President Trump accused Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of ignoring her own advice when it comes to combatting the coronavirus.
Whitmer has been caught up in a scandal after her husband called a northern Michigan dock company and tried using his status as the state’s “first gentleman” to get his boat in the water over Memorial Day weekend. He was visiting the family’s vacation house after Whitmer had advised Michiganders against fleeing to less restricted parts of the state for the holiday.
“Yet she doesn’t let people even breath[e] in Michigan. A very bad double standard!” Trump tweeted along with a story of the scandal.
Yet she doesn’t let people even breath in Michigan. A very bad double standard! https://t.co/A60YxvWFGv
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 28, 2020
Whitmer apologized for her husband, Marc Mallory, on Tuesday, excusing his remarks as a “failed attempt at humor.”
My husband made a failed attempt at humor last week when checking in with the small business that helps with our boat and dock up north. Knowing it wouldn’t make a difference, he jokingly asked if being married to me might move him up in the queue. Obviously, with the motorized boating prohibition in our early days of Covid-19, he thought it might get a laugh. It didn’t, and to be honest, I wasn’t laughing either when it was relayed to me because I knew how it would be perceived. He regrets it, I wish it wouldn’t have happened, and that’s really all we have to say about it.
Michigan @GovWhitmer: "My husband made a failed attempt at humor last week…he jokingly asked if being married to me might move him up in the queue…He regrets it. I wish it wouldn't have happened. That's really all we have to say about it." pic.twitter.com/6WnoXiywA3
— CSPAN (@cspan) May 26, 2020
After further questioning from reporters, Whitmer later said her husband’s excursion up north was just to rake leaves and then return. She also denied reports that she had traveled up to the family vacation home with him.
“We did not all pile in the car to go enjoy our second home, although that would have been permitted if we had,” Whitmer said.
.@GovWhitmer claims her husband traveled to the family's second home to "rake leaves." pic.twitter.com/mVk32fcGKJ
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) May 26, 2020
Whitmer has been accused of setting a double standard for her own family after warning Michigan residents against traveling to northern Michigan and the upper peninsula to escape heavy-handed lockdown restrictions still in effect in most of the state. She lifted some restrictions on the state’s norther regions, designated six and eight in her reopening strategy, during the week leading up to Memorial Day.
“This is a big step and it’s right before the holiday weekend. We know Memorial Day weekend is coming up a week from now. And so I want to encourage everyone to stay smart and to stay safe, keep your wits about you,” Whitmer said. “If you don’t live in these regions, region six and region eight, please think long and hard before you take a trip into them.”
Prior to her Tuesday apology, Whitmer’s officer rebuffed questions about her husband’s whereabouts after a now-deleted Facebook post by the dock company gave a version of the call that had transpired between the company and Mallory.
“Our practice is not to discuss the governor’s or her family’s personal calendar/schedules,” Whitmer’s press office told The Detroit News.
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