Michigan Officials condemn Shirkey, Chatfield visit to White House, Defend Integrity of the Election
On a press call today, a group of local leaders, including members of Michigan’s Congressional Delegation, gathered to defend the integrity of the 2020 election and condemn Republican attempts to ignore the will of the people.
They gathered after a contentious Wayne County Board of Canvassers meeting nearly failed to certify the vote, and in the shadow of an ominous meeting between Republican legislative leaders and Donald Trump.
“It is absolutely outrageous for Senator Shirkey and Representative Chatfield to be summoned to the White House to help Donald Trump undo a free and fair election,” said Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit). “They’re supposed to serve the people of Michigan, not Donald Trump. They took an oath to uphold the Constitution and they need to respect the vote of the people.”
She was echoed by State Representative Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia), “The voters decided and are ready to move forward. Trump is spreading lies about Michigan’s elections and Republican leadership should not be a party to it. Instead of trying to help Donald Trump ignore the voters, Speaker Chatfield and Leader Shirkey should come back to Lansing to work on the COVID-19 crisis which is killing 50 Michiganders every day.”
State Senator Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) also spoke out, “I am outraged. The people of Michigan are dying from a deadly virus and our legislative sessions have been canceled due to an outbreak at the Capitol, but Senator Shirkey and Representative Chatfield are flying off to Washington DC to help Donald Trump undermine our free and fair election. Clearly, political games are taking priorities over people’s lives. It’s over. It’s time to move on.”
"We’re tired of the drama, of the disregard for our laws, the political theatre, and the failure to solve real problems. This is not a reality show. Michigan must certify this election on schedule so we can move forward as a nation and a state," said State Representative Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing).
The officials were joined by Joseph Zimmerman, a law student at the U of M who served as a civil rights monitor at the TCF ballot counting center in Detroit.“As an Air Force veteran, I was willing to sacrifice my life for the country I love, and I would do so again. I swore to defend the ideals of our democracy. It is shameful for me to see elected officials try to undermine that democracy and take away our most fundamental right: the right to have our votes counted in a free and fair election.”
