Wednesday, September 23, 2015

ICYMI: Full Coverage Of Yob/Beeson At Mackinac

Story image for brandon hall yob rubio from NPR

Two Political Operatives Walk Into A Bar... And One Throws A Punch

NPR-Sep 18, 2015

Yob says he encountered Rich Beeson, Rubio's deputy campaign ... Conservative Michigan blogger Brandon Hall said he witnessed the event, ...

Video: Barroom fight begins GOP leadership weekend on ...

fox17online.com/.../barroom-fight-begins-gop-leadership-weeke...

WXMI

5 days ago - Later the same morning, Yob posted he was calling on Marco Rubio "to fire ... Brandon Hall, a blogger for West Michigan Politics, posted early ...

Paul official accuses Rubio aide of throwing punch

www.detroitnews.com/story/news/...bar.../72388142/

The Detroit News

5 days ago - Yob called on Rubio to fire Beeson immediately. ... Brandon Hall, a conservative blogger from Grand Haven, said Friday he witnessed Yob ...

Rand Paul Aide Claims Marco Rubio Staffer Punched Him ...

www.motherjones.com/.../rand-paul-aide-rubio-official-pu...

Mother Jones

5 days ago - On Twitter, Yob called for Rubio to fire Beeson. ... Brandon Hall, a Michigan politics blogger, writes that he saw the altercation take place:.

John Yob, aide to Rand Paul, claims Marco Rubio strategist ...

www.mlive.com/.../john_yob_aide_to_rand_paul_cla.htm...

Michigan Live

5 days ago - MLive has reached out to Yob and the Rubio campaign for additional ... West Michigan Politics blogger Brandon Hall, in a Friday morning post, ...

John Yob accuses Rich Beeson of punch - Business Insider

www.businessinsider.com/john-yob-rich-beeson-punch-...

Business Insider

5 days ago - Top Rand Paul aide accuses top Marco Rubio aide of punching him in ...Brandon Hall, a conservative blogger from Michigan, posted on his ...

Rubio Staffer Allegedly Punches Rand Paul Aide In The Face

talkingpointsmemo.com/.../john-yob-rich-beeson-b...

Talking Points Memo

5 days ago - John Yob, Paul's national political director, accused Rich Beeson ... Michigan politics blogger Brandon Hall said in a Friday post that he was at ...

Paul staffer says Rubio aide punched him | TheHill

thehill.com/.../254179-paul-staffer-says-rubio-aide-punched-him

The Hill

5 days ago - The Detroit News said that Paul and Rubio's presidential campaigns are ... Conservative blogger Brandon Hall backed up Yob's version of the ...

That Time Rubio's Aide (Allegedly) Punched ... - Reverb Press

reverbpress.com/politics/.../gop-leadership-conference-bar-fight/

2 days ago - Did a Marco Rubio staffer really punch a Rand Paul aide in the face at a bar? ... Furthermore, Yob insists Beeson punched him in the face and posted ... actual “GOP leadership” face-punching actually took place, Brandon Hall ...

WWE GOP Edition: Punches thrown as Rubio and Rand ...

redalertpolitics.com/.../wwe-gop-edition-punches-thrown-rubio-rand-offi...

3 days ago - WWE GOP Edition: Punches thrown as Rubio and Rand officials get into ... posted by Yob on Facebook, conservative blogger Brandon Hall confirmed the ... According to Hall, Yob was at the bar, Horn, trying to rally votes for .

Sen. Rubio's political director punches Sen. Paul's adviser ...

woodtv.com/.../report-sen-rubios-political-director-punches-...

WOOD‑TV

6 days ago - Paul's top adviser John Yob at Horn's Bar on Mackinac Island ... Brandon Hall, the managing editor of the West Michigan Politics blog, said he ...

Assault attempt at bar between advisors before ... - WWMT

www.wwmt.com/.../Assault-at-bar-between-advisors-before-Mac...

