Michigan Democrats call out far-right Republican for accusing a state senator of trying to 'sexualize kindergartners'

Ari Melber, the MSNBC host and liberal pundit who can cleverly work hip-hop references into everything from the Mueller report to President Joe Biden’s economic policies, has warned that the problem with ignoring false narratives from the far right is that those narratives can grow and inflict a lot of damage. But in Michigan, one of the Democrats who isn’t ignoring a hateful attack from the far right is State Sen. Mallory McMorrow — who is calling out Republican State Sen. Lana Theis in response to a claim that McMorrow is trying to “groom and sexualize kindergartners.”

Although Theis singled out McMorrow in a fundraising e-mail, she was really attacking Democrats in general with the false narrative that they are “groomers” trying to “sexualize” kids in addition to indoctrinating them with “critical race theory.”

According to Detroit Metro News reporter, Steve Neavling, “The e-mail called out ‘progressive social media trolls like Senator Mallory McMorrow (D-Snowflake) who are outraged’ that they ‘can’t groom and sexualize kindergartners’ or teach that ‘8-year olds are responsible for slavery.’”

Theis wrote, “These enlightened elites believe our rights end at the curb of the school drop-off and we must surrender to the wisdom of teacher unions, trans-activists, and the education bureaucracy.”

McMorrow pushed back vehemently against Theis during a Tuesday, April 19 speech on the Michigan Senate floor, saying, “I didn’t expect to wake up yesterday to the news that the senator from the 22nd District had, overnight, accused me by name of grooming and sexualizing children in an e-mail fundraising for herself. So, I sat on it for a while, wondering, ‘Why me?’ And then, I realized: because I am the biggest threat to your hollow, hateful scheme — because you can’t claim that you are targeting marginalized kids in the name of ‘parental rights’ if another parent is standing up to say no.”

McMorrow continued, “So, then what? Then, you dehumanize and marginalize me. You say that I’m one of them. You say she’s a groomer, she supports pedophilia, she wants children to believe that they were responsible for slavery.”

Theis, in the Michigan State Senate, has proposed legislation that would make it illegal to teach “critical race theory” in K-12 schools.

Neavling notes, “Theis is facing a tough challenger in the Republican primary election. Former President Donald Trump endorsed her opponent Mike Detmer, a far-right conspiracy theorist, for the Senate seat.”

As extreme as Theis is, Detmer is even worse — which is why Trump prefers him. Trump has claimed that Theis “forgot she’s a Republican.” And Detmer has passionately defended the violent Proud Boys.

McMorrow isn’t the only Michigan Democrat who is calling Theis out. Lavora Barnes, who chairs the Michigan Democratic Party, slammed Theis as well, saying, “Regardless of your political affiliation, everyone should be as disgusted and as outraged as I am that Republican State Sen. Lana Theis accused her colleague, State Sen. Mallory McMorrow, of wanting to groom and sexualize kindergarteners. This is a sad commentary on how low the GOP is willing to go to try and win. Sen. McMorrow is an outstanding advocate for public education, working families, and our most vulnerable citizens. To say or imply anything different is a lie. Sen. Theis should be ashamed of herself.”

Michigan State Sen. Stephanie Chang, also a Democrat, said she was “appalled” by Theis’ “despicable” comments.

Chang said of Theis’ attack on McMorrow, “This incident represents the worst of politics today. Michiganders elected us to serve, and they expect us to be much better. I implore my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to take a good, long, hard look in the mirror and ask who it is they are working for, because it is clearly not the people of Michigan.”