Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose poll numbers continue a downward slide over her handling of the COVID crisis, faces new questions after it was learned an outside entity has paid for her use of a private jet owned by influential businessmen to visit her father in Florida during the lockdown.
Whitmer aides have carefully stated repeatedly that no taxpayer dollars were used to pay for the chartered flights, which occurred during a period she was discouraging Michigan residents to stay in their homes because of COVID and while emergency rules kept families from visiting hospitalized loved ones.
“It’s been 62 days since the secret trip. The story from the governor’s office keeps changing,” said GOP Communications Director Ted Goodman. Previously the governor has said she paid for the flight out of her own pocket. Now, her office admits, she only paid for her seat, leaving others to cover the rest of the expense.
No one is yet suggesting Whitmer broke any laws by taking the $28,000 trip which is becoming a continuing political embarrassment. According to several sources, the flights were paid for by a social welfare not-for-profit group – Michigan Transition 2019 – to handle expenses related to her 2019 gubernatorial inauguration. In general, the use of funds by politicians coming from groups designated 501c(4) by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to cover expenses like non-official travel is generally frowned upon.
Complicating matters more, the Detroit Free Press published Monday a report revealing Air Eagle, LLP – the air travel company operating the plane Whitmer used to visit her father in Florida – is not authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to offer charter flights. Agency spokesman Elizabeth Isham Cory told the paper companies seeking to operate such flights must have a Part 135 certificate.
“The Gulfstream G280 Whitmer’s office confirmed she flew on ‘is not on a 135 certificate and Air Eagle does not have a Part 135 certificate,’” the Free Press reported, citing an email from Cory.
Whitmer and her staff have repeatedly attempted to tamp the scandal down by asserting extraordinary accommodations must be made to keep her safe because of threats made against her in the last year. “I have received an incredible number of death threats over the last year and a half. There are a lot of reasons we don’t discuss how I travel and when I travel,” the governor previously said.
This is not the first incident to raise questions about Whitmer’s management of state affairs during the pandemic. Michigan First Husband Marc Mallory reportedly tried to have his boat placed in the water before Memorial Day weekend in 2020 in violation of what some called “the most draconian stay-at-home orders in the nation.”
Her apparent fall from grace may not be as precipitous as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s but it is just as self-inflicted. Before last summer’s BLM riots, Whitmer was believed to be atop Joe Biden’s list of potential running mates. Now she finds herself peppered with questions about why she went to Florida unvaccinated despite the number of times she expressed concern that residents there were not taking proper safety precautions and bringing the virus to Michigan. As issues of this sort mount, strategists in both parties are wondering how vulnerable she’ll be when seeking a second term in November 2022.
Peter Roff is a former U.S. News & World Report contributing editor now affiliated with several Washington, D.C. public policy organizations. He appears regularly as a commentator on the One America News network. Reach him by email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PeterRoff.
Peter Roff
Peter Roff is affiliated with several Washington, D.C. public policy organizations and is a former U.S. News and World Report contributing editor who appears regularly as a commentator on the One America News network. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PeterRoff.
If her lips are moving, she is probably lying.
She probably attended the “Hillary Clinton Institute of Mendacity”.
She’s a commiecrat. She can’t do any wrong
She’s a Soros employee!
They’re all dirt bags,,, I don’t trust any of these scum. I can’t wait until we start throwing these creatures in prison.
And someone said she is a good candidate for President in 2024
Yuck!
“Oh what a tangled web she weaves, when at first she does deceive.”…but eh, she’s a dem. Their mouth is open, deceit is in the air.
What else is new there’s so much corruption and greed within the Democratic Party it can no longer can be Ignored. Time to take control of the elected officials putting a end to the Career Politicians time for term limits. Just take a good look at what’s happening today with a totally incompetent president who is delusional and he and his Democratic Party are systematically destroying this country economy from the inside! TIME FOR DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS TO PUT A END TO THIS LOONEY TUNES AND STOP VOTING FOR THESES MARXIST COMMUNIST MORONS
We now know that Gretchie and her entire management team, are liars, and game players.. There is no question that she should lose her job, in the next election.. She is a useless leader, out for her own gain… FIX THE DAMNED GOVERNESS!!! Replace her !!
TO BAD THEW PLANE DIDN’T CRASH and relieve us of her bullcrap.
sounds to me like a taxable benefit…she’ll owe the Fed & State taxes on the 28,000……of course she can weasel it out of “campaign funds”
I have about decided that if you have any ethics or morals….and are not self-serving…..politics or the government is not the profession for you.
Except….Trump……he’d already made his millions/billions…he didn’t need the money and even donated his salary….he wasn’t in it to make politics a profession..he’d already has/had a successful one…he really does love this country and wanted to “Make America Great Again”….and he was on his way….til we got side swiped by a stolen election…and that’s a whole other discussion…..they couldn’t stand it….just because he wasn’t one of them…and thank goodness he wasn’t…..
Did Roff ever write about the thousands of lies spewed by trump. Most were hurtful, divisive and totally fascist.
And thousands were proven made up by Soy Boys like you!
POS
PURE MICHIGAN POS
The real lie is that Whitmere is really a man!
A politician caught in a lie. My, how shocking…
Apart from the crime of closing down Businesses and schools and Churches, she banned the sale of Flags and garden products like veggie seeds, whilst allowing Abortion clinics to carry on, and prostitution. She and her Husband and family went to their Summer home for her daughters 21 Party and hubby tried to get his boat on the water by stating “Do you know who I am? I am the Governors husband” Fortunately the Official in charge was not impressed and said tough! And Whitmer used to work for Soros No more proof needed she is awful
Well, what sort of hypocrisy and dissimulation would you expect from a Demon-crat?
She should be locked down for at least 1 year,
Replace her with someone who gives a damn
About her people !!
To all you Michigan strategist it’s simple in 2022 Whitmer is toast , she’s one of the most hated women in America! She lied constantly to the people of Michigan, I wouldn’t vote for her to be a dog catcher, even the animals deserve better!
It’s not who votes, it is who COUNTS them. Michigan was a leader in the absolute election complete debacle of voter fraud b.s. going on within the ballot counts.. Clean it up, or get used to the likes of Whitmer and her lying clan of reprobates!
A Democrat lying to constituents? SHOCKING!
I really think they/she has this inane elitist attitude that it’s kind of funny when they get caught doing something they ALL do on a regular basis!
Rules for thee…