LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake remains under fire for comments he made in a secretly recorded video, where he said the attack on the U.S. Capitol attack was a hoax and made disparaging comments about Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Michigan Senate leader @SenMikeShirkey at a meeting w/ Hillsdale Republicans:
— Doug Reardon (@ReardonReports) February 10, 2021
HR: “what about the DC thing? (Referencing the Capitol riots)
Shirkey: “that wasn’t Trump people. That’s been a hoax from day 1 it was all prearranged”
First report: @metrotimes pic.twitter.com/5xesS8UWxh
Shirkey later released a statement apologizing for his comments, but one day later was caught saying he did not take back the meaning of his words.
READ MORE: Gilchrist on Shirkey's hot mic moment: 'That kind of rhetoric is not okay.'
On Tuesday, Michigan’s top-elected Republican continued to make false claims during a radio interview with WKHM, where Shirkey said “Too many dead people voted” in Michigan, a debunked conspiracy theory that was peddled after the November election.
On the Senate floor Wednesday, Michigan Senate Minority Leader Jim Ananich, D-Flint went after Shirkey for those claims. “The Earth is round, the moon landing is real, 9/11 happened and on January 6 of this year a violent insurrection against America happened...and you know dead people didn't vote,” Ananich said.
Michigan Senate Minority Leader @JimAnanich on the floor today, calling out Sen. Mike Shirkey:
— Aaron Parseghian (@AaronParseghian) February 17, 2021
"The Earth is round, the moon landing is real, 9/11 happened and on January 6 of this year, a violent insurrection against America happened...and you know dead people didn't vote." pic.twitter.com/FuKW4Rwa46
“Every politician knows the election was safe and secure, these are truths,” he added.
“We’ve now gone through what I call the stages of the SLM again. Make an offensive comment, apologize, take the apology back, justify your actions, and then play the victim card. We’ve done all that, can we now please move on to the important work that needs to be done?" Ananich said.
