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| Schuette |
By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)Reactions to the scandal involving Attorney General Schuette's secret luxury real estate empire and his use of state employees to help him with it have come in from across the political spectrum.
From his Republican opponents in the Governor's race, to Democrats anxious to make the news an issue for the fall, the response was brutal.
According to MIRS:
"Democrats and all of his Republican gubernatorial opponents took turns verbally battering GOP frontrunner Bill SCHUETTE today for not being upfront about inherited property he was managing in the Virgin Islands while in office as Attorney General.
Despite annually releasing his tax returns and claiming other assets were being handled in a blind trust, the son of a Dow heiress has never mentioned he has a one-third share of a family company that earned $7.2 million in land sales in 2012 and 2013.
Also, until today, he's never mentioned that a LLC he owns, Ditleff Point Lots, owns two empty lots in the Virgin Islands that are for sale for a combined $4 million.
While clearly nothing illegal is afoot, Schuette's challengers were taken aback that for as much as the candidate talks about transparency, he was less than forthcoming about these facts when Brian CALLEY confronted him about it during Thursday's Michigan Press Association forum.
"It appears that he's running a real estate practice out of the AG's Office," said Republican Patrick COLBECK, a reference to the Attorney General staff that has signed documents for Schuette in these personal matters.
He said like the questionable background behind the new Senate Office building, Schuette's avoidance of the true story speaks to public integrity and "that is a matter of public concern."
..."Not only did Schuette fail to disclose, he repeatedly lied to the press about his knowledge of this property," Hines said...
Democrats and their allies tried to paint the failure of disclosure and the use of state-paid staff as a "pattern of abuse," by roping in the hiring of political operatives into the Attorney General's Office.
"Using taxpayer-funded staff to assist you with personal financial transactions is the height of shady behavior, especially from the state's top law enforcement official," said Lonnie SCOTT, executive director of Progress Michigan.
A progressive PAC called "American Bridge" got into the act, as well, by calling out the Schuette campaign for again spotlighting President Donald TRUMP's endorsement of his campaign.
"After Bill Schuette was caught red-handed lying about his assets yesterday, his campaign hit the panic button and rehashed an endorsement that they already announced months ago," said American Bridge spokesperson Zach HUDSON...."
So let me get this straight: He is doing nothing illegal. The property was inherited from his mom and step dad. And he and his two sisters have been selling off the property.
ReplyDeleteWhere is the story? Because a staffer took 60 seconds to notarize a legal document ?
This is a lot to do about nothing.
I'll tell you what, you walk into the AG's Lansing Office and demand that the staffers take care of your own personal financial business, especially any notary work that you need done.
ReplyDeleteJust watch your head after security bodily throw you out of the building.
I agree with the first gentleman. It's only slightly an issue for me bc shutte preaches about being transparent.
ReplyDelete