PARTY GAMES
Republican congressman John James (Rochester and Rochester Hills, along with the southern portion of Macomb County) has been a proud conservative since he first touted his support of former President Donald Trump in his failed campaign against Senator Debbie Stabenow (D) in 2018. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently put up billboards thanking him for his work in Washington. He was one of the 15 nominating representatives in former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) epic January 2023 effort to become speaker. He shored up his bona-fides to the party by supporting Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) in proposing an amendment to slash Energy Secretary (and former Michigan Governor) Jennifer Granholm’s salary to $1, citing her past as a board member of a company in South Carolina. “The unrealistic, untimely, and unjust forced EV mandates she supports is building the Chinese middle-class on the backs of middle-class families in Michigan and so many other states across our country–it’s time for her to pay,” James said. “She failed in Michigan, and we can’t let her fail in America.” So it’s a surprise to hear that the far-right Michigan Patriots planned a protest rally at James’ district office in Warren on October 25 after James refused to support House Freedom Caucus member Jim Jordan (R-OH) as House Speaker. “John James has left the House in chaos and weakened Republicans’ position, simply because he is loyal to lobbyists over his tax-paying constituents,” said Adam de Angeli, founder of the Rescue Michigan Coalition.