{"id":61293,"date":"2021-04-20T11:08:40","date_gmt":"2021-04-20T15:08:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=61293"},"modified":"2021-04-20T11:08:40","modified_gmt":"2021-04-20T15:08:40","slug":"whitmer-travel-to-florida-while-telling-michigan-residents-not-to-travel-outside-the-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateofthenation.co\/?p=61293","title":{"rendered":"Whitmer Travel to Florida While Telling Michigan Residents Not to Travel Outside the State"},"content":{"rendered":"

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Reportedly Traveled Out Of State During Coronavirus Pandemic, Draws Accusations Of \u2018Rampant Hypocrisy\u2019<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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JIM WATSON\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Christopher Tremoglie
\nDaily Caller<\/p>\n

Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer reportedly traveled out of the state to visit her sick father over a month ago.<\/p>\n

It was originally speculated that Whitmer visited her father in Florida, but the governor\u2019s office refused to confirm or deny such reports, the Detroit Free Press\u00a0reported<\/a>\u00a0Monday.<\/p>\n

Tiffany Brown, a spokeswoman for Whitmer, cited \u201csecurity concerns\u201d as the reason she was unable to confirm. However, Brown noted that Whitmer had made the visit when cases were lower in the state and that the trip was not funded by taxpayer dollars, according to the Detroit Free Press.<\/p>\n

Whitmer appeared on \u201cMeet the Press\u201d Sunday to discourage Michigan residents from traveling outside the state due to rising COVID-19 cases in Michigan, Fox News\u00a0reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n

She identified the B117 variant, also known as the U.K.\u00a0strain<\/a>, as surging in the state, Fox News reported. The strain is the most common variant in the U.S. as of early April,\u00a0according<\/a>\u00a0to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, this is going to come down to whether or not everyone does their part,\u201d Whitmer said on \u201cMeet the Press.\u201d\u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s the most important thing. This variant, the B117 variant, is what is growing so quickly in Michigan. We have the second most, I think, after Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMichigan and Florida are not next to each other. But this is the time of the year that snow birds come home from Florida, where people are going on spring break, and all of these things can contribute to spread. That\u2019s why we\u2019re imploring people to take this seriously, mask up, get tested,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Criticism continues to mount against Whitmer after it was revealed that, despite the warning not to travel, several aides had done so. Tricia Foster, Whitmer\u2019s\u00a0chief executive officer, traveled to Florida for spring break with her daughter, according to the Detroit Free Press.<\/p>\n

Michigan\u2019s Department of Health and Human Services director, Elizabeth Hertel,\u00a0traveled<\/a>\u00a0to a popular resort area along the Gulf Coast earlier in the month, according to the\u00a0Michigan Information & Research Service<\/a>\u00a0(MIRS).<\/p>\n

Whitmer defended Hertel on a podcast Monday.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve never had any travel restrictions in Michigan, and I\u2019ve just encouraged people that if they travel to be safe, mask up, get vaccinated,\u201d Whitmer said, according to MIRS. \u201cWe all need to show one another a little bit of grace. We\u2019re all eager to get out.\u201d\u00a0(RELATED:\u00a0Whitmer\u2019s Health Director Reportedly Vacationed As Michigan\u2019s Coronavirus Cases Surged)<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n