By Anna Liz Nichols, Michigan Advance
Several state representatives of the Michigan Freedom Caucus joined together Tuesday to announce their resolution censuring Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) over his criticism of state Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford) for his “Great Replacement” theory social media posts.
The theory states that a conspiracy is targeting white Americans and Europeans to be “replaced” by non-white populations, often through immigration or interracial relationships. It has become a prominent talking point among far-right white nationalists and has often been cited by the perpetrators of mass violence.
In February, Tate stripped Schriver of his office staff, funding and committee assignment.
“I will not allow the Michigan House of Representatives to be a forum for the proliferation of racist, hateful and bigoted speech,” said Tate. “Representative Schriver has a history of promoting debunked theories and dangerous rhetoric that jeopardizes the safety of Michigan residents and contributes to a hostile and uncomfortable environment for others.”
Public outcry against Schriver by Tate and other Democrats is hypocritical, Rep. Steve Carra (R-Three Rivers) said at a press conference in the Capitol on Tuesday, reiterating the claim that it contained “racist” spending by including a $10 million grant program appropriated for minority-owned businesses and nonprofit business organizations.
Carra said Tate has failed to give the people of Michigan an apology for greenlighting the budget and has refrained from engaging with Carra in discussion on the subject. Carra said he spent two nights sleeping over in the hallway outside of Tate’s office for two nights in February in an attempt to ignite discussion.
Tate became the first Black lawmaker to hold the speakership in January 2023. Tate spokeswoman Amber McCann said in response to the resolution to censure the speaker, “I imagine that Rep. Carra is overwhelmingly frustrated by how irrelevant he is.”
Following the controversy with Schriver, the House on Feb. 14 approved a resolution to “denounce the espousal of racist, xenophobic, white supremacist, anti-Semitic, and Islamophobic language by members of this chamber.” It was approved by all Democrat lawmakers in the House, as well as 49 Republican lawmakers.
Carra was joined at the press conference by Reps. Matt Maddock (R-Milford), James DeSana (R-Carleton), Neil Friske (R-Petoskey) and Rep. Josh Schriver (R-Oxford). That group of five lawmakers were the only no votes on the resolution.
The resolution presented by Carra and other Republicans, which is not yet online, blasts the media and says Tate impaired Schriver from serving his constituents.
“… a [sic] unjust firestorm of disparagement rained down upon Representative Josh Schriver for sharing a controversial tweet,” the resolution reads. “Speaker Tate sanctimoniously stoked these flames with complicit media eager to amplify dishonesty. Any level-headed review of the surrounding facts would reveal the entire episode as shameful and beyond hypocritical. Representative Schriver is not a racist and did not deserve public ridicule.”
Schriver, who has continued to defend his social media posts with additional posts, answered all questions posed to him at the press conference by saying, “My constituents and my office are being silenced by Speaker Tate who is placing illegal immigration ahead of democracy and the right for my constituents to be represented by me.”
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