Justin Michal is challenging Rep. Jack Bergman, who is a former Lieutenant General. Bergman gave the Washington Reporter his exclusive comments on the brewing scandal.
A Republican congressional candidate running in Michigan’s 1st District is under fire from the incumbent he’s challenging for “publicly wish[ing] someone would invade America.”
Justin Michal, an Army veteran, is challenging Rep. Jack Bergman (R., Mich.) in next year’s GOP primary — but an exposé in a local website, West Michigan Politics — is threatening his campaign before it even takes off the ground.
The piece, titled “Controversial MI-1 Candidate Justin Michal Supports Invasion Of America, Says Life Is Better In Saudi Arabia” chronicles a litany of social media posts from Michal, in which he, the site notes, “supports the invasion of America, and even says life is better in his former home of Saudi Arabia.”
Bergman exclusively told the Washington Reporter that Michal’s candidacy is nothing but bad news.
“Having served 40 years in the Marine Corps, I know this to be true: there’s no such thing as ‘a little integrity,’” Bergman — a former Lieutenant General, said. “It’s something you either have or you don’t have.”
“When someone spreads lies about my faith, makes terrible racist posts, or publicly wishes someone would invade the United States, it says far more about their character and integrity than mine,” Bergman continued. “I hope he finds the help he needs to begin building a life built on truth and humility.”
Michal did not respond to request for comment.
In recent weeks, Michigan has seen caustic rhetoric from both sides of the aisle. Rep. Lisa McClain (R., Mich.), the Chair of the House GOP Conference, recently demanded that Oakland University respond after an Oakland student “call[ed] for the assassination of [Mike Steger,] a Republican veteran congressional candidate.”
“Every day, the left shows how tolerant they are by hoping for Republicans to be executed,” McClain said of the post, in which Oakland student Ash Bashir expressed her desire for Steger and President Donald Trump to be “execute[d].”
“Oakland University, what action are you taking against this deranged student?” McClain asked.