Man uses racial slur while testifying against Michigan Capitol gun ban

Lansing — A man disrupted an already tense Michigan Senate committee Thursday over whether guns should be permanently banned from the Capitol by making racist comments about people in Detroit while testifying.

The person identified himself as Avi Rachlin and said he represented “Groypers for America,” referring to the far right extremist movementaccording to the testimony card he submitted to the Michigan Senate Committee on Civil Rights, Judiciary and Public Safety.

Rachlin opened his remarks by claiming that Democrats’ efforts to push through the gun ban on the Capitol and the House and Senate office buildings went against the “will of the people,” who voted on Nov. 5 to elect Republican elect Donald Trump as president. return control of the State House to the Republican Party.

“This is legislation that targets white people,” Rachlin said. “It is racist because the people coming into the Capitol are predominantly white people…, and this is retaliation against the only demographic group that voted overwhelmingly to support Donald Trump.”

Rachlin then said lawmakers should focus on people who shoot others in places like Detroit. He noted that the committee’s chairwoman, Sen. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, represents part of the city. Rachlin then said the individuals are “overwhelmingly 13 to 34 year old Sub-Saharan African n——.”

In response, Chang banged her gavel and said the committee would move forward.

“Are you going to have armed guards remove me?” Rachlin asked. “Armed men with guns?”

Sen. Jim Runestad, R-White Lake, intervened and asked, “Did I just hear you call a group of people by some nickname?”

“Yes,” Rachlin replied.

Sen. Ruth Johnson, R-Holly, told Rachlin: “The term you used is inappropriate and will get you nowhere in this Legislature.”

Moments later, the committee voted 4-2 to send the bills to the full Senate, with Runestad and Johnson in opposition.

The measures would generally ban guns in the Michigan Capitol, the Anderson House Office Building and the Binsfeld Senate Office Building in Lansing. However, a lawmaker with a concealed pistol permit would still be able to carry a weapon into the buildings.

Currently under a policy of the Michigan State Capitol Commissionweapons are banned in the Capitol. This standard does not apply to the office buildings of the House of Representatives and Senate.

Sen. Dayna Polehanki, D-Livonia, one of the bills’ sponsors, has argued that lawmakers should sign the ban into law so that a future committee can’t change it on its own. Polehanki said it is “very important” to her to get the bills through the Legislature by the end of the year, before Republicans take back control of the state House.

“As you can see, my Republican colleagues who voted no do not believe in protecting Michigan citizens in the Capitol from the real threat of gun violence,” Polehanki said.

The Livonia lawmaker said there are enough votes in the Senate to pass the bills.

Polehanki and Sen. Sarah Anthony, D-Lansing, both testified about protests Thursday during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 – before the gun ban was in effect – which allowed individuals with guns to enter the gallery of the Senate.

“It was just a few years ago that many of us in this building were absolutely terrified when firearms were pointed at us as we tried to do our jobs,” Anthony said.

Runestad asked Anthony if she had reported to Capitol security that the guns were pointed at her. Anthony said she filed a formal complaint with Michigan State Police and House sergeants. Runestad interrupted Anthony. She then said, “I’ve raised many nieces and nephews, and I’m not shy when it comes to handling tantrums.”

A representative of the National Rifle Association and Tom Lambert, legislative director of the group Michigan Open Carry, testified against the bills.

Lambert said Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, would have prosecuted individuals if they pointed guns at lawmakers during protests in 2020. Michigan already has a law against swaying a firearm, including pointing a gun in a threatening mannerLambert noted.

“The bills are a solution in search of a problem,” Lambert argued.

[email protected]