Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. | Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Twitter
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. | Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Twitter
Leading up to the 2020 election, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer warned Michiganders against attending large rallies for former President Donald Trump, saying that the size of the rallies can and has led to the spread of COVID-19.
But now a tweeted photo of Whitmer surrounded by crowds at the inauguration of President Joe Biden has some calling foul.
The Jan. 20 inauguration came only a week after the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services issued its latest order restricting all outdoor gatherings in the state to no more than 25 people, according to coverage by Michigan Capitol Confidential.
It could be brought into question whether the allowance for exceptions related to voting and elections would apply to something like a presidential inauguration -- or a political rally.
But Whitmer left little room for interpretation about the dangers of large gatherings during election season. “This is a recipe for disaster, and we have seen COVID outbreaks as a result of these rallies," Whitmer said, referring to Trump's political rallies, according to Michigan Capitol Confidential. "I’m encouraging Michigan citizens: Don’t attend events like this.”
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