Shortly after President Trump asserted during a White House coronavirus task force briefing that his “authority is total” when it comes to reopening the economy, several prominent Republicans pushed back on the President’s baseless claim.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) took to CNBC Tuesday morning to assert that governors will “make decisions about when certain activities are allowed.”
“Obviously, it’ll be tough for a governor to do that if the federal government and its experts at the CDC are advising against it,” Rubio said. “But just understand, the people who ordered these shutdowns, it was done at the state level. And that is the appropriate place where I think some of these orders will begin to be modified.”
Rubio then said that “obviously” the guidance from the White House will be “very influential.”
How & when to modify physical distancing orders should & will be made by Governors.
Federal guidelines issued by @CDCgov & @WhiteHouse will be very influential.
But the Constitution & common sense dictates these decisions be made at the state level. pic.twitter.com/6izVqInX9z
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) April 14, 2020
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who recently recovered from COVID-19 after becoming the first senator to contract the novel coronavirus, appeared to advocate for states’ rights in a Tuesday tweet that didn’t directly mention Trump.
The constitution doesn’t allow the federal gov’t to become the ultimate regulator of our lives because they wave a doctor’s note. Powers not delegated are RESERVED to states & the PEOPLE. If we dispense with constitutional restraints, we will have more to worry about than a virus
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) April 14, 2020
Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) cited the 10th Amendment to the Constitution in a tweet posted within minutes of Trump making his claim on Monday night.
The federal government does not have absolute power.
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” United States Constitution, Amendment X
— Liz Cheney (@Liz_Cheney) April 13, 2020
