In a tense exchange on CNN’s State of the Union Sunday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer sidestepped questions from host Jake Tapper about whether Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s comments accusing Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel of bias were anti-Semitic.

The controversy arose after Nessel charged nearly a dozen individuals involved in pro-Palestinian protests at the University of Michigan. The charges included attempted ethnic intimidation and assaulting or obstructing a police officer. Rep. Tlaib, a Palestinian-American, criticized Nessel’s actions, saying, “It seems that the Attorney General decided if the issue was Palestine, she was going to treat it differently, and that alone speaks volumes about possible biases within the agency she runs.” Nessel, who is Jewish, responded, calling Tlaib’s remarks anti-Semitic: “Rashida Tlaib should not use my religion to imply I cannot perform my job fairly as Attorney General. It’s anti-Semitic and wrong.”

Tapper pressed Whitmer, asking, “Do you think Tlaib’s suggestion that Nessel’s office is biased was anti-Semitic?”

Whitmer gave a vague response, replying, “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. 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.”

Refusing to let the issue drop, Tapper pressed further, asking if Tlaib’s accusation that Nessel’s actions were influenced by her Jewish identity had any merit. “That’s quite an accusation. Do you think it’s true?”

Whitmer again deflected, saying, “Like I said, Jake, I’m not going to get in the middle of this argument that they’re having. 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.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)