The majority leader of the Michigan Senate apologized for saying the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol was “staged.”
Mike Shirkey, a Republican, did so after his comments in a recorded conversation with the Hillsdale County Republican Party at a restaurant in Jonesville made headlines on Tuesday.
“I said some things in a videoed conversation that are not fitting for the role I am privileged to serve,” he said. “I regret the words I chose, and I apologize for my insensitive comments.”
Video of the meeting, which was posted on Wednesday, appears to have been recorded with a concealed camera. Jon Smith, secretary for the Hillsdale County Republican Party, told the Detroit News that he was responsible for the taping and that he wasn’t certain whether Shirkey was aware it was happening.
“That’s been a hoax from day one. That was all prearranged,” Shirkey said.
“That wasn’t Trump people,” Shirkey said when asked about the incident. “That was all arranged by somebody that was funding it all.”
He added, “It was all staged,” and, “hell, Mitch McConnell was part of it.” McConnell is the minority leader of the U.S. Senate. “I think they wanted to have a mess,” he said.
Shirkey alleged, without presenting evidence, that a wider conspiracy of “puppeteers” who are “above elected officials” are responsible for the riot and events like it.
Five people died during the siege of Congress, which took place as lawmakers counted electoral votes to affirm President Biden’s 2020 victory.
U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick was fatally injured during the siege. He received the rare tribute of lying in honor in the U.S. Capitol rotunda this week before his cremated remains were sent to Arlington National Cemetery to be laid to rest. Ashli Babbitt, an Air Force veteran and Trump supporter, was shot and killed by a Capitol Police officer while she attempted to climb through a window into the Speaker’s Lobby. Three others died from “medical emergencies,” according to officials.
Federal authorities are pursuing upward of 400 suspected insurrectionists, at least 150 of whom were charged by federal prosecutors in late January. At the time, the FBI had received over 200,000 tips revealing information about possible rioters.
Former President Donald Trump was impeached by the House last month on one article of inciting an insurrection in connection to the riot. Ten Republican lawmakers joined the Democratic caucus in voting for the impeachment, which Trump’s legal team argues is unconstitutional because he is no longer in office. He now faces a Senate trial. A two-thirds vote is needed to convict.
After video of Shirkey’s comments emerged, Michigan House Minority Leader Donna Lasinski demanded that he apologize or step down from his leadership post over his comments.
“Claiming the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was a ‘hoax’ is a slap in the face to the law enforcement there that day and to the people who died and were injured,” the Democrat said. “Serving in leadership is a privilege, and this raises real questions about Mr. Shirkey’s fitness to lead.”
The recorded conversation took place one day before the Hillsdale Republicans voted to censure Shirkey for some of his stances, including his support for banning open carry of firearms in the state Capitol.
The Washington Examiner reached out to Shirkey’s office for comment on the recorded conversation but did not immediately hear back.
