STEVE CARRA

State Representative Steve Carra is proposing that Jan. 6 -- the date of a deadly insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in 2021 -- be recognized as “Remembrance Day” in Michigan.

Under the bill, anyone who performs an abortion could be charged with a felony count of manslaughter

­­Steve Carra speaks during the "American Patriot Rally-Sheriffs speak out" event at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids on Monday, May 18, 2020. Rep. Steve Carra, R-Sturgis, argued in House Resolution 321 that it was “unconstitutional mandates, government intrusion and power grabs by political elitists” that lead to the outcome of January 6, 2021. “The damage that was done on January 6th needs to be placed properly on the few rogue and malicious agitators and individuals who were caught up in the moment,” he said. “The damage also needs to be blamed on the complete lack of proper security because Nancy Pelosi and others did not want them. But that’s not true says Rep. Joe Tate, D-Detroit, who said that he was incredibly disappointed in Carra’s resolution.

The conspiracy-driven bill blames the insurrection on ‘rogue and malicious agitators,’ and also claims COVID-19 is a ‘man-made virus’

A state judge in 2021 invalidated Benson’s guidance to clerks, saying she did not go through the right rule-making procedures. After debuting in theaters in May, “2000 Mules” has become a rallying cry among conservatives who insist 19 months later that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. Related: GOP-led report finds no evidence of voter fraud, leaves door open for continued investigation“2000 Mules” uses surveillance video and cell phone location pings gathered by an organization called True the Vote to track supposed ballot mules. But the movie’s claims of election-altering illegal activity in Michigan, Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have so far fallen flat. Colbeck, Carra and leading GOP governor candidate Ryan Kelley have also appeared at rallies since the 2020 election calling for investigations.

Protesters inside the Michigan House of Representatives in Lansing shouted through multiple votes Wednesday afternoon after session began, disrupting normal proceedings for nearly half an hour. Abortion-rights demonstrators lined the state House gallery, chanting above lawmakers as House leaders did their best to move through regular business and vote on bills. As demonstrators yelled from the gallery, Speaker Pro-Tempore Pamela Hornberger, R-Chesterfield, attempted to direct proceedings as usual. A Wednesday afternoon Facebook event by the organization says it planned to “enter the capitol to voice our demand that the legislature repeal the 1931 Michigan abortion ban.”“We aim to make our voices heard and disrupt business as usual!” the event said. Gretchen Whitmer has said she wants the state Supreme Court to overturn the law.

As the Republican invited others to celebrate the news, some of his Democratic colleagues made it clear they did not want any of his chicken.

LANSING, MI – State Rep. Matt Maddock, a loyalist to former president Donald Trump and husband of Michigan Republican Party Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock, was removed from the House GOP caucus on Tuesday. Maddock’s ouster from the caucus means he can no longer meet with GOP caucus members behind closed doors, to discuss policy and upcoming floor votes. By Tuesday evening, Maddock’s profile was removed from both the Michigan House of Representatives website and the House Republicans website. The last time the House Republican caucus removed one of its members was in 2019, when the caucus voted out state Rep. Larry Inman. Years earlier, in 2015, state Rep. Cindy Gamrat, R-Plainwell, was booted from the House Republican caucus for breaking caucus confidentiality rules by posting a comment on Facebook during an off-campus budget workshop.

THREE RIVERS, MI -- State Rep. Steve Carra announced today he will seek re-election to the state house, changing his earlier plans to run for U.S. Congress. “It’s an honor to have his support, it’s amazing,” Carra said about Trump. Since he no longer lives in the district, running for state house is his route forward, he said. Carra was elected to represent the 59th District in the Michigan House of Representatives in November 2020. He then worked as a legislative aide for State Rep. Steve Johnson, before running for state office himself.

Michigan Republicans flocked to Florida this week to meet with former President Donald Trump at a fundraiser for Republican Attorney General candidate Matthew DePerno. Michigan Republican Party Co-Chair Meshawn Maddock could be heard at several points in the recording verbally agreeing with Trump’s remarks. Trump urged delegates to nominate DePerno for attorney general in a February letter calling his opponent Tom Leonard an “embarrassment” to the GOP. Leonard was the party’s nominee for Attorney General in 2018 and has been a vocal supporter of the former president. He also referenced DePerno’s pledge to prosecute Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel for alleged corruption.

Benson’s proposed election rules would codify the use of the existing online absentee ballot applications and require candidates to pay or settle any outstanding campaign finance fees. Michigan law states a voter’s signature to “agree sufficiently” with the signature already on file. Republicans also suggested limiting online request forms to only those requesting an absentee ballot application. Gretchen Whitmer has vowed to block all GOP election rules bills. READ MORE FROM MLIVE:Court invalidates Michigan rule on how to verify absentee ballot application signaturesHere are all the proposals vying to get on the ballot this year

Rep. Fred Upton has began airing his first campaign ad, signaling that the moderate Republican is more likely to seek reelection to a 19th term in Congress.

Rep. Fred Upton began airing his first 2022 campaign ad Wednesday, spending more than $200,000 and signaling that the moderate Republican is more likely to seek reelection to a 19th term in Congress.

