As the Dave Agema story builds to a potential crescendo, it appears that Michigan’s controversial Republican National Committeeman may skip the 3-day RNC winter meeting that began today altogether.
One source tells me that Agema, facing a growing chorus of top GOP officials calling for his resignation, has apparently cancelled his hotel reservations in Washington and will sit this one out.
The latest Republican loyalist to insist that Agema bow out for good due to his bigoted online comments is Congresswoman Candice Miller of Harrison Township. In a statement released last night, Miller said:
“The use of divisive and hurtful rhetoric
toward any group, religion or person who some may perceive as different than
themselves gashes new wounds open, does nothing to make America or Michigan a
better place, and runs counter to beliefs of the vast majority of people within
our state and nation who are dedicated to the cause of freedom and liberty for all.”
toward any group, religion or person who some may perceive as different than
themselves gashes new wounds open, does nothing to make America or Michigan a
better place, and runs counter to beliefs of the vast majority of people within
our state and nation who are dedicated to the cause of freedom and liberty for all.”
One largely overlooked sidebar to this story is that the Michigan Catholic Conference, the policy arm of the church, has been tweeting about the ongoing criticisms Agema is facing.
On Tuesday, the MCC retweeted a story by MLive that suggested simply asking Agema to resign is not enough:
_________________________________________________
SML Randy Richardville
discusses idea of removing Agema via recall process, story via @jonathanoosting
discusses idea of removing Agema via recall process, story via @jonathanoosting
____________________________________________________________________
Because this is a story that practically requires a scorecard to keep track of all the developments, here’s a summary of where we stand right now.
* Those Republicans who say Agema, a former west Michigan state rep, failed his RNC duties by bringing division and
damage to the party now includes: Miller, Congressmen Fred Upton of St. Joseph
and Justin Amash of Cascade Township, RNC Chair Reince Priebus, former RNC members Betsy DeVos and Saul Anuzis, Michigan GOP Chair Bobby Schostak, Speaker of the House Jase
Bolger and Senate Majority Randy Richardville. Gov. Rick
Snyder, titular head of the MIGOP, now says he wouldn’t
oppose GOP leaders taking action to defrock Agema.
damage to the party now includes: Miller, Congressmen Fred Upton of St. Joseph
and Justin Amash of Cascade Township, RNC Chair Reince Priebus, former RNC members Betsy DeVos and Saul Anuzis, Michigan GOP Chair Bobby Schostak, Speaker of the House Jase
Bolger and Senate Majority Randy Richardville. Gov. Rick
Snyder, titular head of the MIGOP, now says he wouldn’t
oppose GOP leaders taking action to defrock Agema.
* Agema’s Michigan partner on the RNC, Senate candidate Terri Lynn Land, has ducked the controversy. And you can bet the Michigan Democrats have noticed. “It’s incredible that after repeated
instances of Dave Agema spreading
bigotry and divisiveness, his fellow RNC member Terri Land still won’t say a
word,” said Lon Johnson,
Michigan Democratic Party chair.
instances of Dave Agema spreading
bigotry and divisiveness, his fellow RNC member Terri Land still won’t say a
word,” said Lon Johnson,
Michigan Democratic Party chair.
* In reference to Agema citing the homophobic claims of a former KKK leader, some of the GOP faithful have started referring to Agema, a Grandville resident, as the Grand(ville) Dragon.
* Over at Eclectablog, the liberals are engaged in belly laughs over Agema’s upcoming fundraiser — for himself — comparing him to a grifter. “If you really want to feed
the grift mill, you can be a “sponsor” starting at $250. He’s got 22 people
coming so far so that’s $1,100 to keep the hate-speech flowing,” the blog site wrote. “They
say there’s one born every minute but, when it comes to conservative
extremists, there might be two or three born every minute.”
the grift mill, you can be a “sponsor” starting at $250. He’s got 22 people
coming so far so that’s $1,100 to keep the hate-speech flowing,” the blog site wrote. “They
say there’s one born every minute but, when it comes to conservative
extremists, there might be two or three born every minute.”
* Dennis Lennox, a party activist from Grand Traverse County has sent letters to the 168 RNC members calling for action at the winter meeting that opens today.
* The Michigan Log Cabin Republicans
have entered the fray and they’re trying to pull a longtime figure from the Religious Right into the fight. They’re calling on Gary Glenn, a state House candidate who received Agema’s endorsement early on, to disavow the anti-Islamic
and homophobic remarks Agema has posted on Facebook.
have entered the fray and they’re trying to pull a longtime figure from the Religious Right into the fight. They’re calling on Gary Glenn, a state House candidate who received Agema’s endorsement early on, to disavow the anti-Islamic
and homophobic remarks Agema has posted on Facebook.
