At least two Republican lawmakers in Michigan got into a physical confrontation that resulted in police being called an one of the men giving an interview to The Detroit News from a hospital emergency room on Saturday.
It all started with the Pledge of Allegiance — and a middle finger. Smack talk and smack downs ensued.
Police were called to the Doherty Hotel in downtown Clare, Michigan on Saturday after a scuffle broke out between Republican lawmakers at a state party committee meeting, Craig Mauger of the Detroit News reported this weekend.
Controversial Wayne County Republican James Chapman and Clare County Republican chair Mark DeYoung both spoke to the Detroit News about the altercation; DeYoung by phone from an emergency room after the brawl.
Among the incredible details of the GOP battle were the fact that it began with a hallway Pledge of Allegiance and doorknob wriggle, involved flipped the bird and flipping a table, and eventually, according to DeYoung, resulted in a groin punt and a broken rib.
“He kicked me in my balls as soon as I opened the door,” DeYoung told Mauger by phone, referring to the actions of Chapman, who was angry that the meeting was only for committee members.
The amazing quotes gathered by Mauger did not end there.
The scuffle intensified with Chapman running at DeYoung and slamming him into a chair, DeYoung said. DeYoung provided his account in a phone interview from an emergency room in Clare. DeYoung said he had suffered a broken rib.
Chapman alleged that DeYoung had said, “I’ll kick your a–” and swung at him. DeYoung denied those claims.
At one point, Chapman removed his own glasses, Chapman said.
“When you see me taking my glasses off, I’m ready to rock,” Chapman said.
Chapman said he took DeYoung by the legs and knocked him over.
It actually goes on.
DeYoung told the Detroit News he will be pressing charges in the incident.
Fellow state committee member Kristin Lee stressed on Twitter that the altercation took place outside the meeting room and was not predicated on any disagreements among those who were invited to attend, which Detroit News made clear in the article.
The Clare police have not posted any more details about the incident online at the time of this post.
