House Republicans Push Debunked Claim That Whitmer Encouraged Violence Against Unmasked Residents

By Laina G. Stebbins, Michigan Advance

The partisan divide over mask-wearing during the pandemic rages on this week in Michigan, with House Republicans now pushing a debunked internet claim that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has called for violence against unmasked residents.

“In a mind-boggling statement this month, Gov. Whitmer called for private citizens in Michigan to ‘forcefully’ get people to comply with the state’s mask mandate,” reads a Facebook post from the Michigan House Republicans on Monday. “… The governor needs to clarify her reckless statement and let people know in no uncertain terms that ‘forcefully’ confronting anyone is wrong and potentially dangerous.”

The caucus, which holds the majority in the lower chamber, is led by House Speaker Lee Chatfield (R-Levering). A House GOP spokesperson did not return a request for comment.

In reality, as a recent USA Today fact-check pointed out, Whitmer called on Michiganders to “politely, but also forcefully” help enforce the mask-wearing mandate she issued earlier this month amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases in all regions. She has enlisted Big Ten sports coaches, including Michigan State University men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo, for her #MaskUpMichigan campaign.

The House Republicans statement goes on to cite a stabbing that occurred at a Dimondale store several days following Whitmer’s comments, using that as proof that violence has been encouraged.

But the post fails to note that the violent incident was brought about and escalated by an unmasked individual, who argued with patrons and stabbed a 77-year-old man before fleeing the store. He later attempted to attack a police deputy with a knife and was subsequently shot and killed.

Since mask-wearing has been found to greatly reduce the airborne spread of COVID-19, all residents are required by executive order to don a face covering in both indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor spaces. Michigan businesses are ordered to refuse entry or service to individuals who do not comply.

Still, many Republicans in the state Legislature have yet to adopt the practice.

Nathan Triplett, legal counsel for House Democrats and former mayor of East Lansing, wrote in a Facebook post Monday that he is appalled by how many GOP members and staffers in the House continue to work in the state Capitol unmasked.

“Upon arriving at the Capitol this morning, I was greeted by two unmasked Republican staff members. I walked across the street to the House Office Building and ran into three more unmasked Republican staff members,” Triplett wrote.

“Set aside Governor Whitmer’s executive orders and the partisan, interbranch conflict over her emergency powers for a moment, all of these staffers are in violation of the House of Representatives’ own COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Plan. …To be frank, this behavior is both disrespectful and dangerous. It puts Members, staff (and their families), and the general public at risk,” he continued.

State Rep. Kara Hope (D-Holt) introduced a resolution on May 27 that would require every person on the House floor to wear a protective face covering. Hope noted at the time that she had been experiencing COVID-19 symptoms earlier that month.

House Resolution 268 was referred to the Committee on Government Operations that day and has not yet moved.

Farhan Bhatti, CEO of the Care Free Medical clinic in Lansing who is the Michigan lead of the Committee to Protect Medicare, wrote on social media Tuesday that Michigan House Republicans are “failing” Michiganders by refusing to enforce face masks and shifting the focus away from public health.

On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D-Bloomfield Twp.) tweeted a photo of all seven Democratic members of Michigan’s Congressional delegation — plus U.S. Rep. Justin Amash (L-Grand Rapids) — wearing face masks to encourage the practice.

President Donald Trump, who has been infamously averse to wearing a face mask himself, tweeted Monday that he now feels it is “patriotic” to wear a face mask.