MI Republican Sued After Brandishing Assault Weapon In Defense Of The Proud Boys During Virtual Meeting

Courthouse News reports:

A county commissioner who endorsed alt-right extremist group the Proud Boys and brandished a high-powered rifle in response to a constituent’s plea for a denunciation of the U.S. Capitol insurrection argued Thursday at the Sixth Circuit he is entitled to immunity from her free speech retaliation claims.

Patricia MacIntosh has received threatening phone calls and says she now attends therapy to “try and regain a feeling of safety in her home and community” after Grand Traverse County Commissioner Ron Clous brandished one of his firearms during the public comment portion of a virtual board meeting held in early 2021.

MacIntosh says Clous brandished the weapon with a “menacing smirk” and “had it out from his body displaying it in a threatening manner” in direct response to her request for a denunciation of violence, which she claims had a chilling effect on her rights.

Read the full article.

My January 2021 report on the incident is here.

Nearly 300 people signed a letter, calling for Grand Traverse County commissioner Ron Clous to resign after he flashed a rifle during a meeting. https://t.co/eJto7TrZh5

— USA TODAY Politics (@usatodayDC) January 23, 2021