Michigan Speaker Matt Hall defends GOP lawmaker over ‘victim mentality’ comments about colleague’s dead daughter

Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) defended state Rep. Jim DeSana (R-Carleton) Thursday after a Detroit News report revealed DeSana’s controversial comments about one of his colleagues.

During his weekly press conference, Hall declined to say whether DeSana would face disciplinary action for his comments. DeSana criticized fellow state Rep. Jamie Thompson (R-Brownstown Township) over lifestyle decisions Thompson’s deceased daughter allegedly made. Instead, Hall praised both lawmakers for their legislative work, calling DeSana an “authentic guy.”

Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall (R) defends State Rep. Jim DeSana (R) after the Detroit News shared audio of him saying a Republican rep has a "victim mentality" over her daughter's death in 2021."I'm really grateful that Jim has worked with us … He's a very authentic guy."

— Heartland Signal (@heartlandsignal.bsky.social) 2026-06-18T19:51:12.362415456Z

Hall also downplayed DeSana’s controversial statements and concerns that they are escalating infighting among his caucus.

“I would describe it as much less infighting than in the past,” Hall said.

DeSana’s comments

On Thursday morning, The Detroit News published audio from a March 1 Zoom call with Monroe County Republican leaders. During the call, DeSana said he does not want anything to do with Thompson. He went on to say Thompson has a “victim mentality” for talking about her deceased daughter, Jordan. Thompson’s daughter was 24 when she died in a motorcycle accident in 2021.

“She tells that story all the time. It’s this whole victim mentality, this is why I don’t want to have anything to do with her,” DeSana said. “I will run my race in my district. I am not going to endorse her, support her, I am not doing something to help her. And honestly, if she has a primary opponent I’ll probably endorse her primary opponent.”

Earlier this year, Thompson gave a speech on the House floor urging her colleagues to recognize February as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. She claimed that her daughter’s death was the result of reckless driving from her jealous boyfriend, who was driving the motorcycle and also died in the crash.

Monroe County GOP Vice Chair Holli Vallade cut DeSana off as he began criticizing Thompson’s daughter for having a child when she was a teenager.

“I just don’t like the idea of us, you know, discussing the details of decisions that her daughter might have made in her life in her early twenties,” Vallade said. “I just don’t think that’s relevant to the situation with Jamie.”

Thompson wants repercussions

Thompson, who did not attend Wednesday’s House floor session, told The Detroit News that she will not return to the state capitol until DeSana’s comments are addressed. She also wants to see him removed from the Republican caucus.

“His ignorance should not be tolerated by the Republican Party,” Thompson told the outlet, “a party that professes to support the dignity of life.”

On Thursday, Hall repeatedly deflected questions about DeSana receiving disciplinary action for his comments.

“We’ll work through it as a caucus, and we’ll get to a place where we’re working in harmony as a team. That’s what we’ve got to do,” Hall said.

On Wednesday, DeSana told Detroit News that Thompson’s daughter’s death was “tragically sad” but that it was not the result of domestic violence.

DeSana called other colleagues ‘scumbags’

During another part of the March 1 Zoom call, DeSana expressed disgust about his colleagues dating each other and dining with lobbyists.

“These people stay in Lansing. They drink with the lobbyists, they eat with the lobbyists, they are swamp rats to the nth degree,” DeSana continued. “They even date each other, they stay out. We’ve got three couples out of 56 [Republican] members, six people are dating each other or engaged with each other. It’s pretty disgusting actually.”

DeSana said he thinks of “almost every one of my fellow state reps as a scumbag.”

Hall similarly deflected these comments during his press conference.

“I think he was referring to the Democrats probably too,” Hall said.

Republicans currently hold a thin 58-52 majority in the Michigan House of Representatives, giving Hall power over committee assignments and floor votes. The state GOP is hoping to maintain that majority during the 2026 elections this November. Democrats are looking to again achieve a trifecta in the state government, which they had from 2022-24. To do that, they need to maintain or expand their 20-18 majority in the state Senate and keep control of the governor’s mansion. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) cannot seek reelection due to term limits.