In the bustling hub of Farmington Hills, Michigan, State House Representative Matt Maddock is currently at the center of a storm of controversy over his unfounded allegations that three buses spotted near an Allegiant plane at Detroit Metropolitan Airport were ferrying illegal immigrants into the city. Maddock, a firm supporter of former President Trump’s contested election claims, voiced the erroneous assertion on Wednesday night via a public social media platform, once known as Twitter.
Accompanying his inflammatory message were images of the alleged buses, a sight Maddock suggested was evidence of “illegal invaders” pouring into the nation. “Does anyone see where these illegal invaders heading with their police escort?” Maddock curtly queried, identifying himself as the most conservative state representative of Michigan on his social media profile.
The managerial team at Wayne County Airport Authority quickly dispelled Maddock’s claims, affirming that the buses in question were reserving the transport of four NCAA basketball teams and their entourage who had just flown into Detroit that Wednesday evening for the March Madness tournament.
Despite such confirmation, Maddock’s allegations stimulated a flurry of criticism from astute social media users. Many were quick to point out that an earlier post by the Gonzaga men’s basketball team depicted the exact Allegiant plane on their departure for Detroit, making a clear connection.
State Senator Mallory McMorrow also voiced her objections to Maddock’s heedless misinterpretation on the platform. The Democrat senator chastised Maddock’s reckless rush to judgement, which was both dangerous and insulting to the arriving Gonzaga Men’s Basketball Team.
Unbowed by the backlash, Maddock adamantly maintained his unfounded narrative even on Thursday. He continued his tirade of accusations concerning the ‘illegal immigrants flooding the country and Michigan,’ a notion he failed to substantiate with credible sources or evidence. In a response to the queries made by The Associated Press, he evaded acknowledging that basketball players could have possibly been the bus occupants.
In an intriguing twist of events, some Republicans who initially amplified Maddock’s allegations quickly recalibrated their positions once the true purpose of the buses was revealed. The likes of Republican Pete Hoekstra, foreman of the Michigan GOP, were among several others attempting to distance themselves.
Trump’s endorsement for Maddock in his 2022 re-election campaign revealed a stark similarity between their ideals. Trump, in his endorsement statement, emphasized that Michigan requires leaders who will relentlessly probe and expose the supposed “2020 voter fraud, the crime of the century.”
For the controversial lawmaker, politics is a family business. His spouse, Meshawn Maddock, is the erstwhile co-chair of the Michigan Republican Party. She is currently one of 15 Republicans facing a series of eight criminal charges for allegedly posing as counterfeit electors for Trump during the 2020 presidential elections. Each of the defendants have pleaded not guilty to the mounting accusations.
