Former Detroit Police Chief Announces 'We're Going to Take the State Back' from Gretchen Whitmer
Former Detroit Police Chief James Craig has had enough.
Enough of lockdowns. Enough of trash-talking the police. Enough of crippled businesses falling by the side of the road as their owners’ dreams die in a sea of red tape.
And on Wednesday, he told Fox News host Tucker Carlson what he plans to do about it.
“We launched today the Chief James Craig For Governor Exploratory Committee,” Craig said, referencing the Michigan gubernatorial election coming up next year. The former police chief cited his work that kept Detroit from combusting during last summer’s spree of urban riots.
“We know what happened last year, you know, when other cities were burning — Portland, Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago — but Detroit did not burn.”
During his appearance on “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” the Democrat-turned-Republican said he has “protected and served for 44 years.”
To Craig, Michigan suffers a crisis of failed leadership under Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose statewide lockdowns sparked months of controversies and court cases over the extent of her power.
“I can’t help but think about the small businesses who are suffering through the pandemic — and now, you know, we want to give them handouts and businesses can’t even hire employees,” Craig said.
“I’ve got to tell you — I’m running, because when I look at what some politicians are doing across the country — you know, let’s talk about Gov. Whitmer, she follows different rules.”
“I’m gonna show the governor what leadership looks like,” he said. “We’re part of a movement. We’re going to take the state back.”
Carlson noted that a black Republican running will likely have to wade through a swamp of race traitor comments and asked Craig if he was ready for the backlash.
“Bring it,” Craig said. “I’m ready for it.”
During recent appearances, the former police chief has said Whitmer is ruining Michigan’s future with her stranglehold on power.
“Let’s face it, Democratic polices and Gretchen Whitmer hurt our children. The policies hurt our youth, the policies hurt our cities. Their policies hurt black people, brown people, young people, pretty much all people,” he said, according to WXMI-TV.
In a speech Monday, Craig said the Michigan governor was crippling the potential of future generations with her COVID lockdowns, according to the Detroit Free Press.
“Democrat policies had children sitting at home, rather than going to school,” Craig said.
“The young people of today don’t want to sit at home and get free money,” he added. “They want to experience the world, and in fact, they want to change the world.”
“You can’t change the world sitting at home in your pajamas getting free money waiting on Queen Gretchen to issue her royal decree,” he said.
Craig said Michigan’s young people want and deserve a “hand up, not a handout.”
In early July, the Detroit Free Press reported, Craig took a strong stand for Second Amendment rights.
“I carry here today and I carry until I die,” the former police chief said. “I will defend our police; not defund them.”
Above all, he said, the political elite need to stop sending the message that people cannot make a living without government help.
“What I can’t respect is a victimhood mentality. That’s the mentality being pushed by the leaders of today’s Democratic Party.”
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