Michigan GOP lawmaker falsely labels March Madness athletes 'illegal invaders'
On social media, Rep. Matt Maddock said buses near a Detroit airport had been "loaded up with illegal invaders.” The airport later said the buses were "transporting the basketball teams and their respective staffs." Michigan state House Rep. Matt Maddock, who is involved in former President Donald Trump's election denials, falsely claimed that buses carrying college athletes to Detroit for March Madness were transporting illegal migrant "invaders" into the city. The claim was made in a social media post accompanied by photos of three buses near an Allegiant plane at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The Wayne County Airport Authority confirmed that the buses were transporting four college basketball teams and their respective staffs. Maddock describes himself as Michigan's "most conservative state representative" in his profile on social media platform X.
Published : 4 weeks ago by The Associated Press in Sports Politics
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — A Michigan state lawmaker involved in former President Donald Trump’s election denials is being widely criticized making false claims that buses carrying college athletes to Detroit for March Madness were shuttling illegal migrant “invaders” into the city.
State House Rep. Matt Maddock made the claim Wednesday night in a social media post accompanied by photos of three buses near an Allegiant plane at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Maddock wrote that the buses “just loaded up with illegal invaders.”
“Anyone have any idea where they’re headed with their police escort?” the Republican wrote on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Maddock describes himself as Michigan’s “most conservative state representative” in his profile on the platform.
Four college basketball teams traveling to Detroit for the second weekend of the NCAA basketball tournament arrived by plane Wednesday evening, the Wayne County Airport Authority said in a statement. The “buses seen in a photograph circulating online were transporting the basketball teams and their respective staffs,” the statement added.
Topics: Basketball, GOP, March Madness