Legislative leaders want insight into Michigan’s unique role in assault on democracy
LANSING, Mich., June 10, 2021 — House Democratic Leader Donna Lasinski (D-Scio Township) and Senate Democratic Leader Jim Ananich (D-Flint) are calling on their fellow legislative leaders today to create a joint bipartisan committee to investigate Michigan’s ties to the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Lasinski plans to introduce a resolution next week to formally create the committee.
“When we are sworn into office, we swear an oath to uphold the constitution of our state and nation — and to uphold our form of democratic government,” Lasinski said. “Actions of violence against our institutions, both here and in D.C., cannot be left unexamined. Irresponsible actions by elected officials to stop the peaceful transfer of power cannot be wished away. It would be cowardly to turn away and ignore the role that Michigan played in the lead-up to the insurrection at our nation’s Capitol. Michiganders deserve a thorough, bipartisan investigation of those events and actions.”
It is clear now that the events of April 30, 2020, when armed protestors descended on the Michigan Capitol, served as a dress rehearsal for the insurrection. Sitting legislators tried to install a slate of sham electors when Michigan was awarding its electoral votes, and others traveled to Washington in the lead-up to the attack.
“Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it,” Ananich said. “On January 6, 2021, we all watched as unspeakable acts of insurrection and violence were committed in the sacred halls of our nation’s Capitol, just months after a similar mob stormed Michigan’s very own state Capitol. We can choose to pretend as if these events never happened, and in doing so jeopardize the security of our democracy for the next generations, or we can choose to get to the bottom of what happened on those ugly days. It’s that simple, and it would be a shame if we couldn’t put politics aside in order to stop possible repeat acts of insurrection.”
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