Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan dodged a question about whether Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan engaged in anti-semitism when criticizing Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel of Michigan over charges against anti-Israel protesters on a college campus.
Tlaib, one of several far-left members of “the Squad” in Congress, accused Nessel of taking a biased approach when she charged anti-Israel protesters in connection with an encampment at the University of Michigan, the Detroit Metro Times reported, prompting Nessel to accuse Tlaib of antisemitism in a Friday post on X. “State of the Union” host Jake Tapper asked Whitmer whether or not Tlaib’s accusation against the Michigan attorney general was anti-semitic.
“Listen, Jake, you know what, all I can say is that I know that our Jewish community is in pain, as is our Palestinian and Muslim and Arab communities in Michigan,” Whitmer responded. “I know that seeing the incredible toll that this war has taken on both communities has been really, really challenging and difficult, and my heart breaks for so many. But, as governor, my job is to make sure that both these communities are protected and respected under the law in Michigan, and that’s exactly what I’m going to stay focused on.”
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Tapper pressed Whitmer about the accusation by Tlaib, who has been censured for anti-semitic rhetoric by the House of Representatives. Tlaib called on Democratic primary voters to support “uncommitted” slates of delegates due to Biden’s failure to secure a permanent cease-fire during the Democratic primary.
“Do you think Attorney General Nessel is not doing her job?” Tapper asked Whitmer. “Because Congresswoman Tlaib is suggesting that she shouldn’t be prosecuting these individuals that Nessel says broke the law, and that she’s only doing it because she’s Jewish and the protesters are not. That’s quite an accusation. Do you think it’s true?”
“Like I said, Jake, I’m not going to g_et in the middle of this argument that they’re having,” Whitmer said. “I can just say this: We do want to make sure that students are safe on our campuses, and we recognize that every person has the right to make their statement about how they feel about an issue, a right to speak out, and I’m going to use every lever of mine to ensure that both are true.”
Since the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in southern Israel by the radical Islamic terrorist group Hamas that killed over 1,200 people, anti-Israel protesters have occupied buildings and blocked Jewish students from parts of campuses during demonstrations at multiple universities and colleges across the U.S.
Featured Image Credit: Gretchen Whitmer