* If Agema keeps his distance from the RNC, he must know that he will face a much tougher crowd than was in attendance at last month’s Republican state committee meeting. All talk of censoring or repudiating Agema was silenced at that session and, in fact, some of the committee members gave him a standing ovation.
* While some well-respected Republicans — Dan Pero, Paul Welday, Jennifer Gratz — spoke out against Agema’s hate speech several weeks ago, it should be remembered that the first prominent Republican to condemn Agema was former state Attorney General Mike Cox. Back in April, after Agema posted his first gay-bashing diatribe on Facebook, including some discredited right-wing claims from four decades ago, Cox was the only GOP stalwart to speak up.
“What
he posted was ugly, old and makes Republicans look like a bunch of yahoos,” Cox said.
he posted was ugly, old and makes Republicans look like a bunch of yahoos,” Cox said.
*****
Here is Miller’s entire statement:
“Recently in his State
of the State address, Gov. Snyder reacted to recent divisive statements
directed at groups or religions and called for all Michigan citizens to treat
each other with a greater deal of civility and respect, particularly toward those
with whose backgrounds or views may be different from our own. I
wholeheartedly agree.
of the State address, Gov. Snyder reacted to recent divisive statements
directed at groups or religions and called for all Michigan citizens to treat
each other with a greater deal of civility and respect, particularly toward those
with whose backgrounds or views may be different from our own. I
wholeheartedly agree.
“I am a proud member
of the Republican Party, the party of Lincoln, which was founded to fulfill the
promise of the Declaration of Independence that all men are created
equal. In his second inaugural address, President Lincoln explained that
our duty going forward following the Civil War was not to single out any
particular group to pay a price for the conflict, but instead he stated:
of the Republican Party, the party of Lincoln, which was founded to fulfill the
promise of the Declaration of Independence that all men are created
equal. In his second inaugural address, President Lincoln explained that
our duty going forward following the Civil War was not to single out any
particular group to pay a price for the conflict, but instead he stated:
‘With malice toward
none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see
the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the
nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his
widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and
lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.’
none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see
the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the
nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his
widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and
lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.’
“I am also a member of
the Party of Reagan. President Reagan stated the following in his first
Inaugural Address 34 years ago:
the Party of Reagan. President Reagan stated the following in his first
Inaugural Address 34 years ago:
‘Well, this
administration’s objective will be a healthy, vigorous, growing economy that
provides equal opportunity for all Americans, with no barriers born of bigotry
or discrimination.’
administration’s objective will be a healthy, vigorous, growing economy that
provides equal opportunity for all Americans, with no barriers born of bigotry
or discrimination.’
“The challenges that
we face today are nothing compared to the challenges faced by our nation after
the Civil War and are similar to those faced by President Reagan. Today,
all who seek to lead in our nation have a responsibility to do as Lincoln
suggested and bind our nation’s wounds. The use of divisive and
hurtful rhetoric toward any group, religion or person who some may perceive as
different than themselves gashes new wounds open, does nothing to make America
or Michigan a better place, and runs counter to beliefs of the vast majority of
people within our state and nation who are dedicated to the cause of freedom
and liberty for all.
we face today are nothing compared to the challenges faced by our nation after
the Civil War and are similar to those faced by President Reagan. Today,
all who seek to lead in our nation have a responsibility to do as Lincoln
suggested and bind our nation’s wounds. The use of divisive and
hurtful rhetoric toward any group, religion or person who some may perceive as
different than themselves gashes new wounds open, does nothing to make America
or Michigan a better place, and runs counter to beliefs of the vast majority of
people within our state and nation who are dedicated to the cause of freedom
and liberty for all.
Those who seek to be leaders must strive to be
inclusive and respectful of others. Anyone who presents themselves as a
leader who takes the path of division or exclusion is not following the
examples of Lincoln and Reagan and is not worthy of any position of
leadership. Dave Agema has failed this test and should resign.”
inclusive and respectful of others. Anyone who presents themselves as a
leader who takes the path of division or exclusion is not following the
examples of Lincoln and Reagan and is not worthy of any position of
leadership. Dave Agema has failed this test and should resign.”
While not as prominent as Cox, I spoke up months ago to call for his resignation.~Ezra Drissman