What the heck were Michigan’s top Republican legislators celebrating at Trump’s D.C. hotel last night, after claiming they would not interfere with the state’s election certification? And who paid for the $800 champagne they drank?
I guess MI House Speaker @LeeChatfield + @RepJimLillyMI were in a celebratory mood last night, drinking Dom Perignon at the Trump Hotel til midnight 🥂 pic.twitter.com/s7FDpDdshm
— Lauren Windsor (@lawindsor) November 21, 2020
After meeting at the White House, Mike Shirkey, Michigan’s Senate leader, and Lee Chatfield, the speaker of the State House, announced that they learned no new information that would change the outcome of the election. "The lawmakers stopped short of affirming Mr. Biden’s victory in the state in the statement. But they also sent a clear signal that they would abide by the election results," The New York Times reported.
The statement from Chatfield and Shirkey also suggested that their goal in visiting the White House was to get COVID relief. “We used our time in the White House to deliver a letter to President Trump making clear our support for additional federal funds to help Michigan in the fight against COVID-19,” it said.
Really? Was it a huge commitment of COVID relief that prompted Chatfield and State Rep. Jim Lilly, apparently also part of the delegation, to pop an $800 bottle of champagne at the Trump International Hotel in D.C. after the meeting? And who paid for that bottle?
Before promising any relief, did Trump ask any of them to “do us a favor, though?”
Michigan Democrats, and others, had the same questions on Twitter:
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
3. Will you denounce Laura Cox and Ronna McDaniel's request that the Michigan Board of Canvassers break the law by not certifying the election results on Monday, November 23?
— Michigan Democrats (@MichiganDems) November 21, 2020
And SOMEONE knew they were staying at Trump's hotel, to have had enough lead time to do this:
To cap an extraordinary day in Michigan politics, a D.C. tipster just sent me photos of the names and images of @SenMikeShirkey and @LeeChatfield being projected on the side of the @TrumpDC International Hotel with the words “VOTERS DECIDED” and “THE WORLD IS WATCHING.” pic.twitter.com/vUvkxjpPqx
— Chad Livengood (@ChadLivengood) November 21, 2020
