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Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Trump Republican Renegade Matt Hall Tests Lansing Establishment In Fight Against Maturen



By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)


Standing with President Trump is nothing new for Matt Hall, who has backed "The Donald" since he first announced his campaign in 2015.


Hall ended the #NeverTrump movement while serving on the Rules Committee in Cleveland.


Hall chaired the 3rd District for Trump's Michigan campaign.


And when Wendy Day used her official MIGOP title to go on TV and bash President Trump just weeks before the election, Hall led the fight to have her removed.


That's why it shouldn't surprise anyone watching the 63rd State House primary battle  that Hall has made the President a focal point in his race against State Rep. David Maturen, a #NeverTrump, establishment backed legislator who is weak on life and other issues important to conservatives.


Hall is well funded, a fact that has the Lansing swamp on edge. Hall is destroying Maturen in fundraising, sporting a $170,000 haul to Maturen's nearly $75,000


With Hall on the verge of a major win, the establishment empire is striking back, using shady groups with secret donors to attack him for misguided emails that are nearly 20 years old. Hall has apologized.


Allies of Maturen are also on TV desperately trying to link Maturen with President Trump, trying to mitigate Hall's strong Trump credentials.


Maturen's own words tell the real story.


He recently told Gongwer that "Mr. Trump is shaking things up and "maybe that is good to some extent," but overall his thoughts on the president have not changed."

What were those thoughts exactly? TRASHING our President!

According to WMKU:

"Asked about the Presidential election, Maturen says he never tells anyone how he’s to going to vote. But Maturen says he won’t endorse the Republican nominee Donald Trump. Maturen says Trump’s misogynistic comments don’t sit well with him. He has been married for 45 years and has three daughters. Maturen served in the army from 1971-73 during a time when John McCain was being held prisoner in Vietnam. Maturen says Trump is out of bounds to say McCain wasn’t a hero. Maturen is also bothered by Trump’s comments about Mexicans because his son in law is a Mexican national. Maturen says it would be hard to face his family if he endorsed Trump."


Maturen's legislative record is completely horrendous. 


To start, he has voted for the gas tax hike, vehicle registration fee increases, and multiple other terrible money grabs. He responded to criticism from Hall,  “how else are you going to pay for the roads?” Wow!

Maturen has a D rating with NRA, and has said questionable things about gun rights.

"I don’t think someone needs to be able to just buy a gun... We think there should be some training to get it," Maturen said recently. Hall sports an Aq NRA rating...

Maturen was part of the "dirty dozen," 12 GOP House members who voted against a marginal income tax cut in 2017


As if problems with the Trump crowd weren't enough for Maturen, he is also the only sitting Republican legislator who did not receive the endorsement of Right To Life.


Even outside of politics, controversy hounds Maturen.

According to MLive:

" State Rep. Dave Maturen "traumatized" a family he narrowly missed before getting into a fiery car crash a week ago.



The wreck occurred while Maturen was headed to Battle Creek to meet Legislative Director Sherry Sofia and participate in the Grand Cereal Parade on Friday, June 9. According to an incident report from the Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Office, Maturen was ticketed for being unable to stop in an assured clear distance in the crash.
At approximately 5:33 p.m., Vicksburg resident Julie Kuber, carrying her fiancee's 9-year-old daughter and a friend's 10-year-old daughter, began to slow down at the intersection of 38th Street and MN Avenue north of Climax Township. Her fiancee, 15-year-old son and his friend began turning their 27-foot-long recreational vehicle left onto 38th Street when Maturen approached them from behind.
Undersheriff Paul Matyas said Maturen wasn't paying attention to the roadway. By the time he noticed the vehicles stopped ahead of him it was almost too late.
"I (told the girls) bear down, because this guy is going to hit us," Kuber said. "I'm watching and there's nothing I can do."
At the last second, Maturen swerved out of the way and lost control of his vehicle, which turned off the road and hit a tree. Kuber said the impact sent Maturen's vehicle sailing through the air before landing on its side.
"The whole car flew," she said. "Thank God that he swerved the last minute. If he hit us something very bad would have come out of it."
Hall made the right choice choosing to primary Maturen instead of Rep. Justin Amash, the seat he originally filed for.

Hall, a longtime Republican activist who recently became a lawyer, is on the brink of defeating an incumbent State House member in the primary. 

Before Lee Chatfield bounced Frank Foster in 2014, it hadn't happened in a long time. .MIRS has labeled Maturen the most at risk Republican incumbent of 2018 for good reason, possibly headed for the same fate as Foster. 

When voters in the 63rd cast their ballots Tuesday, they won't just be choosing between Hall and Maturen, they'll be choosing between the conservative, "Trump Republican" brand, or the establishment status quo, and the failed politics of the past. 

