Inform, Entertain, Inspire
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Members of Michigan Legislative Black Caucus meet with MSP colonel

user cedarbenddrive/Flickr
/
http://j.mp/1SPGCl0
Credit user cedarbenddrive/Flickr / http://j.mp/1SPGCl0
/
http://j.mp/1SPGCl0

Members of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus met with the head of the Michigan State Police Thursday.

 

The meeting was to address concerns about a meme Colonel Kriste Etue posted on Facebook. It called NFL players who kneel during the National Anthem “degenerates.”

 

Members of the caucus called for Etue’s resignation or firing.

 

Representative Sheldon Neeley is chair of the caucus and was at the meeting. He said the caucus is withholding comment until it meets with the governor.

 

It was cordial,” he said. “It was a cordial meeting. It was adults having a dialogue about a very serious issue.”

 

Etue has apologized and said the post was a mistake. The governor has said he won’t fire Etue. However, Etue will face an internal review by Michigan State Police.

 

Neeley did say members raised their concerns to the colonel during the meeting.

 

“You know the concerns that many Michiganders have as it relates to the Facebook post,” he said. “And other issues about the culture of MSP.”

 

The Michigan Legislative Black Caucus also asked to meet with the governor. Neeley said the group will meet with Governor Rick Snyder next week.

 

He said, “We’re moving forward making sure that we have a good outcome out of this unfortunate situation.”

Copyright 2017 Michigan Radio

Before becoming the newest Capitol reporter for the Michigan Public Radio Network, Cheyna Roth was an attorney. She spent her days fighting it out in court as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Ionia County. Eventually, Cheyna took her investigative and interview skills and moved on to journalism. She got her masters at Michigan State University and was a documentary filmmaker, podcaster, and freelance writer before finding her home with NPR. Very soon after joining MPRN, Cheyna started covering the 2016 presidential election, chasing after Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and all their surrogates as they duked it out for Michigan. Cheyna also focuses on the Legislature and criminal justice issues for MPRN. Cheyna is obsessively curious, a passionate storyteller, and an occasional backpacker. Follow her on Twitter at @Cheyna_R