Michigan Senator Mike Shirkey Thinks Capitol Riot Was 'Staged,' Mitch McConnell Was 'Part of It' On 2/9/21 at 6:46 PM EST Michigan Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey said in a recent conversation that "Trump people" weren't responsible for the riot at the U.S. Capitol and that people "wanted a mess" ahead of the violence. Shirkey's comments were recorded in a video that was posted on YouTube after he met with members of the Hillsdale County Republican Party. The local GOP group later voted to censure him for not supporting former President Donald Trump enough and for failing to stand up to Governor Gretchen Whitmer with regard to the Second Amendment and COVID-19 restrictions.