Now-Deleted Facebook Group Included “Dozens of Recent Posts Promoting or Threatening Violence” Against Slotkin and Other MI Politicians
It’s been almost two weeks since the Detroit Metro Times reported on a now-deleted Facebook group “that promoted violence against Democrats and Muslims and churned out degrading comments about women,” including Rep. Elissa Slotkin.
GOP congressional candidates Mike Detmer and Alan Hoover were members of the group and have yet to give a credible explanation for their membership or have remained completely silent, respectively. What’s more, the other GOP candidates – Paul Junge, Nikki Snyder, and Kristina Lyke – have yet to denounce (or comment at all) on this hateful, dangerous language.
“Threatening violence and promoting hate speech against anyone has no place in our politics,” said DCCC Spokesperson Courtney Rice. “Michiganders deserve an explanation from Mike Detmer and Alan Hoover as to why they were members of this group and to hear the other Republican candidates – Paul Junge, Nikki Snyder, and Kristina Lyke – vehemently denounce this vile and dangerous rhetoric. Their silence makes them complicit.”
From the Detroit Metro Times exposé:
An anti-Gov. Gretchen Whitmer group on Facebook devolved into a vile platform that promoted violence against Democrats and Muslims and churned out degrading comments about women.
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Metro Times identified dozens of recent posts promoting or threatening violence, primarily against Whitmer, U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib and Elissa Slotkin, American Muslims, and Dearborn. Hundreds of comments were posted each day, and many included vulgar insults against women, Muslims, Democrats, and LGTBQ+ communities.
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One story from the conservative site Outraged Patriot falsely suggested Slotkin “admits her full allegiance to Qassam Soleimani,” the Iranian general who was killed in a U.S. airstrike.
Member Merek Smith suggested Slotkin “should be burned and raped.”
“Off with her head,” wrote Joe Hackett, whose main Facebook image is a handgun.
“She needs to be hung in the streets for treason,” Mike Repke responded.
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Other members include at least three Republican congressional candidates (Mike Detmer, Alan Hoover, and Earl Lackie)…