LANSING, Mich. — Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s husband, Dr. Marc Mallory, is making headlines after social media blew up this weekend.
He called a company to get the family boat put in the water before the holiday weekend but the request backfired.
FOX 17 has received dozens of emails about that call and also rumors that the governor was up north this weekend despite telling people to stay home.
She addressed both of them Tuesday afternoon.
“He regrets it,” said Governor Whitmer talking about her husband’s call. “I wish it wouldn’t have happened and that’s really all we have to say about it.”
A post that made its way around the state during the holiday weekend is from Tad Dowker, the owner of North Shore Dock in Kewadin.
It reads in part:
“So today put a smile on my face… there was a gentleman on hold who wanted his boat in the water before the weekend.
Our office personnel explained it wouldn’t happen… and the man replied, ‘I am the husband to the governor, will this make a difference.
It does make a difference… that would put you to the back of the line.”
Dowker ended the post saying, “I love it when karma comes around, even in just small doses.”
The governor said she would not address every single post or rumor because there are just too many to keep up with but did talk about this one.
“My husband made a failed attempt at humor last week when checking in with the small business that helps with our boat and dock up north. Knowing it wouldn’t make a difference, he jokingly asked if being married to me would move him up in the queue. Obviously with the motorized boating prohibition in our early days - he thought 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 her family is constantly dealing with threats. From men carrying automatic weapons outside her home, to her daughter’s seeing her likeness hanging from a noose.
“Let’s all take a moment to show some empathy. Let’s all try to show some kindness. And let’s all try to have a little patience. That goes for my family and for yours because we are all Michiganders and we’re all in this together.”
Aside from her private life, Governor Whitmer also addressed new COVID numbers including the fact that nearly 100,000 people here in the US have died from it.
“The New York Times reported that more Americans died from the coronavirus in the last 12 weeks than that died in Vietnam and the Korean Wars combined. And nearly twice as many as died of battle wounds in World War I. In terms of American deaths, this virus is the equivalent of 22 Iraq wars, 33 September 11th attacks, 41 Afghanistan wars, 42 Pearl Harbors, 25,000 Benghazis. It’s been devastating on our country.”
The updated numbers show 55,104 cases in Michigan and 5,266 deaths. 33,168 have recovered as of May 22nd, and the rates are doing down across the state.
“On a regional basis cases are steadily declining in southeast and southwest Michigan,” said Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “Cases continue to be low in the upper northern peninsula and the upper peninsula. However, the Grand Rapids area seems to have the highest number of new cases per one million people with rates of 40 cases per million people per day.”
The state also unveiled this new website. The interactive dashboard helps public health officials make state, regional and countywide decisions. It also lets the public see how those decisions are made.
It shows high, medium and low-risk areas and where social distancing should be needed.
The website includes real-time data showing the percentage of positive COVID-19 test results, number of tests given, as well as new case numbers and deaths.
“Keeping our families and businesses safe and healthy during this epidemic requires us all to keep a watchful eye on COVID-19 in our communities,” said Dr. Emily Martin, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan. “It’s our hope that the MI SAFE START map will be a useful tool for guiding our own choices - serving as a window into the data as we continue to fight the coronavirus together.”
A lot of people were also posting that the governor was up north this weekend.
She said while her neighbors in Antrim County were being terrorized, she was 200 miles away.
