Democrats and Republicans condemn MIGOP tweet

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Democrats criticized a tweet from the Michigan Republican Party comparing gun reform legislation to the Holocaust.

Background: Michigan GOP slammed for comparing gun reform to Holocaust

The party’s chair, Kristina Karamo, defended the tweet amid the backlash from across the country.

Thursday afternoon, the Michigan House of Representatives approved a resolution condemning Holocaust comparisons.

“Today everyone gets to move on from it. It happened yesterday. But I don’t get to move on from it. I woke up this morning to death threat upon death threat,” said Rep. Samantha Steckloff, (D) Farmington Hills.

Steckloff is seeing those threats happen more often. The threats increased after the Michigan Republican Party compared gun reform to the Holocaust.

“It’s very scary to know I’m a target because they know I’m Jewish but they think I want to take their guns away. So I know they have guns!” said Steckloff.

Steckloff voted Wednesday to require people to lock up their guns. It’s part of a gun reform package that also includes temporarily removing someone’s guns if they are deemed dangerous to themselves or the community. Another bill would also expand background checks.

But Michigan Republican Party chair Kristina Karamo told reporters Wednesday her tweet was just pointing out that history tends to repeat itself. She said she wouldn’t apologize for the social media post.

“I’m not going to sit here just because someone is upset and clearly there is no reason. Was I celebrating people being mass murdered? Absolutely not. I was pointing to a historical event,” said Karamo.

But Michigan State University Holocaust studies professor Amy Simon said the context of that history also matters.

“You have to look at histories that are related to one another. You have to look at something in the past that does have a bearing on the present,” said Simon.

It’s just the latest in threats against Jewish political leaders in Michigan and across the country.

Earlier this month, a man was arrested for threatening to kill Steckloff, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, and other politicians. They said these types of threats are dangerous.

Related: FBI investigating threats against Michigan officials

“I have to deal with this now every day. And anytime something happens like that and I have to fight for my community I become a huge target,” said Steckloff.

The Republican Jewish Coalition issued a statement on social media saying trivializing the Holocaust is never acceptable and called the tweet from the Michigan Republican Party “disgusting” and “inappropriate.”

The Anti-Defamation League said there have been more than 111 antisemitic incidents in Michigan this year.

A letter condemning the tweet was signed by multiple faith leaders across Mid-Michigan. It can be read below.

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• Lansing apartment fire leaves multiple families without a home
• Men to stand trial in 2018 Bath Township death of hunter

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