South Kent News

State Representative Angela Rigas (R-Caledonia) headed a session of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Weaponization of State Government. Business owners Marlena Hackney, from Holland, and Karl Manke, from Owosso, were invited to provide testimony about their legal confrontations with the office of Attorney General Dana Nessel. Both owners faced legal action for operating their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, contravening the lockdown order, which was later deemed unconstitutional.

Rep. Rigas, who leads the subcommittee, expressed her reaction to the testimonies. "This is the definition of weaponization of state government," said Rigas. "Your story has inspired me. You defied what we suspected was wrong."

Hackney narrated her ongoing legal struggle after being arrested and charged in March 2021 for violating the governor's lockdown order, despite its invalidation months earlier. Hackney recounted her experience in detention, saying, "When I went to jail, they took my phone and they did a cavity search." Hackney still faces prosecution without having received an arrest warrant for the initial incident.

Internal communications from Attorney General Nessel's office suggest her arrest was orchestrated to prevent her participation in the Fox News program, Tucker Carlson Tonight. Hackney’s lawyer emphasized, "She said in that email that she was going to arrest her particularly to get her from going on Tucker Carlson."

The subcommittee also listened to Karl Manke's account. The barber faced fines for violating the lockdown order after appearing on television. Manke noted that the fines were levied without an inspection, based solely on television footage. "No, nobody came in to inspect it," Manke replied when asked by Rigas.

Manke also recounted participating in Operation Haircut, a protest event in 2020 against the lockdown orders, for which he was later fined. "Maybe a year," he assessed when questioned about the timing of his charges.

Rep. Rigas concluded that the testimonies gave crucial insight into the actions of the Attorney General's office during the pandemic restrictions. "These business owners were just ordinary people trying to provide for their families," Rigas stated, observing what she perceives as a trend in governmental response. "We’re going to keep looking and keep getting answers."

The hearing ended after about an hour of testimonies and questions. Rep. Rigas expressed gratitude for the testimonies, acknowledging the courage of Hackney and Manke in their defiance.

"You stood defiant against an unjust order," Rigas stated. "You were targeted for it, fined excessively, and denied your due process."

For further details, inquiries can be directed to Rep. Angela Rigas at (517) 373-1403 or emailed at [email protected].

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