Recall petitions against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer can proceed, a Michigan court ruled on Thursday.
The Board of State Canvassers “correctly” approved the six recall petitions against Whitmer and one against Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist, Judges Kathleen Jansen and Michael Gadola of the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday, rejecting one argument made by counsel for the governor as “unpersuasive.”
Whitmer, who had argued these cases did not “adequately describe the authorities cited as reasons for the recall,” plans to appeal the decision, campaign spokesperson Mark Fisk said.
“We plan to appeal this disappointing decision, and we fully intend to beat back these irresponsible partisan attacks against the governor in the courts, on the streets, or at the ballot. This is part of a massive and coordinated attack by Republicans trying to make the governor fail, and our campaign will strenuously oppose these efforts so the governor can keep saving lives, reopening our economy and creating jobs,” he told MLive.
The Michigan Democrat has attracted controversy in recent months after the governor and several members of her administration were caught appearing to violate COVID-19 protocols.
Last weekend, Whitmer was spotted at the Landshark Bar & Grill in East Lansing when a photograph emerged showing the governor and several others, who were not wearing masks, with their tables pushed close together. The arrangement violated the state’s Department of Health and Human Services May 15 order mandating that all parties be separated by 6 feet.
After Whitmer apologized for the incident, the state rescinded the rule, and the health officer for Ingham County told the Washington Examiner that the bar wouldn’t be cited or fined.
Reports indicated that multiple aides to the governor, including Elizabeth Hertel, the director of Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services, and Tricia Foster, the governor’s chief operating officer, traveled out of state last month despite April 5 guidelines issued by Hertel warning would-be travelers that “travel increases your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19.”
“We recommend that you do not travel at this time,” the Michigan HHS travel advisory said, which remained in effect during both trips. “Delay travel and stay home to protect yourself and others from COVID-19.”
Whitmer’s recent use of a private plane to travel out of state also attracted scrutiny, with some state Republicans saying there may need to be an inquiry into the financial arrangements behind her trip to her father.
“We will be issuing a letter to Governor Whitmer with specific questions related to her junket to Florida. Based off the response we receive, the Oversight Committee will consider doing hearings on this scandal,” Rep. Steve Johnson, the chairman of the Michigan House Oversight Committee, said in an email to the Washington Examiner. “The people of Michigan deserve answers on what the Governor is trying to hide and why.”
After JoAnne Huls, Whitmer’s chief of staff, acknowledged earlier this month that the administration used “a chartered flight for this trip,” a Federal Aviation Administration representative said Detroit-based Air Eagle, the company whose plane brought Whitmer to Florida and back, doesn’t hold a certificate authorizing charter-type services.
It’s premature “to conclude that a violation of federal aviation regulations occurred,” a statement from the FAA reportedly said. “The FAA is looking into the matter.”
Whitmer isn’t the only Democratic governor facing a potential recall effort. On April 26, state officials announced recall organizers had succeeded in gaining the necessary number of signatures to force a recall of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, with more than 1,626,000 verified signatures collected, eclipsing the 1,495,709 signatures required.
A representative for Whitmer did not immediately respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.