Michigan GOP chair jokes that 'assassination' is the only way to remove Republicans who voted to impeach Trump

Michigan Republican Party Chairman Ron Weiser was captured on video disparaging his state's Democratic officials as "witches" and referenced "assassination" this Thursday when asked about how to remove two sitting GOP congressmen, The Detroit News reports.

Weiser made the comments during a North Oakland Republican Club meeting. When someone in the crowd asked how to unseat U.S. Reps. Fred Upton and Peter Meijer -- who voted to impeach former president Donald Trump -- Weiser replied that Republicans are primarily focused on beating the "three witches" in 2022 -- a reference to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Attorney General Dana Nessel and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.

When someone in the crowd asked about the "witches in our own party," Weiser replied: "Ma'am, other than assassination, I have no other way ... other than voting out, okay? You people have to go out there and support their opponents. You have to do what you need to get out the vote in those areas. That's how you beat people."

A spokesman for the Michigan Republican Party said Weiser's comments were being taken out of context.

"The chairman has personally donated to all Republican congressmen in Michigan and is focused on defeating Democrats, rather than involving the party in primary fights," party spokesman Ted Goodman said. "The chairman was making it clear that the primary election process is how we decide our nominees for office. To suggest anything else is dishonest and irresponsible."

As The Detroit News points out, Capitol police report that threats against Congress jumped 94% in the first two months of the year over the same period last year.

Watch video, courtesy of The Detroit News, below: