DETROIT – Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was interviewed Sunday on Local 4 News about the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and the domestic terrorist plot making national headlines.
Several of the alleged domestic terrorists involved in the plot to kidnap and kill the governor are now facing charges.
During his 90 minute speech in Muskegon yesterday, President Donald Trump mentioned the domestic terror plot. He also criticized Whitmer’s handling of the pandemic.
While speaking to Local 4 News Whitmer responded to the president’s attacks. She also answered questions about tensions rising as the election draws near and whether there is greater risk for violence in Michigan when the results are announced.
“Every time the president does something like this we see more death threats. This is endangering the lives of public servants all across the state who are just trying to save their fellow Americans lives. And every minute that we talk about this and aren’t focused on the 220,000 Americans who have died because the Trump virus response, has been such a failure, it is good for the president. I am not going to stay focused on that. I am going to stay focused on the one thing that he hasn’t done and that’s his job. We have Americans at food pantries, we have tens of millions who are out of work,” Whitmer said.
The governor also said that last night’s Muskegon rally is just one more example of how the rhetoric has gotten out of control in the country.
“We have got to get back to a place where we can talk to one another, find common ground and we can solve problems together,” she said.
Coronavirus cases in Michigan are also on the rise with more than 2,000 cases reported Thursday and Friday. Just yesterday the state reported a total of 1,791 new cases.
Whitmer answered important questions about a recent Michigan Supreme Court ruling that took away her emergency coronavirus powers.
“I want your viewers and listeners to know we still have a mask mandate in Michigan. There are still prohibitions on gatherings in Michigan. We know what it is going to take to stay safe and it is wearing a mask and physical distancing and washing our hands. The more of us who do that the less likely we are going to see this spike grow out of control and have to close our economy again. That’s what we want to avoid. If you are mad about wearing a mask or your mad your kids aren’t in school full-time or you are sad that you’re not at church right now or able to watch college football, I think you need to go out and vote for Joe Biden so we can have a national strategy around this virus and get our economy back engaged,” she said.
Whitmer was interviewed ahead of Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3. To date nearly 1 million people have already voted in Michigan.
In Sunday’s special hour-long episode of Flashpoint both candidates in the Michigan US Senate race were interviewed about their positions on critical issues.