Whitmer Criticized For Traveling Out Of State During Pandemic

LANSING, MI — Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has been heavily criticized for traveling out of state amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The governor traveled out of state earlier this year to visit her chronically ill father, Bobby Leddy, Whitmer’s press secretary, told Patch Monday evening.

Leddy told Patch that Whitmer’s father is fully vaccinated and that the governor is tested regularly and has never tested positive for COVID.

In an initial statement provided to Michigan Information and Research Service — which reported the news of Whitmer’s trip first — and The Detroit Free Press, spokespeople with the governor’s office reportedly said Whitmer visited her father in Florida. The Detroit News reported that Whitmer’s father has property in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Ronna McDaniel, the chair of the Republican National Committee, blasted Whitmer in a tweet Monday.

"Once again, @GovWhitmer has been caught refusing to abide by her own draconian orders," she said. "Michigan cannot tolerate her failed leadership any longer."

Chris Gustafson of the Republican Governor's Association said Whitmer’s "hypocrisy knows no bounds."

"Gretchen Whitmer’s hypocrisy flies in the face of every Michigander who has persevered through Whitmer’s disgraceful response to COVID-19," Gustafson said in a statement. "While telling Michiganders not to travel, Whitmer flew down to Florida and proved once again that the rules to her or her family don’t apply. It's time for Gretchen Whitmer to go."

Michigan GOP officials on Twitter blasted Whitmer, saying she specifically targeted Florida in April when she urged Michiganders not to travel out of state for Spring break.

"Whitmer has long advocated for onerous lockdowns, shutdowns and travel warnings that have destroyed small businesses, kept kids out of schools, ruined livelihoods, and led to record levels of drug and alchohol abuse - yet she refuses to make the same sacrifices," Michigan GOP said in one tweet.

Leddy said Whitmer’s trip wasn’t spring break.

"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,” he 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.”

The trip was not paid for at taxpayers’ expense, Leddy said.

Whitmer's administration has recently been criticized because two of its health authorities traveled out of state.

Tricia Foster, Whitmer's chief executive officer, and Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel, recently traveled to Florida and Alabama, respectively, The Detroit Free Press reported.