Michigan Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema, who has been criticized for anti-gay and anti-Muslim comments, is not attending the RNC’s winter meeting in Washington, D.C. and blames his absence on “liberal critics within the Republican Party.”
“My liberal critics within the Republican Party have chosen to elevate this discussion to the RNC Meeting and make it a drawn out fight between liberals and conservatives within the party,” he said in a statement to the Detroit Free Press. “For this reason, I have decided it is best for the party that I not attend the meeting this week and instead I have sent a proxy who will vote how I want on Rules.”
Three House members from Michigan, as well as others members of the GOP, have called on Agema to resign. Other Michigan Republicans have also criticized the committeeman for his remarks.
Last year Agema compared being gay to alcoholism and said that gay people desire free medical insurance because they have AIDS.
In January he posted a comment on his Facebook page asking, “Have you ever seen a Muslim do anything that contributes positively to the American way of life?”
A Republican party source told the Detroit Free Press that the party has not received any official resignation from Agema.
