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Catholic League Demands Apology From Gov. Whitmer After Video Mocking Holy Eucharist

A bizarre video featuring Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer(D) mocking the Catholic faith went viral on social media Thursday, offending Catholics and appalling just about everyone else.

The short clip shows Whitmer placing a Doritos chip onto the tongue of kneeling lefty influencer Liz Plank, in an apparent attempt to mimic the Catholic sacrament of Holy Communion.

As the lefty podcaster consumed the Dorito, Whitmer, clad in a camouflage Harris-Walz hat, stared at the camera with a weird, deadpan expression.

“This video is abhorrent, and we are calling on @gretchenwhitmer to issue an apology for this offensive act,” the Catholic League posted on X. The Catholic League is a religious rights group founded by Bill Donahue in 1973.

“Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer insulted Catholics nationwide when she intentionally ridiculed the Eucharist in a video,”  Donohue wrote in a statement.

“There is no way to understand this stunt other than as an expression of vintage anti-Catholic bigotry. Whitmer’s team, and her allies in the media, are trying to distort what she did,” he said.

The disturbing clip, which was posted on Plank’s Instagram account, was an apparent reenactment of a TikTok meme in which people are seen feeding each other snacks and then staring awkwardly into the camera.

Helen Hare, a spokeswoman for Whitmer, claimed critiques of the video are an attempt to distract from Democrat investments in the economy.

“The governor’s social media is well known for infusing her communications with pop culture,” Hare said in a statement. “This popular trend has been used by countless people, including Billie Eilish, Kylie Jenner, and Stephen Colbert, and the fact that people are paying attention to a video promoting President Biden’s CHIPS Act proves it’s working.”

But as Donahue noted, none of the people in the other videos were kneeling.

“What Whitmer did was to deride Holy Communion,” the Catholic League president said. “There is no wiggle room for her to deny the obvious.”

After the controversial clip went viral, Plank, who leads an influencer group called “Hotties For Harris,” attempted to “shoe-horn the vid into a statement on industrial policy,” according to the New York Post.

Plank edited the post to promote the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which spent billions in funding to boost the semiconductor industry.

“If he won’t, Gretchen Whitmer will. Chips aren’t just delicious, the CHIPS Act is a game-changer for U.S. tech and manufacturing, boosting domestic production of semiconductors to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers! Donald Trump would put that at risk,” Plank captioned the Instagram video.

The post set social media on fire with consternation, confusion and outrage.

“Many Catholics are going to see this as mocking the communion rail,” noted Tim Graham, executive editor of NewsBusters,   on X. “Except Catholics don’t make it look like sensual.”

”Let’s be clear what’s happening in this video,” Trump adviser Tim Murtaugh stressed on X. “Gov. Whitmer of Michigan is pretending to give communion to an leftist podcaster on her knees, using a Dorito as the Eucharist while wearing a Harris-Walz hat.”

He added: “Do they want ZERO Catholic votes for Harris?”

“How else can this be interpreted other than mockery of Catholics and the sacrament of Holy Communion, not to mention the distasteful pornographic innuendo?” posted Catholic Vote. “Gretchen Whitmer is only the latest example of the gross anti-Catholic bigotry festering inside the Democratic Party.”

EWTN host Raymond Arroyo quipped that the stunt looked like the work of a “Wiccan Doritos cult.”

“Whatever Gov. Whitmer imagined she was doing here was wrong on nearly every level,” he posted on X.

“Lampooning sacraments is not likely to win over Catholic voters… Or any other voting block. Or is there a Wiccan Doritos cult that I’m unaware of?” Arroyo added.

Conservative commentator Tammy Bruce said, “I’m not even Catholic and I was disgusted.” Bruce went on to note that Whitmer and Plank went on to joke about “post term abortions.”

“We are pulling out all the stops on this one,” said Donahue. “In addition to our big list of email subscribers, the Catholic League staff will send this news release to every Catholic parish in Michigan. We will blanket the Michigan media. We will contact every member of the Michigan legislature. We will also feature her stunt on the front page of the November issue of our monthly journal, Catalyst.”

Update:

Saturday morning.

Whitmer released a statement late Friday saying she was sorry people “misconstrued” a “video about the importance of the CHIPS Act to Michigan jobs.”

“Over 25 years in public service, I would never do something to denigrate someone’s faith,” the statement said. “I’ve used my platform to stand up for people’s right to hold and practice their personal religious beliefs. My team has spoken to the Michigan Catholic Conference. What was supposed to be a video about the importance of the CHIPS Act to Michigan jobs, has been construed as something it was never intended to be, and I apologize for that.”

The Michigan Catholic Conference also issued a statement expressing profound disappointment and offense following its meeting with Whitmer’s office.

“The skit goes further than the viral online trend that inspired it, specifically imitating the posture and gestures of Catholics receiving the Holy Eucharist, in which we believe that Jesus Christ is truly present,” said Paul A. Long, Michigan Catholic Conference President and CEO.

“It is not just distasteful or ‘strange;’ it is an all-too-familiar example of an elected official mocking religious persons and their practices. While dialogue on this issue with the governor’s office is appreciated, whether or not insulting Catholics and the Eucharist was the intent, it has had an offensive impact.

“People of this state and across the country have grown tired of and continue to express their alarm at the bar of civility and respect toward people of faith lowering by the day. Michigan is a religiously diverse state and includes thriving communities of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim believers. The time is now for those in public office, their handlers, and strategists to return a level of respect, civility, and appreciation for those who have found peace and fulfillment in life by worshiping God and serving their neighbor.”

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About Debra Heine

Debra Heine is a conservative Catholic mom of six and longtime political pundit. She has written for several conservative news websites over the years, including Breitbart and PJ Media.

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