The Defense Department and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were not given advance notice. If he wants to take extra security measures, however, Meijer has more resources than an ordinary politicianhe comes from a family of billionaires. My focus is, frankly, on running on our results, what we've delivered to the district so far, what we have been able to accomplish, even in a polarized political environment, where I have tried to not let the perfect be the enemy of the good, but try to at least drive what improvements and what positive action we can in this toxic environment today, while connecting that to where we need to be. Meijer declined Forbes requests for an interview, but he is almost certainly among the richest politicians currently in office. Tonight we voted on the American Rescue Plan. [70][71], Meijer opposes abortion. From 2008 to 2016, Meijer served in the United States Army Reserve and was deployed to Iraq from 2010 into 2011, serving as an intelligence advisor. This is much to do about nothing and is just about opponents trying to score cheap political points," Moore said. Because of that vote, you're facing a Trump-backed challenger. serving my country," Meijer said when asked about criticism he's received over having a large trust fund. [17] Mark J. Bissell of Bissell home-care products and the late businessman Peter Secchia also donated to Meijer's campaign. Take it out of the hands of politicians. Mark E. Rizik, the registered agent for Montcalm, did not respond Friday torequests for comment. Yesterday the House passed a gun bill. [9], Meijer graduated from East Grand Rapids High School in 2006. Our expectation is that someone may try and kill us, Meijer told MSNBC and added that he and other GOP members who voted to impeach the president changed their daily routines. Meijer voted Tuesday in Grand Rapids with his wife, Gabriella, and in-laws, who are new citizens and were voting in their first presidential election after immigrating from Brazil. I think that it is a political imperative and a moral imperative as well", he said. I think there's room. The law requires that big donors be publicly reported and the public has a right to know if a billionaire is bankrolling a super PAC supporting his son's run for office. [5] During this time, Meijer also worked on veterans projects such as Project Rubicon, was on the advisory board of the With Honor super political action committee, and assisted with urban renewal projects throughout Michigan. [54], Meijer was one of eight House Republicans to vote for the Colorado Wilderness Act. Meijer said he spoke to Scholten, an immigration lawyer,Wednesday night and that he congratulated her on running a "strong andspirited" campaign. As a Michigan Republican, how do you assess the direction that your party is going in the state? Much of that may be incremental, but if those increments save lives, I think that could be worthwhile. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. These investments come to light in the midst of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has prompted the US government to hit Russia with heavy sanctions and triggered boycotts of Russian products and culture, from vodka to soccer. Ad Highlights Meijers Promise to Repeal the Affordable Care Act, Today, the DCCC released its first TV ad in Michigans 3rd Congressional District, Struggling, as part of a more than half a million dollar reservation in the Grand Rapids market in the weeks leading up to the election. Meijers choice to pursue a political career hasnt cost him a stake in the family fortune. The address that Montcalm used for the donation is the same Grand Rapids address for the Meijer Family Foundation at 80 Ottawa Ave., Suite 101. But Peter Meijer has a fifty-million-dollar trust fund and doesnt care about us. [52] He believes Republicans should take on the problem with conservative solutions. "There's understandable frustration from all Americans that things aren't getting done in Congress," he explained. While Meijer hasnt spent as much as Pritzker did on his gubernatorial campaignhe poured more than $170 million into his successful 2018 runhe did loan himself more than $1.4 million to fund his congressional bid. I view politics as a way of being able to implement the policies you believe in, that you believe will be able to move the country or the state in a better direction. [65], Meijer was a co-sponsor of the America's CHILDREN Act. ", Meijer said Thursday his priorities will include ensuringan affordable health care system,protecting the Great Lakes, tackling the climate crisis and working on "ending our endless wars.". as well as other partner offers and accept our. "So, I'm excited to bring young energy and young perspectives.". Washington West Michigan Republican freshman U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer has drawn a primary challenger after voting last week to impeach former President Donald Trump. No. Incumbent Rep. Peter Meijer, who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump, fell short in the Republican primary on Tuesday, losing to John Gibbs, a former Trump administration official who has promoted conspiracy theories and said he does not believe Joe Biden was legitimately elected. Scholten conceded