marlena Pavlos-Hackney, owner of Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria in Holland, made by the Michigan State Police on March 19, 2021."

Pavlos-Hackney was arrested in March for violating the state's COVID-19 restrictions and compared the move to communist Eastern Europe, where she grew up.

She ultimately spent four nights in jail and paid a $15,000 fine and had her food license revoked.

Manke was fined $9,000 for violating the original state orders in the spring of 2020. The charges were later dropped.