Governor Rick Snyder’s economic “team” was one of several contractors who pumped millions into ex-Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s alleged criminal enterprise. Although the government hid the companies’ identities in the indictment, public records and interviews helped put names to aliases. The list of companies includes deep-pocketed donors and powerful executives. Hmmm… maybe that’s why the governor chose to abolish the “Nerd Fund” rather than to expose his donors?

The companies involved are going to be needed by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to help prosecute the case. “It’s always hard to say whether the payer of a bribe is culpable or a victim of the crime,” said Peter Henning, a law professor at Wayne State University and former federal prosecutor.

“Sometimes that’s hard to distinguish.” So far, most executives linked to the corruption probe have escaped indictment. Some witnesses were granted immunity and others are victims, U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade said.

Among the contractors who were allegedly extorted to retain Bobby Ferguson as a subcontractor include Walbridge, a general contractor headed by John Rakolta Jr., a longtime area powerbroker who was recently named to the Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) by Snyder. Wayne County and its Building Authority has filed a law suit seeking to recover $154 million from 3 jail contractors including John Rakolta’s Walbridge.

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The Republicans with the Republican controlled legislature in Lansing is passing legislation more in line with the Democrat Party!

The Grand Old Party is supposed to stand for a more conservative stand on issues. They are supposed to stand for and believe that the federal government should not play a big role in people’s lives. Most Republicans favor lower taxes and less government spending on social programs. They are supposed to stand for and believe in less government intervention in business and the economy. Not the case here in Michigan!

Our current Republican Governor and his counterparts within the Republican controlled legislature in Lansing has proven the exact opposite of the stated stand above they do not adhere to that ideology. Higher taxation, more regulation and bigger government involvement and intervention in business and the economy at the cost to taxpayers has further proven they are on the wrong track for Michigan’s taxpaying citizens and the Republican Party’s stated mission.

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I got involved in the Michigan Republican Party in November 2008, right after Obama was elected.  Having identified with the Republican Party my entire life, I wanted to find out why we nominated John McCain and why our side seemed to not be able to tell the truth about the man who is now our president.

I must step down as chair of my beloved Presque Isle County Republican Party, but not because anyone has asked me to, nor because I do not like the Republicans in my locale.  I have to step down to be able to continue to speak the truth.

The leadership of the party, paranoid about the insurgent tea party, have changed national rules to shorten the presidential primary process, a key to moving an establishment pick forward with less time for conservative contenders to mount a decent primary challenge.  The primary challenge is what Reagan used to create a choice for those who believe the establishment pick was not at all what the country needed.  The primary challenge is what the tea party uses in races big and small, and certain moves by the state and national party have desecrated that avenue, and it needs to be addressed.

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