GOP Lawmaker Wants Answers On Whitmer's Florida Trip

LANSING, MI — A Republican lawmaker in Michigan is seeking answers to several questions sent to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer regarding her March 12-15 flight to Florida to visit her chronically ill father.

Rep. Steve Johnson (R-Wayland) sent Whitmer's office 43 questions about the flight, which has been highly criticized and the subject of a complaint filed with the Internal Revenue Service. The questions regard details such as who else was with Whitmer on the plane and whether there was any official or state purpose for the travel, according to The Associated Press.

“These questions are both reasonable and important to giving the people of Michigan certainty that their governor is following proper procedures and acting within the bounds of the law,” Johnson wrote in a letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press.

Related: Whitmer Criticized For Traveling Out Of State During Pandemic

Whitmer traveled to Florida for a four-day trip stretching March 12-15. Her office initially said the trip lasted two days or fewer.

The governor said originally that the trip "wasn't spring break" and that she had traveled to Florida to visit her chronically ill father, who has since been moved to Michigan.

"In the past six months she has left the state three times, once for the inauguration, once to assist her elderly father who is battling a chronic illness, and once to visit with Michigan's National Guard troops," a spokesperson with the governor's office told Patch via text message. "All trips were very brief, two full days or less, closely followed public health guidelines, and were made when Michigan's daily positivity rate was in the low single digits. Due to ongoing security concerns, we will not comment further on the governor's personal schedule."

Related: Whitmer's Trip To Florida Was Funded Primarily By Nonprofit: Memo

Whitmer's office has continued to say the trip wasn't paid for at the taxpayer's expense. It was funded through a more than $27,000 payment from Michigan Transition 2019, with Whitmer paying the balance of about $850 for her seat, according to public donor and expense reports.

A chartered flight was used for the trip due to ongoing security and public health concerns, Whitmer's office said. Leading up to the disclosure, her administration had said the date she traveled to Florida had not been released after the fact for security reasons.

The inquiry comes after a complaint was filed with the IRS by Michigan Rising Action, a conservative group that submitted the trip fell outside the purpose of the account.

Read More: Whitmer's Florida Trip Subject Of IRS Complaint Filed Wednesday