Will Beydoun's Alleged Fraud Bring Down Whitmer?

In seven years of glowing media coverage, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has managed to sidestep scrutiny over Covid lockdowns, prolonged school closures, and the criminally incompetent handling of nursing homes. She hasn’t even been held responsible for Michigan’s stagnant economy.

But a scandal involving former Michigan Economic Development Corporation Committee member Fay Beydoun has brought unusually aggressive coverage of Whitmer.

Beydoun, according to Detroit News reporting, was dug into the Democrat Party like a tick, with close political connections to Whitmer and most every other major Democrat politician in the state. Those connections must have been influential enough that Global Link International, a company Beydoun incorporated at her suburban home, was awarded a $20 million grant that she allegedly stole almost immediately.

What’s implied but not directly stated in The Detroit News coverage of the 16 criminal indictments against Beydoun is the vulgarity of her behavior. Democrat machine politics in Metro Detroit means carve-outs for the sake of economic diversity within local minority groups under the guise of “All Boats Must Rise.”

Businesses checking diversity boxes can find the red carpet rolled out for them.

This also creates a pseudo-mafia of various ethnic chambers of commerce working as lobby groups, while pulling in earmark grants and other forms of pork easily hidden in state budgets.

Beydoun grew quite powerful in the 15-plus years she operated as a “facilitator,” ultimately achieving direct access to Gov. Whitmer and wielding enough political capital to stroll into Lansing with a list of demands, bending Whitmer and most elected Republicans to her will.

Undoubtedly, somebody with that level of flex made some enemies along the way. The very moment she secured the biggest bag of her career, she started shopping like a trailer park Powerball lottery winner. Affluent liberals enjoy the comfort of coffee shops and socialist baristas making their drink just right, but they find $4,500 in-home coffeemakers a bit gross.

None of this explains why the mainstream media is finally covering Whitmer with such a critical eye. One could argue their ideological blindness has been willful.

The truth is the media doesn’t need Whitmer anymore. She’s still popular according to recent favorability polling, but she’s a lame duck governor they no longer need access too. Also, Whitmer’s brand of liberal politics is anathema to the progressive barbarians currently kicking down the gates of her party.

All this to say, Whitmer is expendable, a perfect target for the media to bolster their credibility. But the Johnny-come-lately act is nauseating none the less.

Even as the Detroit News peels back the layers of Beydoun’s actions, her connections to the governor’s office, and the coming indictments, they’re still blowing sweet kisses to Whitmer in a Sunday op-ed:

"It's a remarkable lesson in backroom dealing, and the closest thing to a full-fledged scandal that Whitmer, a popular outgoing governor, has experienced in her eight years in office."

Although her star has fallen dramatically, Whitmer is ostensibly seen as a possible contender for the presidency, hard as that may seem to Michigan residents. But she’s certainly in play for a high-level cabinet position in a future Democrat administration.

She may sidestep the Beydoun scandal in Michigan because she needs the local media even less than they need her. So dismissive of the allegations against her, her only statement, via her spokeswomen in a text message to a Gongwer reporter, casually tossed the whole scandal off on Republicans.

National media won’t be so easily avoided. Whitmer will have to answer questions about Beydoun, and her potential Democrat opponents will take a flamethrower to her on a debate stage.

Maybe the Democrats and their media mouthpieces have moved past Whitmer. And maybe Fay Beydoun should have bought the $99 coffee maker at Kohls.