Detroit Dems plan censure of lawmaker for praising Trump, criticizing Gov. Whitmer

A Democratic Michigan state lawmaker who credited President Donald Trump with saving her life because he promoted a treatment for COVID-19 is now facing censure from her own party for praising the president and criticizing the state's Democratic governor, Gretchen Whitmer.

What are the details?

When State Rep. Karen Whitsett (D) began suffering from scary symptoms like shortness of breath after falling ill with the coronavirus, she asked her doctor to prescribe hydroxychloroquine because she saw President Trump tout the drug as a possible treatment. Whitsett says it saved her life.

The Detroit Democrat even went to the White House to meet with the president and to personally thank him. She told President Trump that were it not for him talking about the drug to the American people, "I wouldn't be here today."

Now Democrats aren't just angry that Whitsett praised President Trump. She also dared to criticize Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, saying the governor's widely criticized stay-at-home orders hurt the poor who cannot afford to stock up on groceries on a weekly basis in accordance with Whitmer's dictates.

Now, the 13th Congressional District Democratic Party Organization, of which Rep. Whitsett is a member, plans to censure her for her actions, as first announced on the site Gongwer.

The Detroit News reported that the local Democrats have planned a vote for Saturday via Zoom to punish Whitsett for stepping out of line with the party. The 13th Congressional District Democrats announced they would vote on a resolution that "admonishes, rebukes and reprimands Ms. Whitsett for her actions."

One Democratic consultant told the outlet that Whitsett's actions could be "undermining the party's ability to win Michigan" in the fall.

"At the end of the day, we have political systems," the Democratic group's chairman, Jonathan Kinloch, explained. "We have political parties, and political parties exist for a reason."

Speaking of Democratic lawmakers, Kinloch added, "They do not belong to themselves. They belong to the members and precinct delegates of the Democratic Party."

Anything else?

When asked by the Detroit News to respond to her party's condemnation, Rep. Whitsett said she will continue to fight for her constituents, saying the people of Detroit are "the voiceless, and I don't care who I got to go up against to do that.'

She added, "I'm a Democrat, and I plan on continuing to be a Democrat, but they will change their ways. I have my First Amendment right, and no one will take that away from me."

As far as Whitsett's thoughts on Gov. Whitmer, the lawmaker told Gongwer, "Get us a better governor, that cares about black people."