Mary Papenfuss
·Trends Reporter, HuffPost
Sat, 21 November 2020,
After appearing to acquit themselves rationally after a controversial White House meeting with President Donald Trump on Friday, Michigan’s lawmakers were photographed celebrating maskless and downing pricey Dom Perignon champagne in the Trump International Hotel.
Voters erupted, and “Dom Perignon” was quickly trending on Twitter. The bottles go for $500 to $950 each at the hotel, and if it was a treat from Trump, they were likely on an expense account paid for by taxpayers — state, or federal.
Michigan, meanwhile, suffered through 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 Friday — and 53 deaths.
Photos of Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, state Rep. Jim Lilly and other Republicans surfaced on social media, where the men were lashed for their extravagant indulgence and extraordinary callous indifference as their constituents struggle with health and financial hardships.
Chatfield and Republican Senate Majority Mike Shirkey were summoned to Washington by Trump who, observers suspected, talked to them about using their power to sway the state’s electoral votes his way, regardless of Michigan’s vote backing Joe Biden.
The two legislators issued a joint statement after the meeting that they saw no problems with Michigan’s election and intended to proceed with the “normal,” legal process expected to confirm Biden as president-elect.
But then Dom-gate broke, which triggered worries about what was really going on between the president and the lawmakers. Trump also mysteriously tweeted on Saturday that the Michigan legislators’ statement “was true but that wasn’t the way it was reported in the media.”
Voters’ fears about possible continuing plots were heightened Saturday when the Republican National Committee and Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox asked the state’s Board of State Canvassers in a letter to delay certification of the state’s election results for two weeks. That would “allow for a full audit and investigation” into alleged voting “anomalies and irregularities,” the letter stated.
Neither Chatfield nor Shirkey have yet responded to the uproar, and could not immediately be reached by HuffPost to comment. Shirkey refused to answer reporters’ questions when he landed back in Michigan Saturday. He sang a hymm, ignoring queries about who paid for his trip.
Close your eyes and try to imagine the reaction if someone photographed Gov. Whitmer in a Washington DC hotel bar, with a $500 bottle of Dom Pérignon, without a mask, on the day Michigan had nearly 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 and 53 deaths.
— Zack Pohl (@ZackPohl) November 21, 2020
Now further imagine if the bottle of Dom Perignon (actually $795 at trump's gouging hotel) was a gift from Joe Biden, after meeting with him to discuss suppressing the votes of Republicans.
— Egalitarian ✨ #Biden/Harris 2020 (@oregonvirginia) November 21, 2020
Three questions for @LeeChatfield and @SenMikeShirkey:
1. Who funded the Dom Pérignon fueled vacation while Michigan reported almost 10k new cases of COVID-19?
— Michigan Democrats (@MichiganDems) November 21, 2020
2. After Donald Trump outed you for lying about your meeting, will you apologize to Michigan voters for scheming to silence their voices?
— Michigan Democrats (@MichiganDems) November 21, 2020
Two different Americas.
LEFT: Americans on food lines in Texas.
RIGHT: Michigan legislators at Trump Hotel drinking Dom Perignon pic.twitter.com/cSVoU5WyAY
— JeremyNewberger (@jeremynewberger) November 21, 2020
People in #Michigan are getting sick and dying at record rates from #COVID19, the legislature isn't doing anything about it, and our reps are drinking Dom Perignon at Trump hotel in DC after meeting with @realDonaldTrump. Truly disgusting. https://t.co/iapw9mW2t9
— Dr. Rob Davidson #WearAMask (@DrRobDavidson) November 21, 2020
This is just a complete lack of leadership and a complete disconnect with the people of Michigan and the nation. This is also politically dumb...during a pandemic and economic hardship a good politician, while in the public eye, would at least act as though they care...
— Dave Robbins (@DavidDRobbins) November 21, 2020
https://t.co/vcQFNaYemD
— GwenieB😷🗽🇺🇸 (@GwenieB66) November 21, 2020
Voters erupted, and “Dom Perignon” was quickly trending on Twitter. The bottles go for $500 to $950 each at the hotel, and if it was a treat from Trump, they were likely on an expense account paid for by taxpayers — state, or federal.
Michigan, meanwhile, suffered through 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 Friday — and 53 deaths.
Photos of Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield, state Rep. Jim Lilly and other Republicans surfaced on social media, where the men were lashed for their extravagant indulgence and extraordinary callous indifference as their constituents struggle with health and financial hardships.
Chatfield and Republican Senate Majority Mike Shirkey were summoned to Washington by Trump who, observers suspected, talked to them about using their power to sway the state’s electoral votes his way, regardless of Michigan’s vote backing Joe Biden.
The two legislators issued a joint statement after the meeting that they saw no problems with Michigan’s election and intended to proceed with the “normal,” legal process expected to confirm Biden as president-elect.
