‘I’m outraged at the governor’s decision to keep restaurants, their employees and food industry workers out of work this Christmas season’
LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, issued the following statement Monday regarding Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s latest extension of her shutdown of Michigan restaurants through Friday, Jan. 15:
“I’m incredibly disappointed and outraged at the governor’s decision to keep restaurants, their employees and food industry workers out of work this Christmas season, while allowing certain other hand-picked businesses to continue to operate.
“Despite claiming that she is relying on the ‘science,’ the governor is apparently ignoring the science that shows restaurant transmission of the virus is incredibly low. And still, her administration refuses to show what scientific metrics they’re following.
“Our local establishments have adapted to social distancing and health practices — restaurant workers should be allowed to work and to feed their families and buy Christmas presents for their kids.
“It makes no sense to allow holiday shoppers to crowd each other, while prohibiting families from eating in an isolated booth at our local restaurants. The completely random nature of the orders is insulting to every multi-generational restaurateur, every chef and waitstaff, and every food service family member who is trying to make ends meet this Christmas season.
“Instead of working with the Legislature like the Supreme Court intended in their ruling against her previous executive orders, the Whitmer administration continues to go it alone in issuing orders through the Department of Health and Human Services. We all want to put safety first and fight this virus. But we need to fight it together, and with a little common sense.”