East Michigan News

As extremist supporters of President Donald Trump besieged the U.S. Capitol building on last Wednesday, Michigan's members of Congress were left in a state of shock.

Hours before the attack, Trump spoke at a rally in front of the White House where he urged his supporters to march on the Capitol as a sign of strength to convince lawmakers to overturn November's election results, which he claims are fraudulent, according to Bridge Michigan.

Trump repeated previously refuted claims about the Michigan election. He claimed that "Detroit had more votes than it had voters," alleging that the city had a 139% voter turnout, when it was actually only around 50%, and that voting machines from Dominion Voting Systems had flipped votes in swing states around the country

Rep. Jason Wentworth | Michigan House Republicans

“Make no mistake: this election was stolen from you, from me and from the country," Trump said, according to Bridge Michigan.

As his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol, lawmakers were evacuated to safety.

U.S. Rep. Andy Levin (D-Bloomfield Township) sheltered in place in the office of U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, (D-Holly) following the news of rioting in the Capitol and bomb threats.

“What's happening right now is literally an assault on democracy itself,” Levin told Bridge Michigan. “The president of the United States has encouraged his supporters to overrun the U.S. Capitol to disrupt the counting of the Electoral College votes. We're not going to let it happen. We're going to stand here and do our jobs.”

Levin said that three Michigan Democrats — U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (Flint Township), U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Dearborn) and U.S. Rep Brenda Lawrence of (D-Southfield) — were in the Capitol during the attack and were evacuated to an undisclosed location for their safety.

On the same day, hundreds of Trump supporters also held a rally at the Michigan Capitol, but it was a peaceful demonstration.

“Today’s riot at the [U.S.] Capitol is not what anyone wants for our country or our children,” Michigan House Speaker-elect Jason Wentworth (R-Farwell) said, according to Bridge Michigan.

“Now is the time to put this election behind us once and for all,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said, according to Bridge Michigan. “We must unify as one nation to defeat our real enemy, which is the pandemic that has taken far too many of our friends, neighbors and loved ones.”