WWMT

5 days ago - According to the blogger Brandon Hall from West Michigan Politics, police are looking for the deputy director for Marco Rubio's. ... According to a tweet from JohnYob, Paul's advisor was punched in the face. He was hired for ...

John Yob & Rich Beeson - Heavy.com

heavy.com/.../john-yob-rich-beeson-rand-paul-marco-rubio-punch-bar-f...

5 days ago - Rich Beeson, Rubio's deputy campaign manager, and Yob were both ... According to West Michigan Politics blogger Brandon Hall, who wrote ...

Report: Rubio's political director punches Rand Paul's ...

koin.com/.../report-rubios-political-director-punches-rand-pauls-ad...

KOIN

5 days ago - Paul's top adviser John Yob at Horn's Bar on Mackinac Island ... Brandon Hall, the managing editor of the West Michigan Politics blog, said he ...

Megyn Kelly | Bar fight video: Rand Paul adviser says Rubio ...

megynkelly.org/.../bar-fight-video-rand-paul-adviser-says-rubio-campai...

5 days ago - Yob also took his gripes to Twitter, where he demanded that Rubio fire ... Conservative blogger Brandon Hall was at Horn's Gaslight Bar and ...

Marco Rubio official punching Rand Paul adviser caught on ...

www.theguardian.com › US News › US elections 2016

The Guardian

5 days ago - A Michigan politics blogger, Brandon Hall, wrote on Friday that he ... At 12.51am, Yob sent Rubio's campaign manager, Terry Sullivan, an email ...

The 2016 Republican Clown Car: Republicnans keeping it ...

republicanclowncar.blogspot.com/.../republicnans-keeping-it-classy-staff...

5 days ago - Republicnans keeping it classy: Staffers for Rubio and Paul ... From John Patrick Yob, Rand Paul's national political director and chief Michigan strategist: ...Brandon Hall, a conservative blogger from Grand Haven, said Friday ...

Marco Rubio staffer takes swing at Rand Paul aide at bar ...

floridapolitics.com/.../190660-marco-rubio-staffer-takes-swing-at-rand-p...

5 days ago - Rubio will not be at the conference, but staff and supporters will, including TV ... to the attack was Grand Haven-based blogger Brandon Hall; he posted about ... “(He) missed a full on shot but still struck Yob's in the face with a ...

Top Rand Paul aide accuses top Rubio aide of punching him

www.washingtonpost.com/.../top-rand-paul-aide-accu...

The Washington Post

5 days ago - Paul's national political director John Yob accused Rubio (Fla.) ... But West Michigan Politics blogger Brandon Hall, who wrote that he witnessed ...

Rand Paul Staffer Punched In The Face By Marco Rubio ...

freakoutnation.com/.../rand-paul-staffer-punched-in-the-face-by-marco-r...

5 days ago - John Yob, the chief Michigan strategist for the Rand Paul campaign, wrote in a ... Brandon Hall, a conservative blogger from Grand Haven, said ...

Paul aide: Rubio aide hit me at a bar - MyTechBits

www.mytechbits.com › U.S. News

4 days ago - Yob has since called on Rubio to fire Beeson. Brandon Hall, a conservative blogger from Michigan, posted on his blog an account of the ...

Bar fight video: Rand Paul adviser says Rubio campaign ...

www.bizpacreview.com/.../bar-fight-video-rand-paul-adviser-says-rubio-...

5 days ago - Yob also took his gripes to Twitter, where he demanded that Rubio fire ... Conservative blogger Brandon Hall was at Horn's Gaslight Bar and ...

John Yob & Rich Beeson - Heavy.com

heavy.com/.../john-yob-rich-beeson-rand-paul-marco-rubio-punch-bar-f...

5 days ago - Rich Beeson, Rubio's deputy campaign manager, and Yob were both ... According to West Michigan Politics blogger Brandon Hall, who wrote ...