But then Dom-gate broke, which triggered worries about what was really going on between the president and the lawmakers. Trump also mysteriously tweeted on Saturday that the Michigan legislators’ statement “was true but that wasn’t the way it was reported in the media.”
Voters’ fears about possible continuing plots were heightened Saturday when the Republican National Committee and Michigan Republican Party Chairwoman Laura Cox asked the state’s Board of State Canvassers in a letter to delay certification of the state’s election results for two weeks. That would “allow for a full audit and investigation” into alleged voting “anomalies and irregularities,” the letter stated.
Neither Chatfield nor Shirkey have yet responded to the uproar, and could not immediately be reached by HuffPost to comment. Shirkey refused to answer reporters’ questions when he landed back in Michigan Saturday. He sang a hymm, ignoring queries about who paid for his trip.
Close your eyes and try to imagine the reaction if someone photographed Gov. Whitmer in a Washington DC hotel bar, with a $500 bottle of Dom Pérignon, without a mask, on the day Michigan had nearly 10,000 new cases of COVID-19 and 53 deaths.
— Zack Pohl (@ZackPohl) November 21, 2020
Now further imagine if the bottle of Dom Perignon (actually $795 at trump's gouging hotel) was a gift from Joe Biden, after meeting with him to discuss suppressing the votes of Republicans.
— Egalitarian ✨ #Biden/Harris 2020 (@oregonvirginia) November 21, 2020
Three questions for @LeeChatfield and @SenMikeShirkey:
1. Who funded the Dom Pérignon fueled vacation while Michigan reported almost 10k new cases of COVID-19?
— Michigan Democrats (@MichiganDems) November 21, 2020
2. After Donald Trump outed you for lying about your meeting, will you apologize to Michigan voters for scheming to silence their voices?
— Michigan Democrats (@MichiganDems) November 21, 2020
Two different Americas.
LEFT: Americans on food lines in Texas.
RIGHT: Michigan legislators at Trump Hotel drinking Dom Perignon pic.twitter.com/cSVoU5WyAY
— JeremyNewberger (@jeremynewberger) November 21, 2020
People in #Michigan are getting sick and dying at record rates from #COVID19, the legislature isn't doing anything about it, and our reps are drinking Dom Perignon at Trump hotel in DC after meeting with @realDonaldTrump. Truly disgusting. https://t.co/iapw9mW2t9
— Dr. Rob Davidson #WearAMask (@DrRobDavidson) November 21, 2020
This is just a complete lack of leadership and a complete disconnect with the people of Michigan and the nation. This is also politically dumb...during a pandemic and economic hardship a good politician, while in the public eye, would at least act as though they care...
— Dave Robbins (@DavidDRobbins) November 21, 2020
https://t.co/vcQFNaYemD
— GwenieB😷🗽🇺🇸 (@GwenieB66) November 21, 2020
Michigan attorney general looks at criminal charges for state officials who would overturn election results
Graig Graziosi
Sat, 21 November 2020
Graig Graziosi
Sat, 21 November 2020
Republican members of the Wayne County Board of Canvassers William Hartmann, left and Republican chairperson Monica Palmer, to his right, were contacted by Donald Trump after they agreed to certify the county’s election results. (AP)More
Michigan's attorney general is reportedly looking into whether or not officials will be violating the law if they act on Donald Trump's instructions to block the certification of Joe Biden's victory in the state.
The Washington Post reported that Dana Nessel, a Democrat, is one of many officials growing increasingly concerned with the president’s attempts to influence the outcome of the state's election.
The publication cited anonymous sources close to the attorney general.
Michigan was in the spotlight earlier this week when two Republican board members on a canvassing committee in Wayne County refused to certify the results of the 2020 election. After public backlash, the officials buckled and agreed to certify the results.
Mr Trump called the officials on Tuesday night, after which they sought to rescind their vote to certify the election.
Wayne County is the home to the city of Detroit. Refusing to certify the results would result in primarily Democrat and disproportionately Black voters having their legally cast ballots thrown out.
Mr Trump's call was not the only effort he made to influence Michigan lawmakers; on Friday, four Michigan Republicans from the state legislature flew to Washington DC to take a meeting with the president.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the meeting was a standard meeting between the lawmakers and Mr Trump, and that it had nothing to do with the election. However, protesters - convinced that Mr Trump was going to try to pressure the officials to select electors loyal to him who would cast their votes in the electoral college in his favour - met the lawmakers in Washington DC with signs that read "shame."
Following the meeting, the Michigan lawmakers issued a statement saying they had "not yet been made aware of any information that would change the outcome of the election in Michigan and as legislative leaders, we will follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan's electors, just as we have said throughout this election."
