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Rachel Maddow issued an intense challenge to critics of her recent report about Republican tactics in the Michigan state legislature on Monday night.
On Friday, Maddow delivered a "scoop" on Michigan Republicans' use of the immediate-effect clause. State law requires laws to go into effect ninety days after the end of each legislative session, unless a two-thirds vote calls for the law to take immediate effect. She reported that Republicans have illegally invoked the clause without having a majority in the House.
Conservatives promptly denounced the story, pointing out that Democrats have also used the immediate-effect clause.
On Tuesday, Maddow conceded that she should have noted that point. But the MSNBC host argued that what the Republicans were doing was drastically "different" than what Democrats had done. She replayed a clip of the House Speaker noting 73 Republicans present, and ignoring a Democrat's call for a count.
"It's one thing to glance around the room, assume you've got your supermajority and bang, gavel it through," Maddow said. "It's another thing to refuse to check your count when the minority side calls you out for the fact that you seem to be lying about that count."
She also expressed alarm at the state of Michigan politics, alleging that citizens are being "stripped" of their voting rights. She issued a fierce message to her critics.
"On a personal note, I have to say I am more inclined than ever to stay on this story," she said. "I think something is going on Michigan that's not going on anywhere else in the country, and it deserves a lot more attention than it's getting."
"But also, turns out your insults make me stronger," she continued. "Bring it on, keep shooting the messenger."
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