GOP Infighting Gets Physical As Rubio Aide Allegedly ...

www.politicususa.com/.../republican-infighting-physical-rubio-aide-alleg...

5 days ago - Rand Paul's national political director is alleging that a Rubio campaign ... director, John Yob is alleging that Marco Rubio's deputy campaign manager, ...Brandon Hall, a blogger who writes for the West Michigan Politics web ...

Marco Rubio Staffer Allegedly Punches a Guy -- NYMag

nymag.com/.../marco-rubio-staffer-allegedly-punch...

New York Magazine

5 days ago - John Yob, national political director for Rand Paul, accused Rich Beeson, ... Conservative blogger Brandon Hall says he was at the Horn's ...

Rand Paul adviser accuses Marco Rubio official of punching ...

americanlibertypac.com/.../rand-paul-adviser-accuses-marco-rubio-offici...

5 days ago - Rand Paul adviser accuses Marco Rubio official of punching him in Michigan bar ... In a Facebook post early Friday morning, John Yob, a Michigan-based ... A Michigan politics blogger, Brandon Hall, wrote on Friday that he ...

Rubio's political director punches Rand Paul's adviser at bar

wiat.com/.../rubios-political-director-punches-rand-pauls-adviser-at-bar/

5 days ago - Paul's top adviser John Yob at Horn's Bar on Mackinac Island ... Brandon Hall, the managing editor of the West Michigan Politics blog, said he ...

Rand Paul Staffer Gets Punched (Barely), Doesn't Fight Back

freebeacon.com/.../rand-paul-staffer-gets-p...

The Washington Free Beacon

5 days ago - John Yob has history of making assault accusations ... by punching me in the face,” wrote John Yob in a Facebook post that claims that Rubio ... BloggerBrandon Hall of West Michigan Politics, who says he was also at the bar, ...

Fisticuffs On Mackinac Island! Marco Rubio's Man Allegedly ...

detroit.cbslocal.com/.../fisticuffs-on-mackinac-island-marco-rubios-...

WWJ

5 days ago - The Rubio campaign has not responded to the allegation, but Yob ...Brandon Hall described it this way on his blog: “I witnessed Beeson ...

Rand Paul Aide Claims Marco Rubio Staffer Punched Him ...

steelerslounge.com/2015/09/rand-paul-aide-claims...rubio.../10443/

5 days ago - Meanwhile, the Mackinac Island Police Department is looking into the incident as well and Yob plans to press charges. Brandon Hall, a blogger ...

Staff members from rival Republican presidential candidates ...

www.dailykos.com/.../-Staff-members-from-rival-republican-p...

Daily Kos

5 days ago - Brandon Hall, a conservative blogger from Grand Haven, said Friday he ... Hall said the Rubio campaign official was at the bar trying to drum up votes ... Via Yob, here's the video of the alleged punch pic.twitter.com/jsZIVqhstO.

Rand Paul Strategist Says Top Marco Rubio ... - TheBlaze

www.theblaze.com/.../rand-paul-strategist-says-top-marco-rubio...

TheBlaze

5 days ago - Rubio campaign on Horn's Bar incident: "We are aware of the initial reports ... Yob and Beeson apparently exchanged words earlier in the evening, ... West Michigan Politics blogger Brandon Hall wrote Friday morning that he ...

GOP Bar Fight? Rand Paul Staffer Accuses Marco Rubio ...

www.ibtimes.com/gop-bar-fight-rand-paul-s...

International Business Times

5 days ago - Paul's national political director, John Yob, accused Rubio's deputy ... A Michigan political blogger named Brandon Hall published a post Friday ...

Rand Paul Strategist Says Top Marco Rubio Official ...

dirtyconservative.com › Campaign 2016

5 days ago - Rand Paul Strategist Says Top Marco Rubio Official 'Assaulted' Him at Bar: 'I ... Yob and Beeson apparently exchanged words earlier in the evening ... West Michigan Politics blogger Brandon Hall wrote Friday morning that he ...

