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Michigan’s 16 presidential electors followed the law yesterday afternoon, and cast their votes for president-elect Joe Biden and vice president-elect Kamala Harris.
Threats of violence that obliged legislative leaders to close the capitol building and state offices to other activities did not materialize, with less than a dozen demonstrators outside.
The day was not without drama, however, as one state representative threatened to disrupt the proceeding.
In an interview on a Port Huron radio station, Gary Eisen of Saint Clair Township said he and a group of supporters of President Donald Trump would be at the capitol to demonstrate, and refused – several times – to rule out violence.
He also accused legislative leaders of using threats of violence that they said had been received as an excuse to limit access to pro-Trump protesters.
Republican Party leadership reacted quickly. Eisen was stripped of his committee assignments. Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey reiterated that Biden and Harris won Michigan’s election, and that the Democratic electors should be allowed to proceed with their duties. House Speaker Lee Chatfield stressed that violence has no place in the democratic process.
Eisen later backtracked, saying that he meant that, although he intended to be peaceful, he couldn’t speak for others. He wound up not attending at all.
