A Republican state lawmaker has been disciplined by his party’s leadership. He refused in a radio interview to denounce the possibility of violence during Monday’s Michigan Electoral College vote for President-elect Joe Biden. Representative Gary Eisen has lost his committee assignments as a result of the comments.
A group did show up at the Capitol to try and replace the Democratic electors with a slate of Republicans, but was stopped at the door without incident. It’s not clear if Eisen was talking about this or some other effort. But he said in a phone interview with WPHM in Port Huron that violence was a possibility and he planned to show up in a supporting role.
“Am I going to just give up, or am I going to do that ‘Hail Mary?’”
Eisen later said he would not go to the Capitol.
The punishment will have little practical effect since the Legislature’s session is almost finished. There’s no word whether the sanction will continue next year.
Detroit Democratic Representative Cynthia Johnson was handed a similar punishment for comments deemed threatening by Republican leaders.