15 Mich. lawmakers to work in system they sought to undermine
This is a real pickle: Fifteen Michigan GOP legislators signed onto a lawsuit brought by another state, attempting to overturn the results of an election in which 5.5 million Michiganders cast ballots in thousands of races across the state.
And I’m not sure how they move forward. I mean, I know what’s going to happen — everyone involved will play like this never happened, even as those lawmakers continue working to undermine the results of the 2020 election — the same election, incidentally, that secured their own seats.
That’s kind of crazy.
Those of us who aren’t Republicans should expect to find serious policy and ideological differences with most GOP lawmakers. That’s just how it works.
But the foundation of our government, our system of free and fair elections, is inviolable. Threatening that foundation is a serious offense.
Or it should be.
GOP Reps. Gary Eisen of St. Claire Twp., John Reilly of Oakland Twp., Julie Alexander of Hanover, Matt Maddock of Milford, Daire Rendon of Lake City, Beth Griffin of Mattawan, Douglas Wozniak of Shelby Twp., Michele Hoitenga of Manton, Brad Paquette of Niles, Rodney Wakeman of Saginaw Twp., Greg Markkanen of Hancock and Jack O’Malley of Lake Ann signed onto a brief supporting Texas’ lawsuit sought to overturn the results of the presidential election in Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Georgia, asking the U.S. Supreme Court to block electors in those states from casting votes for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
A statement issued later said Reps. Joe Bellino (R-Monroe), Bronna Kahle (R-Adrian) and Luke Meerman (RCoopersville) also supported the suit.
The Texas lawsuit alleged that elections held here and in the other three states were rife with “irregularities,” declaring that it is “impossible” to know who won the election. (The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the suit.)
There is no credible evidence spread election fraud.
Maddock and Rendon, capital news service MIRS reported, accompanied a GOP slate of electors that attempted to enter the Capitol Monday to cast an “alternate” slate of electoral votes in support of Trump.
There’s no hard and fast rule for what action on the part of a state lawmaker merits consequences. But Republican legislative leaders seem to know an infraction when they see it.
House Speaker Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, moved swiftly to punish two lawmakers whom he said had threatened violence in the last week: Rep. Cynthia Johnson, D-Detroit, and Rep. Gary Eisen, R-St. Clair Twp. Both were stripped of their committee assignments.
It’s a weird way to punish lawmakers legislative leaders believe are out of line. Stripping committee assignments bars lawmakers from participating in developing and vetting policy,
of widesomething that mostly punishes constituents who rely on legislators to represent their interests in Lansing.
But here’s an idea: Maybe those lawmakers, some of whom have served multiple terms and are in line for leadership positions, shouldn’t be.
It’s difficult to understand how any lawmaker can lead effectively in a system they’re working to demolish.
Chatfield, who has said repeatedly that he did not intend to interfere in the outcome of the election, didn’t respond to a detailed request for comment made this week through his spokesman.
But House Minority Leader Chris Greig, D-Farmington Hills, who is term-limited, says its seems fair that lawmakers working to disenfranchise Michigan voters should forfeit any leadership roles.
“If they are willing to work to undermine our democracy, putting them in leadership roles — in a position to drive policy — is irresponsible,” she said this week.
If you’re tempted to cast Greig’s response as a partisan reaction, consider Randy Richardville, a Monroe Republican who served in both chambers of the Michigan Legislature and as Senate Majority Leader from 2011 through 2014. Richardville won a seat on the Monroe County Board of Commissioners in November’s election.
For lawmakers to support the Texas lawsuit, he said, “is ridiculous. Do we need a parttime Legislature? Do people have too much time, to get involved in what’s happening in Texas when we have COVID-19 and opioid problems here?”
Richarville said that as majority leader, he preferred to manage his caucus privately, speaking personally to members with whom he disagreed.
“I don’t want to undermine leadership and the decisions they make and how they deal with caucus members. However, individual representatives have a responsibility not just to the individuals they represent, but to the caucus to which they respond,” Richardville said. “If they don’t have the support of leadership and their caucus, they should shut their mouths.”
Thus far, there has been no consequence for any Michigan lawmaker who has attempted to disenfranchise his or her constituents.
That’s not likely to change. But it’s sure to make the next two years very strange.