The elites are petrified voters will choose a new direction-it could be an omen for 2020 and beyond.
 __________________________________________________________________

Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.


>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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Jon Bumstead Blasts Holly Hughes Over Firefighter Mailer



By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)

The State Senate race to replace Geoff Hansen between State Rep. Holly Hughes and Jon Bumstead has grown increasingly nasty in recent weeks, mostly with attacks on Bumstead, a former State Rep.

Hughes has relentlessly pounded Bumstead through mail, radio, and even on TV, but one mailer went too far for Bumstead, who took to Facebook to address the issue.

Bumstead, a former fire fighter, was not pleased to see a hit piece saying he abandoned his own.

"I'd like to set the record straight.

As a former volunteer firefighter with over 20 years experience, I have seen firefighters willing to risk their health and their lives for the good of our communities. That is why it is concerning to see my opponent question my commitment to Michigan’s firefighters.

Recently, you may have seen an attack ad saying I was the only one to vote against Public Act 515 of 2014, which created the First Responder Presumed Coverage Fund. I voted against this bill because there was no source of funding, which created an unfunded mandate using taxpayer dollars. Without a funding source, firefighters did not see any immediate impact since there was no money available to help them.

That is why I voted YES on Senate Bill 802 of 2016, the exact bill that identified a source of funding so firefighters would actually benefit from the First Responder Presumed Coverage Fund.

I am in favor of helping people who get sick on the job, especially when they commit their life to public service. I am NOT in favor of creating a mandate using taxpayer dollars without first finding out how to pay for it."
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Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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Please Endorse! Subpoenaed Emails Reveal Schuette Offered State Employees $250 Gift Card In Contest To Procure Jeb Bush Support



By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)


Subpoenaed emails reveal Attorney General Bill Schuette asked state employees to find people to endorse Jeb Bush, with the winner who bagged the most  receiving a $250 gift card.

Schuette also scheduled a Jeb Bush conference call in the middle of a work day.

The revelations comes as subpoenaed documents were due to Mark Brewer and Progress Michigan for a lawsuit against Schuette, until a Judge halted discovery in an emergency ruling issued tonight...

According to the Detroit News:

"In an August 2015 email, Schuette scheduler Esther Jentzen invited various colleagues and political operatives to a conference call with Schuette on “presidential politics” scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on a Monday.

The August 2015 meeting was set two days before Schuette announced he was endorsing former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush in the 2016 Republican presidential primary and would serve as Bush’s state campaign chairman.

In another email sent from his own personal account on a Sunday, Schuette encouraged a similar group of state staffers and GOP allies to secure Bush endorsements, offering a $250 gift card to whoever got the most by “the close of business Wednesday.”


None of the emails came to or from government accounts but were sent to several state employees, including then-deputy Matthew Schneider, who now serves as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. 


Other state staff on the email chain include top Schuette aide Rusty Hills, spokeswoman Andrea Bitely and former political director Carter Bundy, who is now helping run Schuette’s gubernatorial campaign."

The story is just another scandal that continues to hound Schuette, who hopes to clinch the Republican nomination for Governor next week as he faces an FBI investigation and calls for a Grand Jury to be impaneled after he used state employees to help with secret luxury real estate deals.

 __________________________________________________________________

Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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Friday, July 27, 2018

Michigan Trump Republicans Endorse Matt Hall Over #NeverTrump State Rep. David Maturen



By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)


Michigan Trump Republicans have endorsed Matt Hall over #NeverTrump State Rep. Dave Maturen.

MTR made the announcement Thursday evening.

Hall and Maturen are battling in one of the nastiest primary fights in the state, a race WMP will be watching closely in the coming week and a half.

Hall has hit Maturen for abandoning President Trump, failing to vote for a modest income tax cut, and his terrible record on abortion. Hall is also promoting his Aq rating by the NRA

The race could be a bellwether when it comes to the political power renegade "Trump Republican" candidates have for future races.

Both candidates are backed by independent groups, nasty mailers are everywhere, and bots candidates are on TV...

Stay tuned!


 __________________________________________________________________

Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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State Rep. Roger Victory And Joe Haveman Back Autistic Boy's Fight For His Beloved Therapy Ducks In Ottawa County

Dylan, with Bill and Nibbles



















By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)


President Ford famously said before Congress, "a government big enough to give you everything you want is large enough to take from you everything you have."

Without government, who would take away an autistic boy's beloved therapy ducks?

That's the controversy underway in Georgetown Township in Ottawa County, more commonly known as Jenison because of the school district.

Dylan Dyke and his best friends, ducks named Nibbles and Bill, are now an international story as they prepare for a hearing on August 22nd that will decide their fate .

