A recorded call sparks a walkout at the Michigan Capitol
State Rep. Jamie Thompson will not return to the Michigan House of Representatives until Republican leadership addresses comments made by a fellow lawmaker about her daughter’s death.
Recordings obtained by The Detroit News show Republican State Rep. Jim DeSana of Carleton telling Monroe County GOP leaders that Thompson has a "victim mentality" because she publicly shares the story of her 24-year-old daughter’s fatal motorcycle crash in 2021.
"She tells that story all the time. It's this whole victim mentality. This is why I don't want to have anything to do with her," DeSana said in the recording.
Thompson told The Detroit News she wants DeSana removed from the Republican caucus and stripped of his committee assignments "for defamation of a colleague's deceased child."
"His ignorance should not be tolerated by the Republican Party, a party that professes to support the dignity of life," Thompson said.
The daughter’s story
Thompson has spoken publicly about her daughter’s death from the House floor and in support of legislation recognizing February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness month.
Her daughter was a teenage mother who had three children with an abusive boyfriend before leaving him, according to Thompson. She then entered another relationship. In June 2021, that boyfriend took her on a motorcycle ride and drove recklessly out of jealousy, Thompson said. The motorcycle crashed and both were killed.
The Southgate News Herald reported in 2021 that the motorcycle was traveling at high speed in the early hours of June 24, 2021, and was believed to have lost control and hit a pothole.
DeSana’s response
DeSana said Wednesday that Thompson’s daughter’s death was "tragically sad." He also maintained that "it's no secret that we don't get along at all."
In a written statement, DeSana claimed Thompson had a "vendetta against me from day one" and said the two have had run-ins on party and caucus matters.
"Rep. Thompson blames me for all of her problems," DeSana said.
Chaos on the House floor
The recordings were shared on Tuesday. On Wednesday, all of the female Republican lawmakers abruptly left the House floor for a period of time. House Speaker Matt Hall of Richland Township was seen beckoning DeSana off the floor.
DeSana eventually returned to vote on legislation. Hall did not return a message seeking comment.
Who released the recordings
Todd Gillman, former chairman of the Monroe County Republican Party, recorded the March 1 Zoom call with DeSana. Gillman sent clips of the call to Thompson on Tuesday before sharing them with The Detroit News.
Gillman resigned as county party chair last month.
"It was just a bunch of vile garbage," Gillman said of DeSana’s statements.
The Detroit News reported earlier this week that Thompson had used donor money to pay her son more than $24,000 in consulting fees, with some payments made after he was charged with domestic violence. Thompson said Wednesday her son’s charges have since been dismissed.
DeSana organized the March 1 call with Monroe County Republican leadership to discuss that article and other complaints he had about Thompson, according to Gillman.
Other remarks in the recording
In the same call, DeSana said he views "almost every one of my fellow state reps as a scumbag." He also called his colleagues "swamp rats" and accused them of dating each other and socializing with lobbyists.
"These people stay in Lansing, they drink with the lobbyists, they eat with the lobbyists. They are swamp rats to the Nth degree," DeSana said.
Holli Vallade, then vice chair of the Monroe County Republican Party, interrupted DeSana during the call. She said she did not think discussing details of Thompson’s daughter’s life decisions was relevant to the situation.
Thompson said she will work in her Downriver district and not in Lansing until DeSana’s words are addressed.