Michigan GOP Leader: The Capitol Riot Was A “Hoax”

The Detroit Metro Times reports:

Michigan state Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey suggested the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was a “hoax” perpetuated by opponents of former President Donald Trump.

The state Senate’s top Republican made the bizarre and unfounded claim in a video-recorded meeting at a diner last week with leaders of the Hillsdale County Republican Party, who were discussing censuring him for not taking a bold enough stand against Democrats.

“That wasn’t Trump’s people. That’s been a hoax from day one. That was all prearranged,” Shirkey, a Clarklake Republican, said of the riot. “It was arranged by somebody who was funding it. … It was all staged.”

Read the full article. You may recall that in late November, Shirkey visited Trump at the White House as Trump tried to convince Michigan Republicans to replace their electors. Shirkey is Michigan’s highest-ranked elected Republican.

Shirkey falsely claims US Capitol attack was staged, not carried out by Trump supporters https://t.co/K6dsdwCXGr

— Detroit Free Press (@freep) February 10, 2021