According to the Free Thought Project:


"The dispute arises as Township officials claim they are simply enforcing an ordinance that prohibits homeowners in the area where Dykes lives from having farm animals on their property. However, the family and their doctor claims that the Nibbles and Bill are more than mere farm animals.
The order to get rid of the ducks comes in spite of the fact that 12-year-old Dylan Dyke’s doctor designated the birds as emotional support animals for him...
The Dykes have since submitted a request for an ordinance variance because of the nature of these ducks. 
In an interview with WOODTV, Dylan was excited to talk about his feathered friends. “I can tell them anything and they just won’t be bothered by it,” Dylan said as Nibbles and Bill sat in his lap quacking. “These ducks understand me so much. My siblings do as well, but these ducks just trust me more.”
“It just wouldn’t be the same,” he said, noting how it would be if he lost his ducks. “I know we’re going to win since I love these ducks so much and I know that a lot of people online love ducks as well.”
Dylan’s support page on Facebook has received overwhelming support and a GoFundMe campaign has already surpassed its goal for the family’s legal fees.
One potential solution to the problem would be to fence in the Dyke’s yard and not allow the ducks to roam onto their neighbors’ property. Another would be to employ a deep litter method in their pen which would drastically eliminate the odors which may be bothering their neighbors. Hopefully these ideas are considered so Dylan will not be traumatized by the removal of his support ducks."
State Senate candidates Roger Victory and Joe Haveman expressed support for Dylan and his ducks to West Michigan Politics on Friday. Victory represents Georgetown Township in Lansing.


Victory
Haveman
__________________________________________________________________

Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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Schuitmaker Is Demanding Another Debate Against Tom Leonard: She Doesn't Deserve It!



By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)


Tonya Schuitmaker keeps derping about wanting another debate with Tom Leonard... She doesn't deserve another debate! 

Don't try to go 12 rounds with a heavyweight fighter when you're out of your league.
At one of the two previous debates in Oakland, Schuitmaker accused Tom of lying about being a Prosecutor for 3 years when it was "really" 2 years and nine months! 
Tonya also had the audacity to question Tom's support for sexual assault survivors because he has happened to have never attended some vigil she is associated with! 

Yet, when Tom Leonard led the charge for the resignation of MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon, Tonya said he was "playing politics." 

She hasn't given a dime to help Republicans other than herself while Leonard has given $200k he could have dumped into his AG campaign, but she accused him of doing nothing to keep the Republican majority in November.

Schuitmaker's defense of her past support for Common Core and voting against English as Michigan's official language were weak, among other bad answers. 

She even accused Leonard of asking State Rep. Tom Barrett to propose the English law last year as a way to attack her for voting against it in 2006. Leonard praised Barrett's strong conservative record and said he's never had to ask him to do anything. Schuitmaker said she voted against the English bill because it did not address the needs of Hispanic workers in her district.


One low point was Schuitmaker defending the "dirty dozen," 12 moderate Republican House members who prevented a small income tax cut from passing, blaming Leonard for holding the vote and not standing by his caucus members. 


Leonard responded by saying that the state government should have to prepare a budget like Michigan families do, so claims that the lawmakers in question wanted to identify cuts first are essentially a BS excuse.

Leonard also noted that Schuitmaker stood by Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof when he targeted State Sen. Patrick Colbeck last fall, stripping him of committee duties and taking over his Senate office. Schuitmaker backed Meekhof's decision.
Unbelievably, she even personally attacked ME during the DEBATE in Oakland as a "troll" for Tom! Again, *during* the debate! 

Absolutely classless. 

Apparently, telling the truth about Tonya's terrible record and horrendous campaign makes me a "troll."
These are just a few of the reasons she is called #DesperateTonya!!!
Tonya doesn't deserve another debate, she had her chance and she failed miserably. She's desperate and grasping at straws.

Here is everything delegates need to see:

>>>WATCH: Speaker Leonard Embarrasses Schuitmaker In First Attorney General Debate
 __________________________________________________________________

Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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Wednesday, July 25, 2018

BUSTED: State Rep. Kathy Crawford Hits Doors With Top Lansing No Fault Lobbyist, Healthcare Worker, House Staffer



By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)


We don't need Encyclopedia Brown or Stabler and Benson to figure out why Kathy Crawford voted against No Fault reform-a vote for the status quo that sticks Michigan drivers with the highest car insurance rates in America.

Crawford recently posted a picture of her door knocking with Kevin McKinney, the leading Lansing lobbyist promoting No Fault auto insurance!



They were also joined by at least one employee of a healthcare company, and a staffer for fellow State Rep. Ben Frederick.

McKinney founded and leads CPAN, the "Coalition Protecting Auto No Fault."

Unbelievable. 

The establishment is clearly petrified of young conservative rising star Chase Turner, who has been ruthlessly hitting doors in the district. Turner has been hitting Crawford for her poor record on taxes, gun rights, no fault, and many other issues.

