Mike Shirkey, the top-elected Republican in Michigan, the leader of the Senate majority, said on Wednesday that he was behind previous remarks in which he called the attack on the American Capitol a ‘joke’.
Mr. Shirkey was heard speaking at an open microphone in the Michigan Capitol on Wednesday in a private conversation. “I honestly do not take back any of the points I am trying to make,” he said, referring to recent comments about the Capitol siege, which is the focus of former President Donald J. Trump’s accusations in the Senate.
Last week, Mr. Shirkey said in a restaurant to a group of Republican officials: “It was no Trump people,” referring to the mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6. “It was a farce from day 1,” he added. . “It was all staged.”
A video of the lunch was uploaded to YouTube. Mr. Shirkey also made offensive remarks that day about Whitmer, a Democrat, saying he and fellow Republican lawmakers “hit her hard” in the legislature. “I was considering inviting her for a fist fight on the Capitol lawn,” he added.
Mrs. Whitmer has repeatedly been a target for sexist naming by Mr. Trump and unfounded allegations of fraud in the Michigan election. Six men with extremist ties have been charged in a conspiracy to kidnap her.
Mr. Shirkey, on whom Mr. Trump exerted pressure to reverse the election results in Michigan after President Biden won the state, a line was drawn between showing loyalty to the ardent Trump supporters and taking a torch for democracy. His remarks at lunch were one day made to Hillsdale County Republican Party officials before he was convicted of not standing up to Whitmer strongly enough.
He apologized when the recording became public.
But on Wednesday, Shirkey’s hot microphone remarks cast doubt on his apology. He was included in talks with Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II, a Democrat, and once again questioned who sparked the January 6 riot. Of more than 175 rioters arrested, very strong support for Mr. Trump showed up on social media, and at least 21 had ties to far-right militant groups.
“The award of the case, it’s months, weeks and months in advance planned by someone who … unfortunately gets blamed for it,” said Mr. Shirkey according to The Detroit Free Press said. He added that the FBI had not yet determined “who was behind it.”
“Some of Trump’s people got caught up in the mob and did things they should not have done,” he said.