Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) attempted to avoid answering any more questions about her secret trip to Florida aboard a private jet in March.
Whitmer flew on a jet owned by three Detroit businessmen and a 501(c)(4) nonprofit set up to finance her 2019 transition paid $27,521 to shuttle her for the four day trip, despite Whitmer, nor her staff, nor the nonprofit explaining the organizational purpose for the expenditure.
When asked Monday to provide additional information, Whitmer instead insisted she was lawful.
“We have shared the information, we have complied by the law, we have complied by ethics rules and there’s not anything more to add,” Whitmer said, WOOD TV reported.
Michigan Rising Action, a 501(c)(4) organization, filed a complaint last week with the IRS alleging the nonprofit paid for the governor’s “personal” trip.
The complaint alleged Whitmer received a “private benefit” as a result of the nonprofit’s expenditure to secretly shuttle her to Florida so she could tend to her ailing father.
Whitmer traveled in mid-March, but the nonprofit intended to fund inauguration activities, called Michigan Transition 2019, spent $27,521 to “charter” a plane owned by a Air Eagle, LLC. Michigan Transition 2019 acknowledged the expenditure on a statement in May.
Whitmer then reimbursed Michigan Transition 2019 $855 for the price of her seat.
“I’ve said everything I am going to say about my trip to go check on my father,” Whitmer told a 9&10 News journalist when questions persisted. “It was a quick trip. It was an important family reason for doing it.”
Whitmer’s spokeswoman said the governor went on a “personal trip.”
Eric Ventimiglia, Michigan Rising Action’s executive director, noted in the complaint that the nonprofit’s purpose is “to operate for the promotion of civic action and social welfare by promoting the common good and general welfare of the residents of, and visitors to, the state of Michigan.”
It is not clear how Whitmer’s “personal” trip aligned with the exempt purpose.
The complaint pointed out the entity was designed to finance aspects of Whitmer’s inauguration, but Whitmer is “not an officer, director, or employee of Michigan Transition 2019.”
“Gov. Whitmer’s use of 501(c)(4) funds for personal benefit is a clear violation of the law and we’ve asked the IRS to launch a full investigation into the matter,” Ventimiglia told Breitbart News.
“From her blatant hypocrisy to the litany of ethical and legal violations, Gov. Whitmer has spent the last two months misleading the people of Michigan about her trip to Florida. It’s time for her to be held accountable,” he said.
“In light of these facts, we encourage you to investigate whether Michigan Transition 2019 has violated the Internal Revenue Code, and if so, to take appropriate action, including the assessment of any appropriate penalties,” the complaint to the agency controlled by Whitmer’s political ally, President Joe Biden (D), said.
Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays — download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Parler.