By Michelle Hazekamp
March 21, 2023
Monday, March 20, the Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee voted unanimously to approve two resolutions in regards to a recent wave of unconstitutional legislation transpiring in Lansing.
A Resolution to Censure the Elected Republicans Who United with the Democratic Majorities and Transgressed on the 1st Amendment of the Michigan & U.S. Constitutions and Oath of Office by way of Infringing on the Religious Freedoms of All Michiganders
The first resolution is a censure against eleven Elected Republicans who joined forces with the Democratic majority and voted in favor of the amended Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act, without a religious freedom amendment. This bill changed verbiage in the Elliot-Larsen Act from prohibiting discrimination based on "sex", to "sexual orientation." The bill also removed the religious freedom clause, thereby making it a criminal offense for religious entities and business's to deny services based on religious beliefs and values. Many of our Republican legislators submitted several amendments to re-instate a religious freedom clause, however their attempts failed. The three Republican State Senators and eight House Republicans who betrayed their constituents and their oath of office are named in the resolution.
A Resolution to Oppose All Legislation Infringing on 2nd Amendment Rights in the Michigan and U.S. Constitutions
The second resolution opposes all gun legislation infringing on our 2nd Amendment right that recently has passed the House and Senate. This resolution emphasizes the guaranteed protection of the 2nd Amendment in the the U.S. Constitution and any law established by legislators is repugnant based on the sole verbiage of "Shall not be infringed."
These Colors Don't Run!
The Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee will not surrender our core values to the unlawfulness being enacted in Lansing. We will uphold our duties and support to the Constitution of the United States. We will not submit to the far left ideology that seeks to destroy the very foundation of righteousness. As the saying goes, "These colors don't run," and they are the colors that run through the blood of every patriot who will not waver in the face of evil. We give great Thanks to our Republican Elected Officials in Lansing who are standing firm and fighting for us!
Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee
A Resolution to Censure the Elected Republicans Who United with the Democratic Majorities and Transgressed on the 1st Amendment of the Michigan & U.S. Constitutions and Their Oath of Office by way of Infringing on the Religious Freedoms of All Michiganders.
WHEREAS, The Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee imposes a Censure on eleven Michigan Republican Legislators, to include; Senators Joseph Bellino Jr., Ruth Johnson, and Michael Webber; and Representatives Timothy Beson, Matthew Bierlein, Graham Filler, Mike Mueller, Kathy Schmaltz, Bill Schuette, Mark Tisdel, and Pauline Wendzel for uniting with the Democratic Majorities in both chambers and going against the conservative principles they said they would defend; and
WHEREAS, Three Republican State Senators and eight House Republicans crossed party lines to vote with the Democrat majority, going against the wishes of their constituencies for legislation that was passed through both chambers in Lansing; and
WHEREAS, The Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act already imposes protection from discrimination based on sex, which can be considered a broad term to justify current social justices, was totally unwarranted; and
WHEREAS, The majority of the Republicans in each chamber opposed these amendments to the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act, arguing that it could infringe on religious groups’ rights; and
WHEREAS, More than a dozen Republican legislators offered amendments to also address the issues related to discrimination of the un-vaccinated, religious orientation, religious identity, and religious expression, with the act’s religious protections, and they were defeated; and
WHEREAS, It is essential that our religious freedoms, as outlined in the U.S. Constitution, be honored and respected pertaining to those “individuals” and “small business owners,” and “employers” — and that they be respected and protected from any and all discrimination that would infringe upon their personal religious beliefs; and
WHEREAS, The unconstitutional tactics to remove the right to religious freedom, which is guaranteed and protected by the 1st Amendment of the Michigan and U.S. Constitutions, was a deliberate and diabolical act resulting in the future persecution of all religious entities; and
WHEREAS, These eleven Republican Legislators have violated their responsibilities to uphold the 1st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution by blatantly voting with the Democrat majority in passing this specific legislation that excludes any protections for people of faith; and
WHEREAS, It is imperative that our elected Republican legislators stand together as a group united as one to protect all of our constitutional rights and to not bend to the political pressure of the liberal left; and
NOW THEREFORE LET IT BE RESOLVED, That the Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee hereby formally rebukes and censures Senators Joseph Bellino Jr., Ruth Johnson, and Michael Webber; and Representatives Timothy Beson, Matthew Bierlein, Graham Filler, Mike Mueller, Kathy Schmaltz, Bill Schuette, Mark Tisdel, and Pauline Wendzel for violating the trust of their constituents, oath of office and the Republican Party Platform by uniting with the democratic majorities in the Michigan Legislature in voting to amend the Elliot-
Larsen Civil Rights Act without consideration for the “religious rights” of the individual as outlined in the U.S. Constitution.
LET IT ALSO BE KNOWN, That copies of this resolution will be transmitted electronically to each of the legislators offices, Republican District and County Party chairs.
Approved unanimously by the Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee on
March 20, 2023
Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee
A Resolution To Oppose All Legislation Infringing on 2nd Amendment Rights in the Michigan and U.S. Constitutions
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of our nation; and
WHEREAS, the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution states, “A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; and
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court has affirmed that the right of an individual to “keep and bear arms,” as protected under the Second Amendment, is incorporated by the Due Process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment against the states; and
WHEREAS, the United States Supreme Court has affirmed in the District of Columbia vs. Heller 554 U.S. 570 (2008) an individual’s right to possess firearms, unconnected with service in a militia, for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home; and
WHEREAS, Michigan Compiled Law 28.422, requiring a license to purchase, carry, possess, or transport a pistol, is itself an infringement of rights guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and therefore repugnant to the U.S. Constitution; and
WHEREAS, In Gretchen Whitmer’s January 25, 2023 State of the State address, the governor called for enacting “extreme risk protection orders” and “safe storage laws” so we can make sure firearms are “stored safely at home” (emphasis added), encouraging legislators to create laws which would result in further infringements and further jeopardize the Constitutional 2nd Amendment rights of Michiganders; and
WHEREAS, the Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee are concerned about the passages of any bill containing language which could be interpreted as infringing the rights of the citizens of Muskegon County to keep and bear arms; and
WHEREAS, the Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee wishes to declare it’s support of the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and Article 1, section 6 of the Michigan Constitution; and
WHEREAS, the Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee wishes to express opposition to any law that would unconstitutionally restrict the rights of the citizens of Muskegon County to keep and bear arms;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee encourages the Muskegon County Board of Commissioners, as the governing body of the county, to formally denounce the calls by Governor Gretchen Whitmer for the Michigan legislature to enact laws which would infringe upon the people’s right to bear arms and the calls to enact laws which would legalize unreasonable searches and seizures of the people of Michigan and their homes;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee encourages the Muskegon County Sheriff, as the law enforcement officer elected by the registered voters of the county to uphold and defend the constitution, to denounce such laws should they be enacted, by refusing to require himself, his undersheriff, or his deputies to carry them out.
LET IT ALSO BE KNOWN, That copies of this resolution will be transmitted electronically to each of the Muskegon County Commissioners and the Muskegon County Sheriff for consideration for action that can be taken on their part to address the usurpation of authority guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution to its citizens.
Approved unanimously by the Muskegon County Republican Executive Committee on
March 20, 2023
Click on images below to read each resolution.