Marco Rubio's campaign manager may have just punched a ...

www.someecards.com/.../marco-rubio-john-yob-rich-beeson...

Someecards

5 days ago - John Yob, national political director for Rand Paul's presidential campaign, ... Political blogger Brandon Hall witnessed the incident, and gave a ...

Friday, September 18, 2015

Breaking: Mackinac DRAMA: Top Rubio Leader Tries To Hit John Yob In The Face After Trying To Whip Straw Poll Support

Rich Beeson (USA Today)

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

Rich Beeson is Florida Senator Marco Rubio’s Deputy Political Director. Beeson may want to learn how to control his alcohol.

As I was sitting at the bar talking to someone at Horn’s in Mackinac Island Thursday night, I witnessed Beeson suddenly, out of nowhere, approach one of Rand Paul’s advisers, John Yob-unprovoked-and try to hit him. Beeson missed a full on shot but still struck Yob’s in the face with a powerful blow near the jaw.

Police were summoned by Horn’s workers after the fight dispersed. Beeson has been banned from Horn’s by the owner and is no longer welcome in the establishment.

There is no word on whether Beeson will be criminally charged. Yob is a top adviser to Sen. FRand Paul.

Beeson was heard trying to whip votes on behalf of Rubio for the Mackinac Straw Poll at the bar throughout the night before he assaulted Yob. WMP recorded part of the incident but is working to obtain another video that is more high quality-stay tuned.

Beeson was Mitt Romney's national political director.

According to Politico:

"Rich Beeson, a Republican operative, will be Rubio’s deputy campaign manager. Beeson, who previously worked as a political director for the Republican National Committee and founded a voter contact firm, in 2012 also served as political director for then-GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney."

_________________________________________________________

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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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Developing: Detroit News Cancels Mackinac 2018 StrawPoll After MIGOP Chair Romney Intervenes

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

Sources tell West Michigan Politics that a straw poll that planned by The Detroit News during this weekend's Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference was canceled after Michigan Republican Party Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel intervened.

Romney apparently learned about the paper's plans to conduct the 2018 Gubernatorial straw poll after a representative from Attorney General Bill Schuette called to convey his annoyance with the poll three years ahead of the election. The paper will still conduct a 2016 Presidential poll as well as polls on possible ballot questions.

Romney subsequently called the Detroit News and made it clear she would prefer they not conduct the poll. Romney had the power to revoke the paper's press credentials, though she did not appear to have to bring that up.

Sources close to the situation tell WMP that Lt. Gov. Calley's team had no problem with a straw poll, not surprising as the L.G. has done well in past Mackinac polls. It's not clear if representatives from Rep. Candice Miller also reached out to Romney, or why the paper decided to ax an event it had planned solely because a political party chair requested it. I know a couple ex legislators who wish they knew how to flip switches at the Detroit News...

Of note: MIRS is co-sponsoring the poll.

While the Gubernatorial primary is 35 months away, Schuette-as well as Calley and Miller-are already making moves to run, especially the Attorney General.

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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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

Thursday, September 10, 2015

Breaking: Courser and Gamrat Survive Expulsion After House Dems Demand Full Investigation

Gamrat and Courser (Photo by the Detroit News)

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

>>>Updated: It's official. State Rep. Tom Leonard read the names of Dems who refused to vote one last time, and the motion to expel State Rep. Todd Courser has FAILED.

With a floor vote taking place for well over two hours, State Representatives Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat appear to have survived expulsion from the Michigan House today after House Democrats demanded more answers, notably about the role of Speaker Cotter and his office in the ongoing controversy.

Despite Republican wishes to end this circus now" in the words of Rep. McBroom, Democrats had other plans. Most Dems simply refused to vote while some voted "no." Martin Howlyrak was the only Republican aside from Courser and Gamrat to vote against expulsion.

Howrylak took to Twitter agreeing with Democrats that the investigation isn't complete.

