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Michigan Rep. Dan Kildee joins ‘America’s News HQ.’
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Rep. Dan Kildee on Sunday defended Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s coronavirus restrictions after protestors took to the streets, saying the state's measures went too far.
"I agree with it because those decisions were made in order to minimize the number of people who have to leave their homes to go to work, to support those aspects of our economy," Kildee, a Democrat, told "America's News HQ."
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"The ability to stay home and shelter in place minimizes the spread of the disease, and minimizes the number of lives that will be lost. So I’m with the governor on that," he added.
Last week thousands of trucks and cars descended on the Michigan state capital of Lansing as protesters lashed out against the orders from Whitmer, a Democrat. The protest even drew the support of President Trump who tweeted, “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!”
While much of the anger from the protest was directed at the number of job losses and the economic freefall caused by the lockdown orders as a result of the virus, other complaints ranged from bans on certain sales to prohibitions on using motorboats but allowing the use of kayaks and canoes.
"I don’t think the governor’s restrictions are unreasonable," Kildee said. He also made a point of noting that he didn't think the "people protesting them are unreasonable" either, "because you can have different points of view."
The state's updated regulations banned the sale of items deemed nonessential, including paint and outdoor gardening tools, among other things. The order also blocked residents from visiting family or holding private gatherings with friends, with exceptions of providing care.
WHITMER DEFENDS STAY-AT-HOME ORDERS AMID PROTESTS
Kildee said he was open to a "reasonable debate about where the line should be drawn," as to which parts of the economy should remain shut down.
"There can be a debate about where to draw the line, but the protesters in Lansing the other day were protesting against the governor’s authority to do any of this... that she shouldn't have the authority to impose any of these restrictions," Kildee explained.
"I think it’s a really difficult thing to decide when we're going too far when the restrictions are working and they're actually saving lives," he went on.
MICHIGAN STAY-AT-HOME ORDER NOW BANS VISITS TO FRIENDS, RELATIVES, GOVERNOR SAYS
As of Sunday, Michigan had reported over 30,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, with over 2,200 deaths. Wayne County – home to Detroit – has seen 1,070 deaths, the most of any county in the country outside of the New York City metropolitan area, according to figures compiled by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University.
Fox News' Leland Vittert and Andrew O'Reilly contributed to this report.
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