LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer addressed a controversial request by her husband, who reportedly name dropped Whitmer to try to get his boat out of storage and into the water sooner.
UPDATE -- May 26, 2020: Michigan coronavirus cases up to 55,104; Death toll now at 5,266
The controversy comes after a post from a company that Dr. Marc Mallory, the governor’s husband, asked if being married to the governor would help him move up the queue.
Whitmer said her husband’s comments were a “failed attempt at humor.”
“Obviously, with the motorized boating prohibition in our early days of COVID-19, he thought it might get a laugh,” Whitmer said. “It didn’t, and to be honest, I wasn’t laughing either when it was relayed to me, because I knew how it would be perceived. He regrets it. I wish it wouldn’t have happened, and that’s really all we have to say about it.”
Whitmer said her family has been staying home over the last couple of months, including canceling her daughter’s prom and graduation ceremony.
On Friday, she extended the state’s stay-at-home order until June 12. She also extended the state of emergency until June 19. Both executive orders had been set to expire Thursday.