MADISON, WI (WTAQ) — Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers wrote a much-publicized letter prior to President Donald Trump’s visit to Kenosha on Tuesday, asking the President not to come to the city following the riots last week.
A similar letter, however, was never sent to former Vice President and Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden ahead of his Thursday visit.
Evers explained to media Thursday that he didn’t send a similar letter to Biden because he learned about Biden’s visit too late, saying–at first–that he only heard about it while Biden was already on the plane to Wisconsin.
“I didn’t know he was coming until very late,” Evers told reporters. “He was either in the air or not, and so to say ‘Hey turn this plane around’… that wasn’t the case.”
Biden’s campaign, however, had announced the trip on Wednesday. Evers walked back his remarks a short time later, saying that while he knew about the trip on Wednesday, it was still too late.
“By the time he made his decision, that’s when I contacted [Vice President Biden]. He made his decision, and by the time I knew about that decision, that decision was already made,” said Evers.
President Trump announced his Tuesday trip to Kenosha on Sunday, a week after the shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, which kicked off a week of riots in that city. Evers’ letter, published Monday, asked the President to “reconsider” his visit.
Evers clarified that he didn’t want either candidate to come to the city.
“I would prefer no one be here, whether it be candidate Trump or candidate Biden,” Evers said. “I said very clearly to both of them what my position was, and they both decided to come. It’s a free country.”
In the letter sent to President Trump, Evers argued that he feared a candidate visit would disrupt the “healing” in the city and stretch law enforcement resources.
Evers did scold the Trump campaign for not wearing masks–a violation of a standing state health order–while indoors during their visit.
“Nobody was wearing a mask. In fact, I think the President invited people to take off their masks,” said Evers. “That doesn’t keep people healthy.”
Kenosha has become a national cultural flashpoint following the unrest there last week. President Trump hosted a “Law and Order” summit in the city on Tuesday, while Biden met with local community leaders at a Kenosha church.
