Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who had one of the strictest stay-at-home orders across the country, said her husband made a failed attempt at humor, as she responded Tuesday to allegations of elitism over Memorial Day weekend.
The Detroit News reported a marina owner had posted on social media over the weekend that Ms. Whitmer’s husband tried to get the company to get his boat out and ready for use over Memorial Day weekend, but after employees of the marina, NorthShore Dock LLC, said it was too busy for the last minute request, the governor’s husband, Marc Mallory, allegedly said, ‘I am the husband to the governor, will this make a difference?’”
Although parts of northern Michigan, where the dock company is located, have been reopening, residents were cautioned not to rush to those areas over the weekend. The marina is reportedly located about 200 miles from Ms. Whitmer’s primary residence.
The Michigan Democrat addressed her husband’s comment Tuesday.
“Knowing it wouldn’t make a difference, he asked if being married to me might move him up in the queue. Obviously, with the motorized boating prohibition in our early days of COVID-19 it might get a laugh. It didn’t, and to be honest I wasn’t laughing either when it was relayed to me,” she said.
The governor went on to detail threats and violent intimidation tactics she and her family have received during the strict stay at home order she had enacted and subsequently extended without the consent of the Michigan legislature, which has challenged her move in court.
Critics of her policies said they were arbitrary, allowing canoes to go out on the water but no motorized boats.
Michigan residents were also not allowed to travel to their second residences in the state.
