Schuitmaker has opportunity To defend Colbeck at the most appropriate time, yet chokes.
Pat Colbeck was a champion for Michigan.
And for a couple more months he still will be a champion. I’ll not mince words about it. I support our nominee wholeheartedly, but truly I believe Pat was a man who by all measure attempted to find solutions and serve the people of this state with principles solutions, honor, and substance.
Pat had a long road to get to the point where he decided to run. His eight year service as State Senator was solid, and he was/is unafraid to face down the jackals like Richardville and Meekhof; two of the swampiest representatives to ever find leadership roles in Lansing.
Still serving his constituents in Lansing until the end of this year, Pat Colbeck lost all committee assignments, and had all office control removed. Why? Because he wouldn’t play kiss the pollywog’s ass’ with Senator Arlan Meekhof. This is not a common occurrence in Michigan’s robust history, and could only happen with the thinnest skinned critters in leadership.
In an October 2017 letter, Meekhof informed Colbeck the Senate Majority Leader’s office would directly oversee staff assigned to his office including hiring, rehiring, transferring, status changes, leaves of absences, terminations and separations of employment, time card approvals, and intern registration. Additionally, the letter stated all office reimbursements for Colbeck’s office would require approval by Senate Majority Leader.
Nice.
Meekhof who serves at the pleasure of the State Senate body, could have been persuaded to show some dignity by his fellow travelers, yet none stood up for what is right. In fact, one person who is seeking a position of ‘protecting our rights’ in Michigan stood by quietly and in abject cowardice.
Tonya Schuitmaker in a radio interview was asked about the incident, and she refused to stand up for Senator Colbeck. When asked about the incident she said “Senator Meekhof is my leader.” [18:30] And “What happened with him (Senator Colbeck) and Senator Meekhof is between those two.”
Between those two?
She said how she thinks the world of him for crying out loud. ..And that he is a friend. Ya know it kinda reminds me of the old saying “with a friend like that ..”
If I had a friend dealing with that nonsense in that cesspool, I certainly would have said something. Also, I can tell you without reservation, I believe if she had been in a similar situation, that Pat Colbeck would have not only said something, but would likely have attempted to rally others so as to at least minimize the embarrassment of his colleague.
What Meekhof did was not only unheard of, but a disgrace to his office.
Standing up for principle is what started it. Standing up for principle by Schuitmaker could have helped her ‘friend.’
I doubt she is capable of it.
(32)Nuh Uh.
(4)
Don't worry. She'll only be a footnote after the Convention.
First, as the actual President Pro Tempore of the State Senate, Ms. Schuitmaker had all of the constitutional authority necessary to put an official kibosh on this crap . . . and she did nothing. Because she is my State Senator (the 26th district includes the City of Kentwood), I've had opportunity to remind her of this particular detail, and each time I've received a milquetoast response.
Second, our current republican gubernatorial nominee, Mr. Schuette, dropped a very big hint, at the unity rally on Wednesday, that his running mate will almost certainly be a woman (https://youtu.be/j5OF3Bm6K18). There is a persistent rumor currently circulating, that a backroom deal has been cut to spare Tonya the embarrassment of a convention floor loss to Mr. Leonard for the AG nomination.
Third, I do truly hope that Bill is reading this thread, and that he's aware that all of Mr. Colbeck's grassroots support has pretty much decided to focus on John James for U.S. Senate. The only way to convince that grassroots crew to rally to the Schuette ticket, would be to nominate a woman who can galvanize that grassroots support. IMO, not one woman that Mr. Albin speculated upon has that gravitas . . . not one of them.
. . . I really do hope that Bill Schuette is paying attention here.
Ruth Johnson?
I'll amend my original comment, and allow that, of the potential women speculated by Rick Albin (refer to the video link in my original comment) who might be Mr. Schuette's running mate, Ms. Johnson is the only one, IMO, with the gravitas to bring in the grassroots support that they'll need to beat Ms. Whitmer in a general race that, as of late July, is leaning Whitmer (though the polling didn't include the Libertarian Party, nor any of the minor party options, most of which will dilute the democrat ticket more than the republicans). However, adding Ruth to the gubernatorial ticket will require her to abandon a state senate race that is effectively a sure thing . . . which raises the question of whether the risk is worth it.
Fellow Patriot Brother Jason,...with all due respect, you are absolutely correct about Tonya Schuitmaker not speaking out in that caucus meeting and publicly to help defend Patrick Colbeck when the "Swamp Majority Leader" (SML) Meekhof had his overreaction meltdown and stripped Patrick of his committee assignments and took control of his Senate staff,...the basic premise of your post is 100% accurate. However,...did ANYONE else do it?
You know better than anybody, that back in 2012, State Rep. Mike Shirkey helped Patrick Colbeck push MIFTW in the House for us. Did Senator Mike Shirkey do anything in that caucus meeting or publicly? NO,...not ONE other Senator spoke up because that POS Meekhof would have turned his wrath of power on them too!!!
