Michigan Senate majority leader Mike Shirkey (R) filed an apology on Tuesday after he was captured in a video suggesting that the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol was a scam.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Shirkey apologized for the comments made last week at a meeting with the Hillsdale County Republican Party.
“I said a few things in a video conversation that are not suitable for the role I am privileged to serve. This is mine, “said Shirkey in the statement.” I have many flaws. Being passionate along with an occasional lapse in language restriction are at least two of them. I regret the words I chose and apologize for my insensitive comments. “
During the informal meeting last week, Shirkey said he did not believe the Capitol protesters were in favor of the former President Trump
Donald TrumpSchoen says the Trump team will be “very well prepared” after criticism that Iowa Republicans seek to cut funds for schools with 1619 Project on the curriculum Capitol protest seen smoking in the imprisoned Rotunda MORE and suggested that the whole crowd was “combined in advance”
“It was all staged,” says Shirkey in the video. The video was posted on YouTube by a party official.
“Why was there no more security there?” Shirkey asks in the video, before suggesting the then Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell GOP senators send a clear signal: Trump is being acquitted Video arouses emotions on the first day of Trump’s trial Trump’s lawyer says Roberts’ absence creates a conflict of interest for Democrats MORE (R-Ky.) “It is part of the decision how much security they have in hand.”
“I bet they wanted to mess it up,” said Shirkey, adding that it was “a scam from day one.”
“That was not Trump’s people,” continues Shirkey, echoing conspiracy theories of some of Trump’s supporters. “That was not the Trump people. [been] a scam from day one. That was all agreed. “
The Capitol invasion left several people dead and is at the center of Trump’s second impeachment trial underway in the Senate.
Shirkey and other Michigan Republicans faced criticism from some party members for not hindering the certification of President biden
Joe BidenPostal Service reports profits after increased holiday deliveries Night defense: Pentagon presses to eradicate extremism in the ranks | Chief Admiral condemns extremism after tie, hate speech discovered that Republican Party senators send a clear signal: Trump is being acquitted MOREVictory of the Electoral College in the state.
Days after the election, Shirkey and other state Republican leaders met with Trump during a meeting where Trump pressured them to support their misleading allegations of electoral fraud and a “stolen” election.
A Hillsdale County Republican Party official told CNN that he recorded Shirkey because he didn’t trust him.
“I didn’t trust him to be honest with me and I wanted to expose his lies and maybe I need this to keep him on my own record,” said the official.