"@singhsam94 is making some very good points about Gamrat / Courser process Our work is not done," he said.

Speaker Cotter's spokesman said that ""We're going to leave the board open, let them think about what they're doing for a little while." That won't change the outcome.

The vote for Courser's expulsion came up at 67 votes, 6 short of the 2/3 majority needed to remove the legislators. House security had been prepared to remove Gamrat and Courser from the House with help from police if needed had they been removed.

If the votes aren't there for Courser, they certainly won't be for Gamrat.

28 Dems refused to vote, while Reps. Chang and Clemente were absent according to Chad Livengood.

Speaker Pro Tem Tom Leonard brought the gavel down twice, once on Courser for trying to pray, and also on Rep. Gary Glenn for trying to read a Bible verse. Leonard said speeches should only focus on the resolution to expel.

Rep. Singh said: "Don't we owe it to the 90,000 people in the districts who elected these representatives to have a full investigation?"

State Rep. Sarah Roberts asks "why wasn't their an investigation from Attorney General Schuette? Or the Secretary of State?" Says she has not had time to read the almost 900 page report and asks why Speaker Cotter's Chief of Staff had testimony stricken.

Rep. Frank Liberati was on the panel investigating the situation. He blasted the process.

"There's no trust and confidence from the public in this process... let's send it back to committee," Liberti said. "in no way am I prepared to make a decision today on kicking out two of my colleagues for the 4th time in the history of the great state of Michigan."

Cotter ridiculed calls for more investigation, quoting a tweet from former staffer Keith Allard on the House floor.

Here's my testimony related to Gamrat/Courser's qualifications: they don't have any. Expel them now.
— Keith Allard (@keith_616) September 10, 2015

Despite predictions by many Gamrat and Courser would be gone before Mackinac, WMP predicted weeks ago that Greimel very well could hold his caucus together in an effort to demand an independent investigation.

"Some veteran political observers like Rick Albin believe that Courser and Gamrat may be expelled before the Mackinaw Republican Leadership Conference September 18...

However, If House Dems leader Tim Greimel can hold his caucus together and he demands an Attorney General (or special prosecutor) investigation into the Courser/Gamrat controversy that includes "what the Speaker and House leadership knew and when they knew it," Todd and Cindy won't be going anywhere anytime soon because Cotter needs Dems votes to expel. 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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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Todd Courser Productions Presents: "The Inoculator"

The following was posted by former Courser/Gamrat staffer Keith Allard:

Courser+Gamrat Said "Adios" To "Third Amigo" Gary Glenn, Had Staff Forge Signatures In Effort To Introduce Bills First

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

In January, at the Tea Partycentric "Pow Wow," State Representatives Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat sat side by side with State Rep. Gary Glenn. The friendly trio had become known as "the three amigos," the most prominent and popular newly elected legislators of the Tea Party and Liberty factions in Michigan

Just weeks later, Courser and Gamrat would allegedly start to have staff forge their signatures on bills being introduced in an effort to prevent Glenn from introducing similar legislation before they could.

According to Gongwer:

"The House Business Office summary report on Rep. Todd Courser and Rep. Cindy Gamrat says the two lawmakers forced their staff to forge their signatures so they could quickly introduce legislation before another representative planning to introduce legislation on the same topic, and ex-aide Keith Allard said that lawmaker was Rep. Gary Glenn, a onetime ally.

While Mr. Glenn (R-Midland) said he had no knowledge of the alleged "forgeries," Mr. Allard said the representatives requested staffers forge their signatures in an attempt to introduce the legislation before Mr. Glenn."

__________________________________________________________

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

Facebook

Twitter

Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

Despite Calls For Increased Transparency Over Courser/Gamrat, Media Mum On Senate Rule Change Earlier This Year

Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

The Michigan Senate's outrageous rule change severely limiting public and media access to Senate documents was passed via voice vote just two weeks before Senator Virgil Smith was arrested for shooting and trying to kill his ex-wife for refusing to participate in a three way sexual encounter, but most Michiganders-even politically astute ones-don't even know about the rule change because of a media blackout on the issue.

