Breaking: Drama In Grand Haven City Council Election As Incumbent Targeted Over Cross Vote, Challenger's "Ashley Madison" Account Exposed

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com

With just under 30 hours until polls close for tomorrow's elections, things are heating up in Grand Haven where recent mailers that just hit Citywide are causing controversy.

The mailers, sent by the Save The Grand Haven Cross And Nativity PAC,  target incumbent John Hierholzer for voting to remove the Cross and Nativity after Atheist extremist Mitch Kahle threatened to sue the City. 

The Cross and Nativity had been a part of Grand Haven for over 50 years...

Hierholzer also voted against displaying the beloved "Coast Guard City USA" sign.

The mailers also spotlight one of his challengers. Grand Haven Area Public Schools Board of Education Trustee Mike Cramer.

Cramer subscribed to cheating website "Ashley Madison" for years despite being married. A WMP investigation shows he was a subscriber for years, even renewing his membership as early as May of 2015.

The mailer advocates the election of local businessman Josh Brugger. The other incumbent, Mike Fritz, is not mentioned. Mayor Geri McCaleb is unopposed.

The PAC has kept busy.

"Through canvassing groups going door-to-door across Grand Haven, web ads, robocalls, mailers, and other strategic activities around town, we've been involved in this election because John Hierholzer needs to go," said PAC Communications Director Mari Harmon. 

"Our Cross and Nativity is important," Harmon said. "When John Hierholzer voted to give in to Atheist terrorist Mitch Kahle and get rid of those community treasures, he  turned his back on the people of Grand Haven, he dumped 50 years of tradition in the trash like it was nothing."

Harmon touts newcomer Josh Brugger as the man for the job.

"Josh Brugger is a local businessman and family man," Harmon said. "Brugger is the new leadership we need. Unlike Hierholzer, Brugger shares our Grand Haven values and is ready to lead."

>>>In the interest of full disclosure, I am the Executive Director of the Save The Grand Haven Cross And Nativity PAC

Email SaveTheGrandHavenCross@Gmail.Com for inquiries

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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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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

Wife Of Josh Cline, Former Aide To Courser+Gamrat, Releases Music Video Parody BLASTING Courser

Courser (Photo by Darlene Dowling Thompson)

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

The wife of Josh Cline, former staffer for Todd Courser and Cindy Gamrat, has released a video parodying "Your Lips Are Moving" that blasts Courser's campaign to regain his State House seat.

>>>Here's the video:

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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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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

Developing: MIGOP Chair Romney Launches Investigation Of Doster Over Attack Mailers

MIGOP Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

Sources tell West Michigan Politics that MIGOP Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel is conducting an investigation into longtime Michigan Republican Party lawyer Eric Doster over his involvement in a controversial mailer in the 80th House District.

It's unclear what ramifications Doster may face.


WMP previously wrote:

"A front group seemingly formed for the sole purpose of attacking 80th District State House candidate Jim Storey has surfaced, and the man behind it may surprise you.

The flyer claims that Jim Storey is a liberal and a friend of President Obama...

Storey, along with Mary Whiteford and former State Rep. Cindy Gamrat, are the leading contenders in the Allegan County based House district. Former County Commissioner Bill Sage is also running, among others."

(Mailers also evidently went out in the 82nd attacking Gary Howell.)

Not only is Doster involved, so is his wife, Arlan Meekhof, and other Lansing insiders....

>>>Read more below:

What Will Ronna Do?! MIGOP Lawyer Initiates Attack Mailer In 80th District House Race

Meekhof Tied To Controversial 80th District Mailer As Ghosts Of 2010 Campaign Against VanderKamp Linger

Eric Doster

Who is Eric Doster? Here's his bio:

"A life-long resident of Michigan, Eric Doster was named Valedictorian of his high school with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Eric Doster received a Bachelor of Arts with distinction from the University of Michigan and his Juris Doctor cum laude from Wayne State University Law School. While at Wayne State University Law School, he was awarded a scholarship as a member of the Moot Court National Team, and received various awards for brief writing. He was admitted to the Bar in 1988.

