Michigan GOP files campaign finance complaint against Gov. Whitmer over private Florida trip

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan became enamored with the COVID-19 pandemic early on, or, more accurately, with the opportunity the outbreak afforded her to exercise more authority over the citizens of her state.

As the pandemic persisted throughout spring and summer, Whitmer — like many other Democratic governors — continually expanded lockdowns and other restrictions to the point where a sizeable portion of her citizens regularly expressed their displeasure through protests and other actions.

Republicans who dominate the state legislature also flexed some muscle of their own; they took Whitmer to court over her endless lockdowns and won because she was blatantly violating the state’s constitution and Michigan law.

No matter; when she lost in court, Whitmer just had her state health agency issue the same mandates, all under the premise of ‘following COVID science.’

Meanwhile, Whitmer, like other Democratic governors, went on to ignore her own mandates and restrictions. In recent weeks, Whitmer was busted partying it up in a Lansing restaurant without social distancing and without masks, in violation of her own state’s health guidelines, because the rules never really did apply to her anyway, don’t you see.

Now she’s in hot water over her use of a private jet ostensibly to visit her sick father in Florida, after telling Michiganders they should avoid traveling because muh COVID.

The Daily Caller reports:

The Michigan Republican Party filed a Friday complaint against Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, alleging she broke campaign finance laws by traveling to Florida on a private jet for personal reasons.

The Daily Caller first obtained a copy of the complaint, which called on the Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to immediately investigate Whitmer’s trip to West Palm Beach, Florida.

Whitmer faced heavy criticism in April when it was reported that she had traveled to Florida in March to visit her father amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Not long after her trip, Whitmer appeared on “Meet the Press” and urged people to “take this seriously, mask up” and “get tested.” She also said no one should be traveling to Florida for spring break.

The Michigan GOP sent the complaint to the Bureau of Elections, alleging regardless of how the private jet is paid for, Whitmer violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act.

“This Complaint outlines numerous violations of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act … arising from Governor Whitmer’s secret four day luxury jet trip to West Palm Beach, Florida between March 12 and March 15, 2021. Specifically, the facts indicate that the Governor used a private Gulfstream jet, provided by a corporation (PVS Chemicals), for a personal trip to visit her father,” the complaint says.

“Whitmer team’s most recent position is that the luxury jet costs will either be paid for by the corporation or Gretchen Whitmer for Governor … Regardless of which entity pays for the trip, a clear violation of the [finance law] has occurred that should immediately be investigated and penalized to deter future continued illegal activity by Respondents,” the complaint continued.

“There is no other individual or organization who should have paid for the Governor’s luxury personal travel to Florida except for Governor Whitmer herself … Now, Governor Whitmer and her Campaign are desperately attempting to convolute Michigan campaign finance law in order to justify paying for the Governor’s personal travel. Regardless of the Governor’s purported safety concerns with traveling commercially, these concerns should not be used to legalize clear violations of the law,” it adds.