Michigan Senate leader labels D.C. insurrection 'a hoax': video

[riversedge]

Source: Detroit news




The Detroit News

Lansing — Michigan Senate Republican leader Mike Shirkey described the Jan. 6 insurrection in Washington, D.C., as "a hoax" and said it was "prearranged," according to a video of a private conversation posted on YouTube.

Shirkey, R-Clarklake, made the comments, for which he has now apologized, while meeting with the leaders of the Hillsdale County Republican Party at Spangler's Family Restaurant in Jonesville on Wednesday, according to Jon Smith of Somerset Township, the county GOP's secretary.

...............

"That wasn't Trump people," Shirkey said, despite the fact the insurrection occurred directly after a protest featuring Trump and many of those arrested in connection to the events have voiced support for the Republican former president.

"That's been a hoax ... from day one," Shirkey added without evidence, also saying, "That was all prearranged.".........................

Read more: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/09/michigan-senate-leader-labeled-d-c-insurrection-a-hoax-video/4454585001/

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Geez, dangerous Republican creeps all over the place.

Link to tweet

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Link to tweet

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[idziak4ever1234]

1. Spangler's Restaurant has lost its license to serve food and was fined $11,000 for not closing...

during the lockdown order. It remains indefinitely suspended now that restaurants have been allowed to re-open.

[bottomofthehill]

2. This is the problem

These people are fucking morons.

[ret5hd]

9. He believes what he says...

exactly as much as a mega-church preacher believes himself.

[olegramps]

23. Yes, and so do thousands of the people who listen to this crap.

[Evolve Dammit]

18. Damn straight

[al bupp]

3. I think there's something about denial...

and a waterway in the Mideast

[dchill]

5. Well, there IS a river in Egypt, so...

[TigressDem]

4. Prearranged part is right. They were wearing tRump gear...

Waving tRump flags and Stop the Steal" banners...

So he ADMITS it was premeditated insurrection and attempted murder.

Dude should take his head OUT of tRump's rump BEFORE he starts talking. Otherwise the BS just bubbles out.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Just found an article which said he is connected to Michigan militia people:

Sen. Mike Shirkey issues apology after being recorded calling U.S. Capitol attack a ‘hoax’
by: Brittany Flowers

Posted: Feb 9, 2021 / 09:34 PM EST / Updated: Feb 9, 2021 / 11:10 PM EST

HILLSDALE, Mich. (WLNS)– Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey issued an apology Tuesday night, after a video of him calling the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol a ‘hoax’, was made public.

The comment was made during a meeting on Feb. 3 between the senator and Hillsdale County Republican Party officers, to discuss his political censure planned for the next day.

Shirkey, (R- Clarklake), did not appear to know he was being recorded. When the topic of the insurrection was raised, the senator said, “That wasn’t trump people. That’s been a hoax from day one that was not prearranged. It was ridiculous. It was all staged.”

. . .

An article from the New York Times detailed Shirkey’s ties to Michigan militia groups whose members not only took part in the capitol attack, but were also involved in the plot to kidnap and kill Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

More:
https://www.wlns.com/news/sen-mike-shirkey-issues-apology-after-being-recorded-calling-u-s-capitol-attack-a-hoax/

[orangecrush]

14. Sounds like

Fertile ground for the FBI.

[dalton99a]

25. +1. NYT article:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/08/us/militias-republicans-michigan.html

‘Its Own Domestic Army’: How the G.O.P. Allied Itself With Militants
Actions taken by paramilitary groups in Michigan last year, emboldened by President Donald J. Trump, signaled a profound shift in Republican politics and a national crisis in the making.
By David D. Kirkpatrick and Mike McIntire
Feb. 8, 2021

LANSING, Mich. — Dozens of heavily armed militiamen crowded into the Michigan Statehouse last April to protest a stay-at-home order by the Democratic governor to slow the pandemic. Chanting and stomping their feet, they halted legislative business, tried to force their way onto the floor and brandished rifles from the gallery over lawmakers below.

Initially, Republican leaders had some misgivings about their new allies. “The optics weren’t good. Next time tell them not to bring guns,” complained Mike Shirkey, the State Senate majority leader, according to one of the protest organizers. But Michigan’s highest-ranking Republican came around after the planners threatened to return with weapons and “militia guys signing autographs and passing out blow-up AR-15s to the kiddies on the Capitol lawn.”

“To his credit,” Jason Howland, the organizer, wrote in a social media post, Mr. Shirkey agreed to help the cause and “spoke at our next event.”

Following signals from President Donald J. Trump — who had tweeted “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” after an earlier show of force in Lansing — Michigan’s Republican Party last year welcomed the support of newly emboldened paramilitary groups and other vigilantes. Prominent party members formed bonds with militias or gave tacit approval to armed activists using intimidation in a series of rallies and confrontations around the state. That intrusion into the Statehouse now looks like a portent of the assault halfway across the country months later at the United States Capitol.

As the Senate on Tuesday begins the impeachment trial of Mr. Trump on charges of inciting the Jan. 6 Capitol rioting, what happened in Michigan helps explain how, under his influence, party leaders aligned themselves with a culture of militancy to pursue political goals.

[Nitram]

7. "A hoax" is a scoundrel's last defense.

[SunSeeker]

8. Right wing playbook: if it's too horrific to be defensible, call it a hoax.

Alex Jones did it with Sandy Hook.

[patphil]

10. This guy gives idiots a bad name.

Ah! The new look of the Republican Party!

[LudwigPastorius]

11. Fuck these lunatics.

If Republican voters are going to keep electing nutjobs, we need a law requiring they pass a mental competency test before taking office.

[Jetheels]

12. What does he live on a diet of Flint water?

[Mawspam2]

13. Clearly, Hillsdale County Republican Party Secretary...

...Jon Smith, is a deep state plant for secretly recording him. As if that is his real name!

[Silver1]

21. Funny!

Hard to believe some of the things these people say are real!

[mdbl]

15. Michigan Senate leader labels D.C. insurrection 'a hoax'

Well he forgot to tell all the assholes rioting at the capitol.

[keithbvadu2]

16. Hoax?

[SergeStorms]

17. Trumpublicans are a special type of stupid.

Right from the start, anyone believing anything DJT utters from his disgusting mouth IS a special type of stupid. These people will completely ignore everything they see, but they'll take everything they hear from tRump as gospel. Yeah, that takes a special type of stupid alright.

[Silver1]

22. I had to get a screenshot of that one.

They really are cray cray.

I suppose the up side is the lunatics are outing themselves.

[sheilahi]

19. hoax?

Hoax? Hoax? Go tell that to Officer Sicknick's family you asshole.

[rickyhall]

20. The GOP is hoax, all lies.

[DFW]

24. I guess this wasn't deliberate

But he looks like he's trying to imitate the bad guy in the Lethal Weapon I movie.