In 2020, Whitmer was “Ridin’ with Biden.” This week, she was “Hidin’ from Biden.” But after the Auditor General’s report, the President might just be hidin’ from Whitmer!
 
The Auditor General blasted the Whitmer admin over $3.9 billion in fraudulent unemployment payments. Governor Whitmer continues to ignore the Benton Harbor lead water crisis, while trying to launder her $4 million in illegal campaign contributions to the Michigan Democrats.

Here’s what you need to know on the Frontlines:
  1. Audit Blasts Whitmer’s Unemployment Insurance Agency Over $3.9 Billion in Fraudulent Payments
  2. The Poisoned City Governor Whitmer Keeps Forgetting
  3. Whitmer’s Money Laundering Operation
  4. Hidin’ From Biden
  5. Headlines You’ll Want to See

AUDIT BLASTS WHITMER’S UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AGENCY OVER $3.9 BILLION IN FRAUDULENT PAYMENTS

The Auditor General released a scathing report condemning the Whitmer Administration and former UIA Director Steve Gray over $3.9 billion in fraudulent payments. Michigan families in need were left waiting for months to receive unemployment benefits, while the Whitmer admin erroneously paid out benefits to more than 347,000 people.

Gray received a taxpayer-funded hush money payment of nearly $86,000 when he departed his position in November, 2020. Now we know why.

This is a colossal failure of leadership, and we’re demanding answers. Michiganders deserve to know what Whitmer knew about the $4 billion in fraudulent payments and when she knew it.

THE POISONED CITY GOVERNOR WHITMER KEEPS FORGETTING

On October 2, 2019, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist stood in a room with Benton Harbor community leaders who told him to his face that the water was poisoned. 

They implored the Whitmer administration to send bottled water and to fix the crisis. Years later, the water is still poisoned and residents are understandably furious. 

Freedom Fund Chairman Greg McNeilly writes this week in the Detroit NewsOpinion: Gov. Gretchen Whitmer fails to lead as Benton Harbor’s water crisis continues

By this point, that’s all (poisoned) water under the bridge. Dangerously, though, the Whitmer administration keeps on failing. Advocates could be forgiven if they were starting to wonder if they’ll ever get real help — or clean water.

Late in October, as Whitmer’s team began advertising bottled water distribution efforts (years after they were first necessary), staff from the governor’s team was frequently insufficient — if they showed up at all.

Even last Friday, the administration failed to schedule a single staffer or volunteer to distribute bottled water in a city where the water in the tap is poisoned.  No wonder residents just filed a new lawsuit against Governor Whitmer.

WHITMER’S MONEY LAUNDERING OPERATION

The Governor’s attention clearly isn’t on poisoned families in Benton Harbor.  Is that because she’s too busy figuring out how to launder $4 million in illegal campaign contributions?

According to The Detroit News, the Governor’s campaign is preparing to disburse the illegal cash months after the Michigan Freedom Fund filed a campaign finance complaint against her.  The problem is, she may simply launder the money back to her campaign by giving it to the Michigan Democratic Party where it’ll be spent to help her, Jocelyn Benson, and Dana Nessel in their re-election efforts.

Gretchen Whitmer knows Michigan the law, she knows she broke it, and now she’s poised to launder the cash right back into Democratic campaign coffers. If Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel don’t force Whitmer to return the funds, it will make a mockery of Michigan’s campaign finance laws.

HIDIN’ FROM BIDEN


President Joe Biden was in Michigan this week. Governor Whitmer was in hiding.

Michigan families are struggling with the Whitmer-Biden economy from school shutdowns, the highest price hikes in the nation, and massive supply chain disruptions. 

Biden’s vaccine mandate has created even more profound provider shortages in health care and across the economy, and increased debt spending has sent inflation soaring. 

Little wonder Whitmer didn’t want to be seen with the deeply unpopular President. She abandoned him when he could use her support the most. That’s a feeling most of us in Michigan have had for the last 3 years.

Of course, after this week, the President probably doesn’t mind Whitmer keeping her distance.

HEADLINES YOU’LL WANT TO SEE


Thanks for standing with us on the Frontlines,

Cameron Pickford
Communications Director
Michigan Freedom Fund