Eric is the longest-serving General Counsel in the history of the Michigan Republican Party, having served in this position since 1992. Between 1989 and 1992, Eric served as Assistant General Counsel to the Michigan Republican Party. A former high school valedictorian, cemetery caretaker, librarian, and basketball referee, Eric is one of Michigan’s leading authorities on election law, campaign finance law, and other laws affecting the political process. His client list includes political party organizations, lobbyist firms, various trade associations, Fortune 500 companies, public officials, ballot question committees, tax-exempt organizations, and other clients who engage in the political process.

In 2013, Eric released “Michigan Campaign Finance” – the first reference book ever written on Michigan campaign finance law. Doster, a recognized leader in this area of the law, designed the book to help people understand this complex topic."

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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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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

Straight Outta Chappelle's Show: Black Halloween Partygoer Booted From Grand Rapids Bar For KKK Costume!

Danny McGowan

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

Donny McGowan says he was booted from The Bob in Grand Rapids after his controversial Halloween costume spurred outrage.

In a Facebook post, McGowan wrote:

"Why did I get kicked out of the Bob in Grand Rapids because of my costume last night... They could dress like us but we can't dress like them. Black Power p.s. I had the best costume out there."

His costume?

 A KKK outfit... The situation is like one of the best moments in Comedy Central's "Chapelle's Show." A man is born blind and, despite being black, becomes a leading white supremacist. 

>>>View The Skit HERE

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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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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

MIGOP Co-Chair Jeff Sakwa Donated Thousands To Democrat Senator Gary Peters

Sakwa, left, with MIGOP Chair Ronna Romney Mcdaniel

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

MIGOP Co-Chair Jeff Sakwa is second in command of the Michigan Republican Party and popular with the organization's grassroots wing: that's why recent revelations are raising questions.

Federal records show that Sakwa gave Democrat Senator Gary Peters, then a Congressman, nearly $5,000 in a series of four donations from February 2009 to March of 2011.

	Jeff Sakwa  03/15/2011	1000.00
	Jeff Sakwa  09/25/2009	500.00
	Jeff Sakwa  08/11/2010	500.00
	Jeff Sakwa  02/18/2009	2400.00

Sakwa was elected MIGOP Co-Chair in February of 2015 as the running mate of Chair Ronna Romney McDaniel...

Sakwa

Gary Peters

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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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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

Meekhof Tied To Controversial 80th District Mailer As Ghosts Of 2010 Campaign Against VanderKamp Linger

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

Ghosts of campaigns past are haunting Jim Storey, but the veteran politico isn't spooked.

Perhaps we should back up a minute.

Had Brett VanderKamp declared his campaign just a month or two earlier, he may well be in his second term in the Michigan Senate right now...Instead, VanderKamp is still doing alright: he's in the midst of a major expansion for his beer company, New Holland Brewery.

Vanderkamp lost to then State Rep. Arlan Meekhof in a heated 2010 primary to determine who would represent Ottawa County in the State Senate. VanderKamp grabbed nearly 21,00 votes to Meekhof's 25,901.

VanderKamp had only declared in March 2010, Meekhof had been basically running since January of 2007, a couple more months on the trail could have swung the race for Brett. But I digress, he lost a barn-burner, sticking us with Arlan.

Brett VanderKamp

Allegan County Commissioner Jim Storey ran VanderKamp's campaign, and Arlan Meekhof NEVER forgot.

Nor did he forgive... Meekhof is not the forgetful type when it comes to his enemies, and VanderKamp and Storey may well top the list. I'm sure that I am not far behind.. ;) :)

The race was immensely brutal, with VanderKamp exposing Meekhof's record again and again, getting to the point where VanderKamp stunned Meekhof at a debate, leaving him speechless after saying he should drop out because of charges he significantly exaggerated his resume to voters. 

