Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey gets blasted by women's commission

Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey contemplating challenging Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to a fistfight and saying he "spanked" her on legislative negotiations are just the latest examples of inappropriate and offensive language from the highest ranking elected Republican in the state, leaders of the Michigan Women's Commission said Thursday. 

State Democratic lawmakers went further, arguing those comments — and the Clarklake Republican's statements that aspects of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol were a "hoax" and "staged" — warrant Shirkey step down from his leadership role. 

The outcry is only the latest criticism of Shirkey following comments captured on a video recently posted online. In addition to his statements about the governor, Shirkey said he thought Trump supporters were not to blame for the attack on the Capitol, insisting "that’s been a hoax from day one," before adding later, "It was all staged." 

More:DTE Energy says it didn't fund Shirkey event, despite sign stating it was 'gold sponsor'

More:Shirkey statement emblematic of 'xenophobic sentiments' criticized in White House memo

The Michigan Women's Commission is a board created in 1968 with the goal of confronting discrimination and other issues facing women in the state, while recognizing the accomplishments of women around the state. Commission CEO Cheryl Bergman and Chief Strategy Officer Shannon Garrett issued a joint statement Thursday highlighting some of the comments from Shirkey that many deemed offensive. 

"Leader Shirkey must take violence against women seriously. Napoleonic rhetoric has consequences," Bergman and Garrett said in the statement. 

In addition to the comments captured recently on video, other statements include: 

• Calling the governor "batshit crazy"
• Referring to COVID-19 as "the Chinese Flu Army"
• Saying the governor looked "delightful" with a "fresh face" when she delivered the State of the State address without wearing a mask 

“There’s a difference between the defense of strongly held policy positions and careless resorts to violent, misogynistic and xenophobic bloviating," Bergman and Garrett said. 

"As we have stated before, reliance on gendered language, sexual imagery and the glorification of violence is both careless and dangerous. Leader Shirkey should need no greater proof than last year’s disrupted plot to kidnap and kill Gov. Whitmer or the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol to understand how misogynistic, sexist and xenophobic bluster leads to real world violence. If not, he could ask any one of the nearly 42% of Michigan women who experience rape, physical violence and/or stalking in their lifetime." 

More:GOP's Shirkey: Whitmer 'looked delightful' but lacked content in State of State address

More:Shirkey falsely claims US Capitol attack was staged, not carried out by Trump supporters

The Michigan Progressive Women's Caucus issued a statement Thursday calling on Shirkey to step down as leader of the state Senate. 

"The people of Michigan deserve accountability and that starts with holding accountable so-called leaders who push bogus conspiracy theories, foment violence and coddle extreme paramilitary groups. Republicans everywhere should demand Shirkey truly apologize or resign, or the voters will hold them accountable," said Michigan House Democratic Leader Donna Lasinski, D-Scio Township. 

Shirkey told JTV and others recently that he met with leader of so-called militia organizations to discuss their operations. Earlier in 2020, he appeared on stage with at least one of the men who was later charged with plotting to kidnap and kill Whitmer. 

Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia, echoed those comments, saying Shirkey's "degrading and disturbing comments about Gov. Whitmer send a horrible message to women across our state."  

Shirkey's office issued an apology on behalf of the senator earlier this week. He declined to answer Free Press questions Wednesday morning after leaving a fundraiser in Lansing. 

Later the same day, Shirkey was caught on a Senate microphone telling Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist that "I frankly don’t take back any of the points I was trying to make" in the video. 

The Michigan Democratic Party already has called for his resignation. House Speaker Jason Wentworth, R-Farewell, issued a statement Wednesday saying he does not agree with Shirkey's views of the insurrection. 

Contact Dave Boucher: dboucher@freepress.com or 313-938-4591. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.