In the video, Michigan GOP chief falsely claims the Capitol Riot was a hoax, staged

STRAIT – Michigan’s top Republican called the Jan.6 Capitol Riot, which left five people dead, including a Capitol cop, a hoax, in a video posted to YouTube last week. It was not a hoax.

Michigan GOP Senate Leader Mike Shirkey appears in a video posted Feb. 3 by the “ROAR (Reclaim Our American Republic)” group in which he makes several false claims. The video appears to show Shirkey meeting with Hillsdale County Republican Party officials a day before the county voted to censor Shirkey. The video shows the group having a meal at a restaurant. It was first reported by the Metro Times.

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In the video, which runs for over an hour, Hillsdale and Shirkey officials appear to be going through a list of issues between the two sides. Shirkey offers several incidental statements which are patently false.

Shirkey was asked what he thought of “this DC stuff” by one of the officials at the table.

“They weren’t people from Trump,” Shirkey falsely asserted. “It has been a hoax – since day one. All this has been arranged beforehand. Shirkey also mistakenly suggested that then U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell attended.

Of course, this is not true. Dozens of insurgents have been charged with federal crimes after they were filmed carrying and shouting pro-Trump equipment during the assault on the U.S. Capitol building on January 6. The riots took place immediately after President Trump’s speech, where he urged supporters to come to Capitol Hill. Trump was impeached for “inciting insurgency” and is currently on trial in the US Senate for the second time.

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Shirkey released a statement apologizing for the comments, but did not admit his claims were false:

“I said some things in a video chat that didn’t fit the role I am privileged to play. I own this. I have many faults. Being passionate coupled with an occasional lack of language restraint are at least two. I regret the words I chose and apologize for my insensitive comments. “

Related: Feds: Wixom man was one of the most violent attendees at the U.S. Capitol siege

The reported video comes just after the The New York Times published an article detailing Shirkey’s involvement with the Michigan militias, which staged armed protests at the Michigan Capitol last year over COVID-19 restrictions.

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Of the Capitol Riots in January, Shirkey told the NYT: “These were people who felt oppressed and depressed, reacting to what they thought was the government that was simply robbing them of their lives. And I neither endorse nor support their actions, but I understand where they come from. “

The Michigan Democratic Party called on Shirkey to step down following the NYT report:

“The Michigan Republican Party, led by Mike Shirkey, has embraced right-wing extremists with open arms, including armed militiamen who stormed the US Capitol on January 6.” Michigan Democratic Party President Lavora Barnes said. “Mike Shirkey met these men behind closed doors, spoke at their rallies, and helped fund efforts to fight the governor’s attempts to protect the Michiganders during a global health pandemic. For all these reasons, Mike Shirkey should be absent. I ask him to resign immediately.

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