(WWJ) As the dispute between President Donald Trump and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer seemed to be dying down as have the feuds he launched with various automakers, the president of the United States sparked up another battle with a Michigan leader on Wednesday morning.
This time Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is in his crosshairs. And so seemingly are the people of Michigan as Trump threatened to withhold funding if the secretary of state follows her plan for absentee voting.
Trump Tweeted, "Breaking: Michigan sends absentee ballots to 7.7 million people ahead of Primaries and the General Election. This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State. I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!.."
He's referencing Benson's announcement yesterday that during the pandemic all registered voters in Michigan will receive applications to vote by mail in the August and November elections.
Trump later deleted his tweet and tweeted nearly the same thing again, correcting "ballots" to "ballot application."
Benson said by mailing applications, her office will ensure that Michigander do not have to choose between their health and their right to vote. Fears are rampant that although the curve has flattened across Michigan, another wave of virus could emerge in the fall, bringing more death and economic devastation.
The safe thing to do, Benson said, is to allow everyone to vote without going to a public facility.
"While we know that in August, September, we may hopefully be in a different scenario health-wise with this pandemic, we wanted to ensure that regardless of what situation we may be in then that every citizen in our state felt confident that they could choose to vote by mail, and they have the right to do so," Benson told WWJ's Beth Fisher.
Notably, Trump is threatening to revoke funding from Michigan at a time when it's both one of the hardest hit states by the COVID-19 virus, and as the election ramps up. Michigan is considered a valuable asset in the election, with its bevy of electoral votes and swings from the left to right, and back again. Trump narrowly beat Hillary Clinton in 2016 in Michigan by about 10,000 votes, a .23 margin.
Reaction to Trump's Tweet was, as always swift, partisan and divisive.
"While you're bully tweeting, Midland, Michigan is being evacuated due to three broken dams. Send National Guard. #Priorities," one man Tweeted, later pointing out that "Just like other states, Michigan is sending absentee ballot APPLICATIONS to voters. They are not sending absentee ballots to 7.7 million people."
Due to a constitutional amendment passed by a vote of 66.8% by Michiganders in 2018, all eligible and registered voters in Michigan may choose to vote absentee without providing a reason.
