LANSING — Recently Gov. Rick Snyder appointed Bishop Ira Combs Jr., who has been outspoken in his position against equality for persons of all sexual orientations, to the Michigan Civil Rights Commission. In response, state Rep. LaTanya Garrett (D-Detroit), issued the following statement:
“I continued to be dismayed by Gov. Snyder’s poor choice in Bishop Combs. He has made repeated and bigoted remarks toward various minority groups, not only members of the LGBT community. During his prayer at the State of the State address, Bishop Combs expressed his approval of the ‘gentrification’ of Detroit, demonstrating once again how ill-quipped he is to serve on a commission charged with combatting racial injustice. The duties and responsibilities of the Civil Rights Commission are too important for them to be tarnished by someone who is apparently not sensitive enough to protect the rights of citizens. His discriminatory remarks — even toward his own race — take away from the mission of the commission to which he has unfortunately been appointed, and I am deeply disappointed.”