Crawford is a member of the "dirty dozen" Republicans who voted against Speaker Leonard's income tax cut.in early 2017.

When the only people who will door knock for you are Lansing lobbyists fighting to keep No Fault, employees of healthcare companies you carry water for, and staffers for fellow legislators, it's time to go! SAD! #ByeGirl

Stay tuned for a polling update on this race...

 __________________________________________________________________

Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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Tuesday, July 24, 2018

94th State House Primary: Establishment Pick Rodney Wakeman Donated $500 To Granholm, Didn't Support A Republican Until Last Year

Wakeman


By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)


Rodney Wakeman wants to replace Tim Kelly in the State House, but West Michigan Politics has discovered Wakeman has seemingly never donated to a Republican candidate before last year, despite donating to Jennifer Granholm during the "lost decade."

Wakeman donated to State Rep. Ben Frederik last year, apparently his first time giving to a Republican.

Years ago however, Wakeman donated $500 to Gov. Jennifer Granholm.

Wakeman is being supported by all the establishment stalwarts in the Saginaw area, like former State Sen. Roger Kahn...

Wakeman is currently in a heated race with Steve Gerhardt, the conservative grassroots favorite.

The news of Wakeman's donation is sure to give Gerhardt a boost in the final days before August 7th.


 __________________________________________________________________

Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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Joe Zane's Controversial Dem Donations Impacting 40th District Primary, Wolkinson Leads Tight Race Over Banerian And Bossardet

Joe Zane


By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)


Joe Zane made all the right moves leading up to his primary race in Oakland County's 40th District. 

Zane, a Veteran, even snagged the support of the legendary L. Brooks Patterson.

However, revelations Zane has donated to far more Democrats than Republicans, including radical leftist and hatemonger Alan Grayson, are sinking his chances of winning one of the most competitive primary battles in Michigan.

Zane faces businessman Michael Banerian, Melissa Bossardet, owner of a Veterinary consulting firm, accountant Paul Taros, and former Michigan GOP Vice Chair David Wolkinson.

Private polling viewed by West Michigan Politics shows Wolkinson with a slight edge over Banerian and Bossardet, with Zane close behind. Taros trails the rest of the field.


From left, Taros, Zane, Bossardet, Banerian


According to MIRS:

"In 2017, Zane made five $25 contributions to Democratic California congressional candidate Steven MAC, Democratic New Jersey congressional candidate Mikie SHERRILL, Democratic Virginia congressional candidate Dan HELMER (twice) and Colorado Democratic congressional candidate Jason CROW.

Zane said the contributions came as part of the "New Politics" program designed to steer money to military veterans running for Congress. He said he gave $100 to a Republican candidate, as well, but he ended up dropping out of his race so the donation was never recorded.

In 2016, Zane gave $305 to short-time Democratic presidential candidate Lawrence LESSIG, $100 to Libertarian presidential candidate Gary JOHNSON and $120.16 to Republican presidential hopeful Rand PAUL.

On this one, Zane said he liked Lessig's message on campaign finance reform and gave to him in the hopes that the Harvard professor would make the debate stage, which he did not. His libertarian leaning on policy issues explains his donations to Johnson and Paul, he said.

In 2014, Zane used the Democratic fundraising tool ActBlue to make seven contributions totaling $215 to Schertzing and the Michigan Democratic State Central Committee. The Chrysler information technology manager said his donations were in reaction to a Jack LESSENBERRY column he read on Bishop's connections to Ambassador Bridge owner Matty MOROUN.

Zane said he's since met Bishop and is feelings on the now-congressman have "evolved" to something much more positive, but at the time he was "a little skeptical of his ability to be independent."

He gave $50 more to the Democratic State Central Committee in the 2011-12 cycle through ActBlue.

In the 2009-10 cycle, he gave a total of $10 to seven different Democratic candidates - now-U.S. Rep. Alan GRAYSON of Florida, now-U.S. Rep. Ann KUSTER of New Hampshire, U.S. Rep. Raul GRIJALVA of Arizona, former U.S. Senate candidate Jack CONWAY of Kentucky, former U.S. Rep. Joe SESTAK of Pennsylvania in his bid for the U.S. Senate, former U.S. Rep. Paul HODES of New Hampshire in his bid for the U.S. Senate, and former U.S. Senate candidate Scott McADAMS of Alaska.

Zane said he doesn't remember making these contributions and that he can't believe that he'd have given to Grayson, in particular.

In the 2007-08 cycle, he gave $310 to later-President Barack OBAMA and $321 to John McCAIN. He also gave $50 through ActBlue to Georgia U.S. Senate candidate Jim MARTIN, who was former military. "


Wolkinson, w/ Kelli Saunders
(And what the hell does that mean, a total of $10 to 7 candidates? Strange.) __________________________________________________________________

Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.

>>>Email him at WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com
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