Gross Pointe Antifa Is Probably Not a Thing, Despite Republican Claims

Analysis

The story of Wayne County’s board of canvassers might be the perfect microcosm for this election. When it became clear that former Vice President Joe Biden had defeated President Donald Trump in the state by receiving more votes, Republicans responsible for certifying the vote in Wayne County decided not to.

Biden had overwhelming margins in Wayne County, where Detroit is located, and so the GOP’s last-ditch effort to swing the state back to Trump was to pout and say the votes didn’t count. However, when word got out of this decision, which had no basis (the GOP officials didn’t give much in way of an argument), a viral outcry ensued. So they relented and certified the vote.

But now, the two officials are calling “take-backsies,” because they were harassed and threatened into certifying by… you guessed it. “Antifa.” But not just any antifa. Antifa from the wealthiest suburb of Detroit.

According to reporter Kayla Ruble, one of the GOP members of the board, Monica Palmer, said that threats against her life came from antifa members from Grosse Pointe.

While, Palmer and Hartmann have signed affidavits seeking to revoke their certification, Vice Chair Kinloch assures me the deal is already done. Lawsuits withstanding, as election lawyers have explained to me, the deadline is also a hard stop, and the deadline was yesterday.

— Kayla Ruble (@RubleKB) November 19, 2020

Grosse Pointe is one of the wealthiest places in all of Michigan, a bougie shoreside town on Lake St. Clair. That it could be swarming with antifa is doubtful. But it fits a pattern from conservatives, who are both quick to concoct rumors of antifa without any evidence and blaming anything, also without evidence, on antifa.

I can confirm from texts shown to me that Wayne County Republican canvasser says she‘s received threats post-meeting.

She says they’ve come from both sides, the right & the left, specifically Antifa from Grosse Pointe.

Yes, Michiganders, you read that last part correctly

— Kayla Ruble (@RubleKB) November 19, 2020

The notion that Grosse Pointe, which has a yacht club and numerous golf courses, was a hotbed of anarchist and anti-fascist activity was laughed offline this week.

I’m still laughing “Grosse Pointe Antifa” dear lord I don’t think I’ll actually stop laughing about this. This is pure Michigander comedy gold.

— Julia Rose O’Hara (@JujRose) November 19, 2020

If you find yourself knocked out by a can of Caviar, you know you’re a victim of Grosse Pointe Antifa

— Moustachio Black Lives Matter 🕙 (@moustachiopoker) November 19, 2020

It seems unlikely that Palmer’s call to rescind her vote will have any effect, given that that doesn’t seem to be something one can do after they approve results, but given the year we are having, who knows.

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