Tag: backroom shenanigans (page 2)

Governor Rick Snyder has cut a radio ad urging voters in Kalamazoo and Calhoun Counties to re-elect House Speaker Jase Bolger. The Marshall Republican is running for re-election against Democrat Bill Farmer. The Gongwer News Service (subscription required) reports that the ad was paid for by the House Republican Campaign Committee and authorized by Bolger's campaign. The ad is seen as another sign that Bolger is facing a tough re-election fight. Democrats have made an issue of his involvement in a plan to put a "straw candidate" on the ballot to help State Representative Roy Schmidt's re-election chances in his Grand Rapids district. Schmidt switched from the Democratic to Republican party right before the filing deadline.

House Speaker Jase Bolger personally appealed Monday to Ingham County Circuit Court judges to reject a request to empanel a one-judge grand jury to investigate a foiled election-rigging scheme in a Kent County legislative district.

Senate Democratic Leader Gretchen Whitmer and state party chairman Mark Brewer petitioned the court last week to launch its own probe into Bolger and state Rep. Roy Schmidt's attempt earlier this year to plant a fake Democrat in the 76th District and allow Schmidt to become a Republican with a patsy opponent.

Kent County Prosecutor Bill Forsyth determined in July that no crime was committed after Schmidt's faux opponent, a 22-year-old friend of his son and nephew, dropped out of the race days after filing in May. But Democrats have called Forsyth's investigation into question after the Republican prosecutor acknowledged cancelling warrants to search Bolger's phone records and Schmidt's phone and email records.

A Michigan State Police detective said he had probable cause that Bolger and Schmidt may have caused subornation of perjury by knowingly procuring Matthew Mojzak to commit perjury by falsely claiming to be a 76th District resident for at least 30 days prior to the May 15 filing date.

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Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson is renewing his call for Republicans and Democrats to narrow their selection to one candidate to avoid the cost of a special primary election to fill the term of former U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter.

Um, Brooks .. there is only one Democrat from Local 245 in the special election.  AND there was only one Republican that filed well in advance too, well, until the cabals write-in candidate and her endorsing former state legislator and current Livonia council president, undoubtedly squeezed that Livonia civics grapevine enlisting at least two other filers covering for write-in Nansee Crassis.

Patterson said Tuesday that both major political parties should hold a lottery to pick one Republican and one Democrat in order to avoid a special primary election Sept. 5.  
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"This is about fiscal responsibility," Patterson said in an early morning statement. "If there is only one candidate from each party running, there is no need to spend tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on a special primary election.

"It's ridiculous to spend that amount of taxpayer dollars on a special primary election for just a couple weeks in office."

Fiscal responsibility?  Really?  Sorry bub, you tossed that meme out the window with pushing the DIA tax hike.

But, OK, Brooksie, have your handpicked crony, MBT author and Corporate welfare write-in candidate drop out first.

One such lesson that I remember well occurred when I walked into my mom's kitchen complaining that my brothers' and sister's bedrooms were absolute pig stys.  Because my mom was busy (canning vegetables if I remember correctly), my gran-ma - who was assisting - offered to take a look.  Sure enough, standing there in the upstairs hall, she was looking right through a pair of already-open doors into bedrooms for which the description of "disorganized" would have been charitable.  However, it also occurred to her to open the door to my bedroom and see what might be seen.  While my bedroom was noticeably tidier, it was nowhere close to her exacting standards.

This observation was followed by my grandmother fixing me with a no-nonsense look and saying rather sternly, "I should think, young man, that before you go complaining about someone else's room, you ought to first make sure yours is clean."  Point made; lesson learned; end of conversation.

And now, to apply that lesson, we should grab some coffee and duck below the fold.

"Taxes go to projects that are worthy, whether we use them or not," Patterson said, noting that when he travels around the world to recruit business, he is always asked about schools, neighborhoods and cultural amenities. "The DIA is a huge opportunity for me to answer that question in a positive way. It's an economic development tool for me."

Or not?  Holy bejesus!  Why don't you have another cocktail, Brooksie?  You too, Nolan.

Former state Sen. Nancy Cassis said Friday she has filed enough petition signatures to get on the ballot for a special primary to fill the seat left vacant when U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter resigned from Congress.

Cassis of Novi said she filed 2,000 signatures, twice the minimum needed to qualify for the election. Also filing Friday for the Republican nomination are Kenneth Crider, with 1,100 signatures, Steve King, with 1,200, and Carolyn Kavanagh, with 1,276. All three are from Livonia.

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