Personally,...I'm soo glad Meekhof did what he did to Patrick Colbeck. First, Patrick got a TON of press about it, which got his name out there. Secondly, it freed Patrick up to be able to travel around the entire State of Michigan to campaign for Governor!!!
Finally, for me the truth,...is the TRUTH,...IS THE TRUTH!!!
The Democrat nominee for Attorney General-Dana Nessel has said publicly that people should vote for her because she DOESN'T have a PENIS!
Tom Leonard has a penis,...Tonya Schuitmaker,...doesn't,....Dana Nessel will not be able to play the "Sex" card against Tonya.
Dana Nessel has over 25 years of court room legal experience! She started in the Wayne County Prosecutor's office and then opened her own law firm, which started the lawsuit (DeBoer v. Snyder) which led to the "Gay Marriage" case (Obergefell v. Hodges) which according to our current AG - Bill Schuette "is the law of the land" after the USSC opinion came out.
FACT; The Michigan Attorney General's Office is the LARGEST Law Firm in our State,...only 28% of it's case load is CRIMINAL cases. 72% is CIVIL cases like the "Gay Marriage" case. Michigan needs an Conservative AG that will DEFEAT these type of cases in Michigan, with the person who has the most court room legal experience, especially handling CIVIL cases!!!
FORGET the argument about "Conservative" voting records when it comes to interviewing an AG candidate,...especially when Tom Leonard Co-Chaired John Kasich's Presidential campaign, (with Arlan Meekhof by the way) back in 2016!!!
As Speaker of the House, Tom Leonard failed to lower car insurance rates (which I personally demanded he do, publicly at our ACRP Golf outing in July 2017),...and failed to lower the unconstitutional over charging of our State Income Tax!!!
I'm supporting Tonya Schuitmaker because I believe she has more court room legal experience than Tom Leonard and will kick that penis hating, Gay Marriage legal warrior loud mouth bxtch's butt in November's General Election!!!
Tom Leonard will lose, badly to Dana Nessel,....Tonya Schuitmaker will win!!!
I respectfully disagree. If she cannot stand up for her close colleagues, she is not fit to stand up for Michiganians.
You can pick and choose where you have disagreed with Tom, and likewise with Tonya, but don't insert the V-card into this. Nessel is a nobody, and misreading this primary is an error we shouldn't make. Its not about the V J J.
Mr. Bishop,
If you think that Nessel has a snowball's chance partially due to "her junk", you've been given bad information.
Even though things won't pick up significantly until the general, Team "d" still has a problem with the Nessel campaign because of how she was "forced" to be endorsed by the MDP (I cannot think of any other way to describe it) at the Team "d" convention in Detroit back in April over Miles. The close proximity of Ferndale, Royal Oak and Ann Arbor to that convention most definitely had a hand in tipping the vote to an open lesbian over the MDP establishment's preferred choice.
It's important to note that this is merely an endorsement, Team "d" actually selects candidates just like Team "r" does at its state convention during the end of August.
Interestingly enough, the three aforementioned cities are the only places where Nessel has any traction.
Outside of those three, there really isn't that much grassroots support for her due to her being a "one issue" candidate.That "one issue" should be patently obvious.
I would also respectfully disagree with you over Speaker Leonard's legislative accomplishments.
It's no huge secret that the "Dirty Dozen" were instrumental in putting the kibosh on a number of issues, including not only standing in the way of abolishing Michigan's Income Tax, but insurance reform as well.
Adding insult to injury, Sen. Schuitmaker not only essentially stood up for the "Dirty Dozen" (North Oakland Republican Club - May 2018 Debate), but said a few other things that should make Conservatives pause and take notice relating what she would do as AG if elected.
So are we basing the totality of voting on a "he said, she said?"
Why didn't Colbeck endorse Leonard then?
Jason's own scorecard gives Tonya a higher Conservative rating than Leonard
RightMi Scorecard 2017-2018 Created by JGillman
Tonya 75%
Tom 63%
Another advantage is Tonya being a woman. It is clearly an advantage to have a women candidate opposing a women candidate.
Two women can go head to head No holes barred instead of a man who believes he has to hold back so as not to “offend” women voters.
Leonard can’t attack a woman on pro life and other woman’s issues as hard or effectively as Tonya.
This is warfare, we need all the ammo
Its over. And anyhow, you need to be reminded a fourth or fifth time that the 'scorecard' is A. Hardly complete, and B. only 4 of the ratings cross over anyhow. But that didn't matter the first three times so..
Personally, I am sick of Michigan politics as usual. A white man with a white woman second-in-command running for governor against a white woman with a black male second-in-command. My hope is that Schuette wins because I still remember Granholm's depressing time in office; but, Bill was never my first choice --- Pat Colbeck was. Clearly, some people will vote for a candidate simply because of his/her sex or skin color, rather than the "help wanted" signs everywhere in plain sight. A sad state of affairs.