Governor Holcomb is defending his use of executive orders in the fight against COVID-19. “Ultimately, in a public health emergency, whether it’s funding or agency decisions, the buck stops on my desk and that’s my responsibility,” he said during last week’s COVID-19 press conference.
The governor denied claims that his decisions were made unilaterally with no input from the General Assembly. “We are informed by multiple sources, including physicians, epidemiologists, scientists, business owners, various sectors, legislators, leadership,” Holcomb said. “And I checked in with leadership on a regular basis over the last months, asking if there was any appetite whatsoever for a special session, and there was none.”
The governor was asked to respond to claims from State Representative Christy Stutzman, who is also the co-owner of the Barns at Nappanee. She said the “instability and difficult circumstances” the governor’s decisions have created for her business were part of the reason she’s resigning from the House of Representatives, just weeks after winning reelection.
Holcomb acknowledged that the hospitality industry is hurting, but said it’s “beyond inspiring” to see how businesses have become creative to safely negotiate their way through the pandemic.
