The Michigan Freedom Fund, a group that has expressed repeated concerns over Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s actions, launched a new ad on Thursday, calling for action on the growing Benton Harbor Water crisis.
The ad, entitled “Demanding Answers”, requests Whitmer take action and questions when her administration knew about the issue.
Furthermore, the group highlights that Whitmer, instead of working to solve the problem, traveled to a bar in Washington D.C. and spent time with Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Whitmer’s administration has known for years that the water in Benton Harbor was unsafe and yet the residents still don’t have reliable access to safe alternatives like bottled water,” said Tori Sachs, executive director of the Michigan Freedom Fund. “Benton Harbor residents left empty-handed after waiting hours for bottled water. The situation on the ground could be improved if Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency. Instead, she refused and went to D.C. to dine with Kamala Harris and defy their local COVID rules at a bar. Families in Benton Harbor deserve clean, drinkable water, not Whitmer’s cold shoulder.”
In Benton Harbor, a community of about 9,600 residents in Southwest Michigan, residents have been struggling to deal with lead in the water. Previously, Whitmer promised to remove lead from drinking water in Benton Harbor within five years.
Benton Harbor has been affected with lead issues since 2018 — the entirety of Whitmer’s term.
“As Whitmer’s administration fails to deliver clean water in Benton Harbor, she’s abandoning the state to campaign,” said Eric Ventimiglia, executive director for Michigan Rising Action. “While volunteers in Benton Harbor are going door to door delivering water to vulnerable residents in need, Gretchen Whitmer is going door to door in Virginia supporting racist, anti-parent Democratic candidates.”
The scandal comes after Flint made national headlines for similar issues after residents were poisoned by drinking water.
State Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) charged former Gov. Rick Snyder (R) — Whitmer’s predecessor — with two misdemeanors for his alleged role in the scandal.
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Cooper Moran is a reporter for The Star News Network. Follow Cooper on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Gretchen Whitmer” by Michigan Freedom Fund.
