Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) is embroiled in multiple scandals, including a brazen violation of her own COVID policies, but is now under fire for an alleged campaign finance violation. One conservative group filed a complaint against Whitmer for a “brazenly illegal scheme” in which the embattled governor exceeded the state’s campaign donation limit.
“This Complaint outlines an illegal scheme by Gretchen Whitmer for Governor (the “Whitmer Campaign”) to evade and eviscerate Michigan candidate contribution limits,” the complaint filed by Michigan Freedom Fund (MFF) reads. “The Whitmer Campaign has disclosed accepting contributions from at least 154 individual donors in excess of the contribution limits in MCL 169.252.1 This Complaint is time sensitive and requires immediate action before the Whitmer Campaign spends funds which were obtained in violation of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act (“MCFA”).”
The complaint notes that the Whitmer campaign justified the influx of cash with the possibility of a recall election. MFF noted that no recall election is being “actively sought,” so the precedent cited should not apply.
“The Whitmer Campaign has admitted to these wholesale violations of the MCFA’s contribution limitations, but claims that there is an exception to contribution limits for officeholders facing a recall election. However, even if such an exception exists, there is no recall of Governor Whitmer currently being actively sought, a condition precedent to any claim to the potential contribution limit exception for recall elections. Whitmer’s illegal scheme is inconsistent with the text and purpose of the MCFA, absurd, unfair and could not have been intended by the Legislature,” the complaint continues.
The group’s executive director, Tori Sachs, blasted Whitmer for taking “millions of dollars” from “Hollywood and New York elites.”
“Gov. Whitmer is deliberately breaking the law and illegally taking millions of dollars from Hollywood and New York elites because she believes the rules don't apply to her,” said Sachs. "Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson must compel Whitmer to immediately return the illegal contributions and issue sanctions on Whitmer's campaign that are aligned with the most egregious illegal scheme in violation of contribution limits in Michigan history."
Whitmer is up for reelection in 2022, with a host of scandals tainting her tenure.