The night after their meeting, the lawmakers were photographed patronising a bar at the Trump Hotel drinking Dom Perignon, sparking criticism on social media.
Hours after meeting with Trump at the White House to discuss his plans to throw out hundreds of thousands of Black votes in Detroit, these Michigan Republicans topped off the night with a $495 bottle of Dom Perignon at Trump Hotel.
But Democrats are “coastal elitists,” they say. https://t.co/KYJed3NrYQ
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) November 21, 2020
According to the sources that spoke to The Washington Post, the attorney general is examining whether any of the state officials engaged in bribery, perjury or conspiracy.
Mr Biden leads Mr Trump in Michigan by more than 150,000 votes. In Michigan, a recount can only be triggered if the margin between candidates is 2,000 or fewer. Because the Trump campaign can not utilise a recount to change the election results, it appears the campaign is focused on invalidating ballots.
According to the website MLive.com, an attempt to stall Michigan from certifying the state in favour of Mr Biden, GOP National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel and Michigan Republican chair Laura Cox have urged the state's Board of State Canvassers from certifying the election results.
The leaders called for the board to adjourn for two weeks, allowing time for a full audit and investigation into "numerical anomalies and credible reports of procedural irregularities."
The last-ditch effort on the part of the GOP appears to be a response to Mr Trump's apparent failure to pressure the Michigan lawmakers to intervene in the election on his behalf.
According to the Detroit News, Michigan's secretary of state Jocelyn Benson said her office would eventually perform an audit of Wayne County and other areas for any evidence of irregularities, but said she could not do so prior to the state certifying the results, as she would not have access to the legal documents she would need for the inquiry until after certification.
Michigan's attorney general is reportedly looking into whether or not officials will be violating the law if they act on Donald Trump's instructions to block the certification of Joe Biden's victory in the state.
The Washington Post reported that Dana Nessel, a Democrat, is one of many officials growing increasingly concerned with the president’s attempts to influence the outcome of the state's election.
The publication cited anonymous sources close to the attorney general.
Michigan was in the spotlight earlier this week when two Republican board members on a canvassing committee in Wayne County refused to certify the results of the 2020 election. After public backlash, the officials buckled and agreed to certify the results.
Mr Trump called the officials on Tuesday night, after which they sought to rescind their vote to certify the election.
Wayne County is the home to the city of Detroit. Refusing to certify the results would result in primarily Democrat and disproportionately Black voters having their legally cast ballots thrown out.
Mr Trump's call was not the only effort he made to influence Michigan lawmakers; on Friday, four Michigan Republicans from the state legislature flew to Washington DC to take a meeting with the president.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the meeting was a standard meeting between the lawmakers and Mr Trump, and that it had nothing to do with the election. However, protesters - convinced that Mr Trump was going to try to pressure the officials to select electors loyal to him who would cast their votes in the electoral college in his favour - met the lawmakers in Washington DC with signs that read "shame."
Following the meeting, the Michigan lawmakers issued a statement saying they had "not yet been made aware of any information that would change the outcome of the election in Michigan and as legislative leaders, we will follow the law and follow the normal process regarding Michigan's electors, just as we have said throughout this election."
The night after their meeting, the lawmakers were photographed patronising a bar at the Trump Hotel drinking Dom Perignon, sparking criticism on social media.
Hours after meeting with Trump at the White House to discuss his plans to throw out hundreds of thousands of Black votes in Detroit, these Michigan Republicans topped off the night with a $495 bottle of Dom Perignon at Trump Hotel.
But Democrats are “coastal elitists,” they say. https://t.co/KYJed3NrYQ
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) November 21, 2020
According to the sources that spoke to The Washington Post, the attorney general is examining whether any of the state officials engaged in bribery, perjury or conspiracy.
Mr Biden leads Mr Trump in Michigan by more than 150,000 votes. In Michigan, a recount can only be triggered if the margin between candidates is 2,000 or fewer. Because the Trump campaign can not utilise a recount to change the election results, it appears the campaign is focused on invalidating ballots.
According to the website MLive.com, an attempt to stall Michigan from certifying the state in favour of Mr Biden, GOP National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel and Michigan Republican chair Laura Cox have urged the state's Board of State Canvassers from certifying the election results.
The leaders called for the board to adjourn for two weeks, allowing time for a full audit and investigation into "numerical anomalies and credible reports of procedural irregularities."
The last-ditch effort on the part of the GOP appears to be a response to Mr Trump's apparent failure to pressure the Michigan lawmakers to intervene in the election on his behalf.
According to the Detroit News, Michigan's secretary of state Jocelyn Benson said her office would eventually perform an audit of Wayne County and other areas for any evidence of irregularities, but said she could not do so prior to the state certifying the results, as she would not have access to the legal documents she would need for the inquiry until after certification.
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