“It’s unacceptable that our Republican colleagues in the Senate rejected the appointment of Anna Mitterling, a highly-qualified candidate for the Michigan Natural Resources Commission, in order to serve as an inappropriate display of partisanship intended to hamstring Gov. Whitmer from doing what the people of Michigan elected her to do.

“The partisan gamesmanship was compounded by Sen. Shirkey’s comments regarding Ms. Mitterling that further perpetuate the sexist stereotype that women are unable to show leadership in the face of adversity.

“Actions like those taken yesterday discourage the best and brightest individuals from around our great state from becoming public servants at a time when we need everyone to be engaged in efforts to strengthen our communities. The members of the Executive Committee of the Progressive Women’s Caucus stand in solidarity with Ms. Mitterling and women everywhere who persevere through intolerable situations like this.”