Image by Governor Gretchen Whitmer
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has issued an apology after facing backlash from Roman Catholic groups over a viral video that was perceived as mocking the religious sacrament of communion. The video featured Whitmer feeding a Dorito chip to social media influencer Liz Plank, who knelt in a manner resembling the Catholic practice of receiving the Eucharist.
In response to the criticism, Whitmer clarified her intentions in a statement to Michigan news outlet WJBK, saying, “I would never do something to denigrate someone’s faith.” She further explained that the video was part of a social media trend and was meant to promote the Chips Act, legislation signed by President Joe Biden in 2022 to boost semiconductor manufacturing. “It was misconstrued as something it was never intended to be, and I apologize for that,” Whitmer added.
The Michigan Catholic Conference, which has previously opposed Whitmer on issues such as abortion rights, condemned the video. Paul Long, CEO of the Michigan Catholic Conference, criticized the depiction, calling it “distasteful” and an example of an elected official “mocking religious persons and their practices.”
Despite the governor’s clarification that the video was intended as part of a social media trend, the controversy has underscored tensions between Whitmer and religious groups, particularly as she continues her prominent role in supporting Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign.
