With Rep. Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit) missing 86 percent of her votes last year to concentrate on her constituents' more immediate needs and asking to be removed from her committees in 2026, it's only natural to ask: If Whitsett isn't going to show up to the state Capitol this year, will her House colleagues remove her?

Rep. Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit) asked House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Township) on Tuesday to be removed from all committees as she further distances herself from the traditional operations of a state legislator.

Rep. Karen Whitsett (D-Detroit), whose well-documented absences prematurely ended lame duck in 2024, missed 86.4 percent of the House's roll call votes in 2025 as her disenchantment over the Legislature's work continued under split power.