Michigan Sen. Mike Shirkey appears to double down on Capitol ‘hoax’ conspiracy theory Shirkey’s private comments captured on live microphone
WASHINGTON – Questions are being raised about the public apology sent out on Tuesday night by Michigan’s highest-ranking Republican, State Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey.
READ : Top Michigan Republican stands by Capitol ‘hoax’ comments
Shirkey apologized on Tuesday after a video was released of a Feb. 3 meeting in which he told Republicans that the siege at the Capitol “wasn’t Trump people. He claimed to believe it was a hoax.
During Wednesday morning’s Senate session, Shirkey appeared to double down on those beliefs in a side conversation that was caught on a nearby live microphone.
READ : Michigan Sen. Mike Shirkey falsely claims US Capitol riot was ‘hoax from day one’ in video
In a private conversation with Democratic Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II in the Michigan Senate that was captured by the chamber’s video feed, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said: “I frankly don’t take back any of the points I was trying to make” but rather “some of the words I chose.” He said the siege was “very real, but the assignment of cause -- that was planned weeks and months in advance.”
Watch the video above for the full report.
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About the Authors Kayla Clarke headshot
Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.
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