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| Doster, left, Drolet, right |
By Brandon Hall
(Email Him At WestMiPolitics@Gmail.com)
Months before Democrat Mayor Jim Fouts of Warren found himself in hot water for allegedly making obscene comments that were caught on tape, Fouts made headlines for another issue: using his public "State Of The City" address to line his PAC's pockets...
And guess who his legal point-man is? None other than Michigan Republican Party attorney Eric Doster.
Doster has repeatedly involved himself in local Republican primaries despite his prominent role within the state party, also helping to write and pass horrendous legislation, among other things... (See below)
The controversy surrounds "Macomb Business United," a PAC deeply connected to Fouts, run by his Deputy Public Services Directer Gust Ghanam. Ghanam serves as the group's Treasurer.
The State recently fined Ghanam after a complaint was filed.
According to Christina Hall of the Detroit Free Press:
"In its letter to Ghanam's attorney, Eric Doster, the state indicated that based on an admission that the PAC accepted a contribution from a prohibited source — a corporation — and a state review of its April quarterly statement, there was evidence to believe a violation occurred. The contribution was from NTH Consultants LTD, which Ghanam "immediately refunded."
Doster said Wednesday "we are delighted with the outcome of the Michigan Department of State investigation and disposition of this matter." He said the complaint had "all these wild and numerous and varied politically-motivated campaign finance complaint allegations" against Ghanam that were all dismissed but one, which Doster said Ghanam "self-reported." That violation was a minor contribution from a corporation that "we frankly didn't know was a corporate contribution at the time."
Former State Rep. Leon Drolet, well known for his opposition to tax increases, filed the complaint and notes that the investigation is just getting started, despite Doster's false assertions the case has been disposed of.
Writing to Fouts, the Secretary of State said:
"Because Mayor Fouts appeared and gave his State of the City address during the fund-raiser and the fund-raiser was advertised on a water bill insert, it appears to the department that you and the city authorized the use of city resources for the fund-raiser by attending or speaking at the fund-raiser, advertising the fund-raiser and producing materials for the fund-raiser."
The Freep article continues:
"Drolet, a former Republican state representative from Macomb Township, said "the bigger outcome of this is that the Secretary of State is going beyond the relatively minor violation for Gust Ghanam and are seeking the much larger violation of using public funds to promote a political action committee."
In his complaint, Drolet alleged that Ghanam filed a quarterly campaign statement for the committee April 24 showing that $20,510 was raised in the April 7 event and that it paid $8,652 for banquet hall services to Andiamo Banquet Center on April 10, but neglected to report it as a fund-raiser. It stated that 472 people attended the event, paying $40 or $50 for seats closer to the podium. They paid to see Fouts give his address and eat lunch.
It stated that the event was staffed and attended by city employees, including uniformed law enforcement during normal working hours and that city workers contributed to the PAC in order to attend the event during the workday. It also stated that the city’s governmental channel, known as TV Warren, staffed the event and a PowerPoint presentation of accomplishments by Fouts and city departments and employees was shown. The speech was uploaded to the city’s website.
"I'm really pleased the Secretary of State did not tailor their response to a minor violation and (will) look at a much larger violation that, ultimately, it's something that could lead to Fouts being removed from office if pursued criminally," Drolet said. "They are operating as if a violation has occurred and are asking about the scope of it."
The State issued a February 9th deadline for Fouts to hand over numerous pieces of information related to Drolet's complaint...
For his part, Doster actually had the balls to say that they will file a complaint against DROLET for filing a false complaint under the Michigan Campaign Finance Act!
"It's hard to believe a complaint could be described as false when he was found guilty and required to pay a fine," Drolet told the Free Press.
Stay tuned!
Read more here:
The Curious Case Of SB 571: Controversial MIGOP Lawyer Eric Doster Involved In Shady Last Minute Amendment?
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
Meekhof Tied To Controversial 80th District Mailer As Ghosts Of 2010 Campaign Against VanderKamp Linger
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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
You mean the people running the MIGOP are deceitful scumbags? You don't say!
ReplyDeleteNo! Just the RINO's
ReplyDelete