Even on Meekhof's Facebook page, remnants of the war remain. In a detailed note, Team Meekhof is on the defense against VanderKamp's charges and request Meekhof withdraw.

“This brazen personal attack is just the latest in a line of desperate attempts for attention by a candidate with no new ideas,” said Bob DeVries, a member of Meekhof's campaign team. “VanderKamp's demand for Meekhof to withdraw must be the only way he thinks he can win the race, and it seems he has forgotten that the voters get to decide.”

Meekhof also actually had the guts to claim he was the only job creator in the race...while running against a small business owner!

Fast forward to 2015, Meekhof refuses to let Storey win a seat in the State House after daring to oppose him so brazenly in a previous election.

According to The Detroit News:

"Senate Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, who represents neighboring Ottawa County, could become influential in that race because of disdain for Storey, who ran the campaign of Meekhof’s 2010 GOP primary opponent, Brett VanderKamp.

Meekhof, R-West Olive, described Storey’s campaign tactics as “bloody.”

“A lot of things that were done by my opponent’s side were not well received,” said Meekhof, who endorsed Whiteford last year but hasn’t taken sides yet in the upcoming primary. Meekhof said he won’t support Gamrat or Storey."

And Meekhof is putting his money where his mouth is...

According to Right Michigan:

"Michigan’s Voice appears to be a Richard McLellan / Eric Doster effort, but they are certainly fronting for someone else. Mary Doster just happens to be the Treasurer of GLEP, so Michigan’s Voice has a clear connection to GLEP. Mary Doster also happened to be the Treasurer of the now dissolved Safe Roads Yes! (BoE 517218) committee which spent lavishly to promote Proposal 2015-01 earlier this year. Michigan’s Voices uses the same address as Safe Roads Yes!, as well...

Senate Majority Leader Arlen Meekhof also has his hand in this race. Senator Meekhof bears a grudge against James Story, who ran the campaign of Brett Vander Kamp, Meekhof’s 2010 primary opponent.  Senator Meekhof’s Moving Michigan Forward Fund II PAC (BoE 516287) pumped $ 10,000 into the Michigan Freedom Network PAC (BoE 516317) on 07 October. Michigan Freedom Network is another PAC whose Treasurer just happens to be Mary Doster, although it uses a different address. Interestingly, it has no registration on file with Michigan LARA, unusual for a legitimate PAC. 

Meekhof’s MMFF2 contribution appears to be a partial ‘backfill’ for $ 24,000 that MFN gave to GLEP on 29 September, and $ 32,000 of polling they contracted out to Public Opinion Strategies. Has to be the campaign against Courser and Gamrat. Can you think of any other state level issues which arose just before 29 September?"

Meekhof has a history of laundering his PAC money to other outlets to do his dirty work.

Last year, Meekhof, along with State Rep. Joe Haveman, donated thousands of dollars to the 616 PAC to attack Geoff Haveman in a horrendous smear mailer centered around me.

>>>Breaking: State Rep. Joe Haveman And Sen. Meekhof Funded Attack Against Geoff Haveman In 90th District Primary

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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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Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson

Osmer Announces State House Campaign

Osmer, right, with Rep. Trey Gowdy

By Brandon Hall

(Email him at WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)

Jesse Osmer, Chair of the 1st District Republican Party as well as the District Director for retiring Congressman Dr. Dan Benishek, has announced he's running for State House in the 106th District.

In a statement via Facebook, Osmer said:

"After years of helping elect Republicans across our region, and state, and with encouragement from grassroots activists, friends, and family; I have made the decision to continue doing my part to ensure Michigan remains the comeback state by seeking to represent the 106th House District in Lansing. I look forward to the coming months, and adding to the outstanding support I've already received."

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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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Twitter

Photo By Darlene Dowling Thompson