Gov. Gretchen Whitmer refused to back Attorney General Dana Nessel’s decision to charge pro-Palestinian University of Michigan protestors, which has drawn claims of bias from Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib.

Whitmer repeatedly dodged questions about the ongoing spat between her Democratic AG and Tlaib during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday.

“Your state’s Attorney General Dana Nessel charged almost a dozen individuals from the University of Michigan over the anti-Israel protests. Among the charges, ethnic intimidation, assaulting or obstructing a police officer, and on and on,” CNN’s Jake Tapper said. “These are pro-Palestinian protestors who are being punished and prosecuted.

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“Michigan Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Talib, who is Palestinian, she called the charges from Nessel, who is Jewish, shameful, and Talib said, ‘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.’”

Trapper noted Nessel’s Friday response on X that “Rashida should not use my religion to imply I cannot perform my job fairly as Attorney General. It’s anti-Semitic and wrong.”

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Tapper posed the question to Whitmer: “Do you think that Talib’s suggestion that Nessel’s office is biased was anti-Semitic?”

The governor responded: “Listen Jake, you know what, 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,” and continued: “I know that seeing the, you know, incredible toll this war has taken on both communities has been really challenging and difficult. And my heart breaks for so many.”

Governor than attempted to pivot: “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.”

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Tapper tried again: “But do you think Attorney General Nessel is not doing her job, because Congresswoman Talib is suggesting that she shouldn’t be prosecuting these individuals that Nessel says broke the law, and that she’s only doing it because she’s Jewish and the protestors are not. That’s quite an accusation. Do you think it’s true?”

Whitmer dodged a second time.

“Like I said, Jake, I’m not going to get in the middle of this argument that they’re having,” Whitmer said. “And I can just say this. You know, 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, every lever of mine to ensure that both are true,” Whitmer said.

Whitmer’s refusal to discuss the situation prompted a sharp rebuke from Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt, who called the governor out on X.

“Governor Whitmer, when your attorney general prosecutes people for violating the law, harassing Jews, and attacking police officers, it’s in interest of public safety,” Greenblatt posted. “When a congresswoman accuses the attorney general of prosecuting protestors simply because she’s Jewish, it’s bias.”

Greenblatt continued: “Saying you want to ‘make sure that students are safe on our campuses’ is just words if you are not willing to use your bully pulpit to speak out unequivocally on antisemitism and support holding people accountable for violating the law when it affects Jews.”

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Nessel on Sept. 12 announced charges against 11 individuals, mostly students and alumni, over their involvement in a pro-Palestinian encampment on campus this spring she said went beyond free speech to include criminal activity.

UM officials called in police on May 21 to clear the encampment over repeated refusals by protestors to mitigate fire hazards, and resistance to that effort prompted many of the charges.

Two demonstrators were charged with misdemeanor trespassing, and seven others face trespassing and an additional charge of resisting or obstructing a police officer, a two-year felony. Another two were charged for separate incidents involving counterprotests on April 25, one for disturbing the peace and attempted ethnic intimidation, and another for malicious destruction of property for allegedly breaking and discarding protesters’ flags.

“The right to free speech and assembly is fundamental, and my office fully supports every citizen’s right to free speech under the First Amendment,” Nessel said in a statement. “However, violent and criminal behavior, or acts that trample on another’s rights, cannot be tolerated. I hope today’s charges are a reminder to everyone who chooses to assemble, regardless of the cause, that the First Amendment does not provide a cover for illegal activity.”

Talib attacked the charges the next day in an interview with the Detroit Metro Times, alleging the encampment was peaceful and welcoming, and UM officials pressured the Jewish AG to prosecute.

“This is a move that’s going to set a precedent, and it’s unfortunate that a Democrat made that move,” Tlaib told the Times. “You would expect that from a Republican, but not a Democrat, and it’s really unfortunate.”

“I think people at the University of Michigan put pressure on her to do this, and she fell for it,” Tlaib said. “I think President Ono and Board of Regent members were very much heavy-handed in this. It had to come from somewhere.”