Whitmer: Photo At Lansing Restaurant Was 'Honest Mistake'

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she didn't have much to add when questioned Monday about a photo showing her and several people unmasked and not social distancing at a Lansing restaurant.

Whitmer did, however, point out that the restaurant — Landshark Bar & Grill — while known to many as a dive bar, has turned into a restaurant-first business that has "pretty good pizza."

"I put out a statement. I wrote that statement. It is, you know, (that) it was an honest mistake," Whitmer said Monday at a news conference in Grand Rapids where she announced amendments to a series of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services epidemic orders.

"I have apologized for it," she added.

Related: Whitmer Apologizes After Photo Shows Her Not Social Distancing

Whitmer issued her apology in a statement on Sunday following a report by the right-wing media outlet Breitbart published a photo of her and several others at Landshark Bar & Grill sitting with tables pushed together. The people in the photo are without face coverings and are not socially distanced, violations of an MDHHS order that says more than six people cannot gather inside restaurants or bars and groups of people are required to be as least six feet apart.

"Throughout the pandemic, I've been committed to following public health protocols," Whitmer said in a statement. "Yesterday, I went with friends to a local restaurant. As more people arrived, the tables were pushed together.

"Because we were all vaccinated, we didn't stop to think about it. In retrospect, I should have thought about it. I am human. I made a mistake, and I apologize."

Whitmer was criticized heavily on social media following the photo being released, as many people accused her of treating COVID-19 guidelines in Michigan with a "Rules for Thee, But Not for Me" mentality.

When asked about that during Monday's news conference, Whitmer said it was par for the course.

"There's always a push back, right? In this environment, there's no making everyone happy on any issue," she said. "(We are) doing the best that we can, following the science to make sure that we keep people safe."