late Wednesday. But, you know, I'm a fan of and proudly support the Michigan dairy industry. What is your assessment of that experience so far? The day after Montcalm's donation, the Congressional Leadership Fund which is asuper political action committeeendorsed by House GOP leadership spent additional money on ads inthe Grand Rapids market against Peter Meijer's Democratic opponent, Hillary Scholten, according to federal filings. [5] He is married to Gabriella Zacarias. The interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. You voted against it, as did most Republicans. According to a financial disclosure form he filed in 2019, the congressman has access to multiple trusts, including a blind family trust with more than $50 million in assets. Whether that's the Democrats and the violence we saw over the summer of 2020 or Republicans and the violence on January 6. You've been talking about the need for bipartisanship and the polarization. But I also don't pretend that I have all the answers. Spokespeople for Gottheimer and Lee did not respond to the question of whether they support a congressional stock ban. After a heated campaign, Meijerdefeated Democrat Hillary Scholten of Grand Rapids 53% to 47%, according to unofficial returns. Insider's recent "Conflicted Congress" project found that 57 members of Congress, and at least 182 senior congressional aides, have in recent months violated the federal Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012 with late or missing financial disclosures. Meijer was deployed to Baghdad in 2010 for a little over a year as an intelligence advisor for the U.S. Army. A spokesman for Meijer's campaign said Friday that "this has nothing to do with Peter Meijer.". Scholten and Meijer clashed onpolicy points from health care to mask mandates to abortion. The bill would prevent the children of long-term visa holders who came to the U.S. legally with their parents from having their visas expire the day they turn 21. My biggest frustration is it did not do nearly what was needed in order to constrain the rise of costs. He is the oldest son of Hank Meijer and the grandson of Frederik Meijer, whose father, Hendrik Meijer, founded supermarket chain Meijer after he emigrated to the United States from the Netherlands. 1:00. The election of political newcomer Peter Meijer to the U.S. House will returntheGrand Rapids area seat to Republican hands after retiring U.S. Rep. Justin Amash split from the party last year. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. I think one of the sad realities that have come of this momentI've attended many events where very little of policy substance was discussed. My goal has been to operate in a non-hypocritical manner. About Us. 4350: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 House Vote #293 Sep 23, 2021", "H.R. So I'm optimistic. What we saw on Wednesday is that the President is unfit for office, Meijer said on national television on January 11. [5] His financial disclosures list more than $50million in assets, primarily from a Meijer family trust. Even though many conservatives in the 3rd district had suspicions he was a moderate, they bit their lip and supported him, trusting . "There's an obvious conflict of interest with members of Congress holding Russian stocks as the world coalesces around a program of sanctions to respond to Putin's mass murder campaign in Ukraine," said Walter Shaub, a senior ethics fellow for the nonpartisan Project on Government Oversight and former director of the federal Office of Government Ethics. [33], Meijer accepted the 2020 presidential election results, announcing publicly that he accepted the outcome and recognized Joe Biden as president-elect. Rather than recognizing that the individual, the families, the communitiesthat is what makes up this country. Three months later, Meijer voted to impeach the president. But in statements during the past week, the four members of Congress who've traded Russian investments have been uniformly opposed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Rizik is also the registered agent for the Meijer Family Office LLC, according to state records. I think in order to stop that trend, folks need to be honest and not just tell their constituents what they want to hear and not just play to the crowd, but have some fundamental principles rather than viewing everything as a subjective matter. "This is yet another example of why members should not be trading stocks.". I am a huge fan of cereal. I think that runs entirely contrary to any notion of leadership. [16], From 2013 to 2015, Meijer worked as a conflict analyst for an international NGO. You previously said that you see right now that Republicans see "no alternative" to Trump. There's a difference between an explanation and excuse. I think it's a vitally important exercise to air disagreements, to not pretend that one party or one individual or one approach has all of the answers. He voiced his support for President Donald Trump, saying he would work with Trump to "make sure that we advance policies and an agenda that is in the best interest of West Michigan. Congressional members' concerns about the pipeline's closure intensified after Biden revoked the Keystone XL Pipeline permit. lifeboat activity sociology,