LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Michigan State Representative Steve Carra (R-Three Rivers) announced his plans to introduce a resolution that would censure the Speaker of the House, Joseph Tate (D-Detroit) over racism.

Why the proposed censure?

Rep. Carra, surrounded by other members of the Michigan Freedom Caucus including: Rep. Neil Friske (R-Charlevoix), Rep. James DeSana (R-Carleton) and Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford) shared their House Resolution.

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“Whereas, Speaker of the House Joe Tate was elected to lead the Michigan House of Representatives and, as presiding officer, is directly culpable for allowing House Bill 4437 of 2023, a budget bill which awarded state funding to small business owners,” the resolution read.

As part of the resolution, the representatives highlighted section 10.17 of the budget that gives $10 million to “minority-owned businesses or nonprofit business organizations to implement small business development initiatives for minority-owned businesses in this state.”

Speaker Tate repeatedly dodged questions and meetings with him for conversation, according to Rep. Carra. He said Speaker Tate’s actions could have been a “simple oversight” regarding the budget.

“All he needs to do is apologize to the people of Michigan and assure them that it’s not going to happen again,” Rep. Carra said.

He also declared that Speaker Tate needed to apologize to the people of Michigan for the “racist” grant program.

“I’m opposed to the government picking winners and losers, including but not limited to, based on the color of a person’s skin,” Rep. Carra said. “The budget was supported by 61 of my colleagues last year, indicating that racism is something that has not been properly eradicated. It’s time to right this wrong, Speaker Joe Tate owes the people of Michigan a sincere apology without delay.”

Defining a minority and racism.

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Previously reported by Michigan News Source, a “minority” is defined by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development as ““African American, Native American, Hispanic American, Asian Pacific American or Subcontinent-Asian American.”

During the press conference, the group addressed what would have happened had the budget allotted money for a “white” owned business instead of a minority owned business.

“Can you imagine the firestorm that would create throughout the state, nation, and international headlines that would get for how racist and abhorrent that is,” Rep. Carra said. “Is racism okay just as long as it goes in the correct direction or should we treat people with dignity and respect regardless of the color of their skin?”

Rep. Carra also answered a question regarding the definition of racism.

“I think that discriminating against people based on the color of their skin, you can have words that could be racist, but you can also have actions that can be racist,” Rep. Carra said. “if we’re going to treat certain people a certain way based on the color of the skin, whether that’s how we talk about them, whether or not they are allowed to use a drinking fountain, or whether or not they are able to qualify for a half million dollar grant program that other small business owners aren’t able to receive.”

Press conference location change.

Rep. Carra also highlighted that while the press conference was supposed to be held in the Republican Press Conference room, central staff said they could not host it there due to concern “they may possibly lose their jobs based on the future of this resolution, going for the censorship of the speaker of the house.”

“Because the central staff, although they work for the Republican Caucus and they work under Republican leadership, they work at the pleasure of the Speaker of the House, which in this circumstance is a Democrat, and there was fear that their staff could be fired if we had the meeting in there.” Rep. Carra said.

Next steps for the House Resolution

Rep. Carra shared that the plan is to introduce the House Resolution later on Tuesday during session. Story in development.