Trump gave his endorsement to 14 candidates who falsely claim electoral fraud caused his loss in the previous election. Trump donated $30,000 total to six Michigan candidates according to campaign reports filed Monday. The same goes for audits by state election officials and an investigation by Republican lawmakers. State-level candidates who received donations from Trump include state Rep. Matt Maddock, R-Milford; Kevin Rathburn, a candidate for the 85th state House district; Mick Bricker, a candidate for the 88th state House district; and Jacky Eubanks, a candidate for the 63rd state House district. He’s running for the attorney general nomination against state Rep. Ryan Berman, R-Commerce Township, and former state House Speaker Tom Leonard.

Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, who has vowed to block a number of Republican-proposed election bills. The commission itself and the constitutional requirements it must follow were ushered in by the group’s ballot initiative, which earned approval from Michigan voters in 2018. 92 state Republicans joined Arizona state Sen. Wendy Rogers, who released the letter in a post to social media Monday. For Carra, a full forensic audit “looks beyond the ballots,” he said. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson has pushed back against calls for a forensic audit that gained momentum among conservative activists after the review style took form in Arizona.

Michigan House Reps. Steve Carra, R-Three Rivers, Daire Rendon R-Lake City and Matt Maddock, R-Milford, are listed on the letter. Read more: Michigan lawmaker introduces bill calling for ‘forensic audit’ of 2020 electionFor months, Carra has rejected the audits already completed by the Michigan Secretary of State, which concluded that no fraud or foul play occurred during the 2020 election following its post-election audit in March. For Carra, a full forensic audit “looks beyond the ballots,” he said. “A forensic audit is not a thing,” Benson said in a Twitter post in June. In Texas, the Secretary of State’s office recently announced it would conduct a “full and comprehensive forensic audit” of the 2020 election in some heavily populated counties.

Former President Donald Trump gave a boost to two Republican newcomers in Michigan, endorsing a challenger to longtime GOP Rep. Fred Upton and a secretary of state candidate — both of whom have pushed to audit the results of the state's...

How Trump could start a GOP circular firing squad

LANSING, MI — Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel and the Michigan State Police will investigate those who have profited off unfounded claims about the 2020 election, her office confirmed Thursday. A Republican-led Michigan Senate committee report recommended the attorney general consider investigating those who have peddled misinformation “to raise money or publicity for their own ends.”After reviewing the report in full, “the Department has accepted Sen. McBroom and the Committee’s request to investigate. The GOP report which released on June 23 reinforced what’s already been known for months: The 2020 general election, in which President Joe Biden won the state by 154,000 votes, was free of systemic fraud. Colbeck, who continues to direct people “interested in a rational analysis of election fraud” to go to his website, has criticized McBroom for days following the release of the report. While the GOP-led report left the door open for further investigations, the statewide audit report released in April concluded that Biden was indeed the legitimate winner of the 2020 election.

LANSING, MI — A Republican lawmaker wants to create a bipartisan board to contract with an “impartial, nonpartisan corporation” to audit the 2020 election. Under House Bill 5091, a bipartisan audit board would be tasked with contracting an outside group to conduct the investigation of the 2020 general election. The November election isn’t the first time out-of-balance precincts have raised concerns, as Michigan election law doesn’t allow recounts of precincts where poll books don’t match the number of ballots cast. Out-of-balance precincts “could potentially” indicate election fraud, Carra said in an interview Tuesday. The audit would also log the ways in which Michigan voters cast their ballots in 2020.

Residents who demonstrated at the Capitol on Thursday see COVID-19 vaccine passports as the next worst thing, and so do a handful of Republican lawmakers. About 100 anti-vax protesters gathered in Lansing to protest vaccine passports and hear proposals by House Republicans to ban them. COVID-19 vaccines can have some side effects such as headache, fatigue and/or fever, particularly after the second dose. “My choice.”Read more from MLive:Michigan reopening plan encourages business leaders, who say ‘the sooner the better’15.6% of U.S. adults are COVID-19 vaccine hesitant, how does Michigan stack up? Evidence growing on COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy: Virus is dangerous; the shots are notWhen will Michigan ditch its mask mandate?

Michigan is in the middle of a massive vaccination effort, but not everyone is getting on board.

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Election challengers won’t need to bring their binoculars to watch over the election process next Tuesday, Nov. 3. The Michigan Secretary of State’s office has settled a lawsuit about social distancing requirements for poll challengers and watchers, filed by State House candidate Steve Carra, R-Three Rivers. The original directive from Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said election workers can strictly enforce social distancing between challengers and poll workers. State law allows poll challengers to observe the process and challenge procedures. Poll watchers have less power – they’re essentially just there to be a fly on the wall.

A candidate for a state House of Representatives seat is suing Michigan for requiring poll challengers to stay six feet from poll workers on Election Day – although state officials dispute the lawsuit, saying challengers are allowed within 6 feet. He’s asking the court to strike down Benson’s guidance that poll challengers and poll watchers must observe social distancing on Nov. 3. But state officials say poll challengers are allowed within six feet. Poll workers must wear masks too, although voting citizens aren’t required – but highly recommended – to wear a face covering. Laws for Michigan election challengers are laid out in MCL 168.733.