Even now, as outlets call for increased transparency in Lansing because of the Courser/Gamrat drama and for laws to be passed to bring the Legislature and Governor into the scope of FOIA authority, no one is talking about the change.

The Detroit News has called for increased transparency in Michigan government in a recent editorial, writing:

"When lawmakers excluded themselves from FOIA, the reason put forward was that they did not want correspondences with their constituents to be subject to freedom of information requests.

But that’s precisely the sort of thing that should be public. Communications between local officials and the public are subject to disclosure under FOIA, and that should be the case at the state level as well.

Michigan joins Massachusetts as one of just two states that exempt lawmakers and the governor from FOIA. The initial law, passed in 1976, did not specifically carve out the Legislature, but an opinion by then-Attorney Gen. Frank Kelley in 1986 determined that lawmakers are not covered.

Bills have been introduced over the years to bring all elected officials under the FOIA umbrella. But they’ve gone nowhere.

Michigan’s exemption is not a blanket exception; documents relating to financial transactions must be made public. But it is broad enough to shelter correspondence, phone records, appointment schedules and reports.

It’s worth noting that Republican lawmakers have introduced legislation that would subject the Detroit Institute of Arts to FOIA, since it collects taxpayer money.

If sunshine is good for the DIA, it certainly would be beneficial for the Capitol."

But one doesn't need to go back to 1976 or some other far away time to spotlight problems with transparency in Michigan government, just look at the Michigan Senate earlier this year.

The Detroit News and most other outlets have yet to bother covering an outrageous act pushed forward by Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof this April.

On April 28th, Meekhof changed Senate rules to eliminate FOIA like Senate policies giving the media and public access to Senate documents.

WMP wrote at the time:

"Arlan Meekhof has reached a new low, playing a twisted game of "hide and seek" with Michiganders seeking basic information about their government.

In a voice vote unaccountable to Constituents and pushed for by Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, the public and media no longer have access to vital records of the Senators they elect after Senate rules were changed.

Local governments are subject to FOIA, as are most areas of federal government. Years ago though, the Michigan Legislature exempted themselves from FOIA requirements. The Senate rules allowed a similar process to FOIA, but Meekhof has JUST purged those rules, like Cindy Gamrat at a GOP Caucus meeting: they're GONE.

What did Meekhof remove from Senate rules??? Accountability from our elected officials to "we the people," and to the media. It's not like we pay for their salaries and everything that they do, including the buildings in which they do it.

>>>The following is no longer true:

"The Secretary of the Senate shall serve as the Senate Information Officer to respond to requests for Senate financial records from the public and the media on behalf of a Senator or the Senate. All requests must include the first and last name, mailing address, and phone number of the requester.

When the Secretary of the Senate receives a written request for a public record, the Secretary shall immediately, but not more than five (5) business days after the day the request is received unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the person making the request, respond to the request by one (1) of the following:
A) Grant the request.
B) Issue a written notice to the requesting person denying the request.
C) Grant the request in part and issue a written notice to the requesting person denying the request in part.
D) Under unusual circumstances, issue a notice extending for not more than ten (10) business days the period during which the Senate shall respond to the request.

The Senate shall not issue more than one (1) notice of extension for a particular request.If the Senate fails to respond to the written request within these guidelines, there will be a fine of $250 and all Senate copying and inspection fees shall be waived.""

>>>And even two weeks later, when Senator Virgil Smith is arrested for firing a shotgun at his ex-wife-trying to kill her when she won't agree to a three way sexual encounter-not a word is said by most about the rule change, not a peep.

Lansing needs more transparency, but we don't need new laws to start providing it. If outlets like the storied and well written Detroit News covered issues like the April rules change and #MeekhofSenateBuilding, Michiganders would be better served immediately, no law needed.