Speaker Leonard Solidifies Front Runner Status In Attorney General Race, Raises Six Times More Than Schuitmaker

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

Speaker Tom Leonard raised nearly $400,000 for his Attorney General campaign in the last few months, giving him over $566,000 on hand as the campaign to replace Bill Schuette heats up.

Leonard touted his new numbers-as well as his grassroots support- in a press release Wednesday afternoon. He says his campaign has what it takes to win in November.

"I have been overwhelmed with the encouragement and support we have received since this campaign began just a few short months ago," Leonard said. "Our message of a safer, stronger Michigan is resonating across the state. We are undefeated in straw polls of grassroots activists, and we have received far more fundraising support than any other candidate in the race. We have the momentum, and we are ready to win in November."

His opponent, State Senator Tonya Schuitmaker, brought in a little over $60,000, bringing her total cash on hand to over $281,000, about half of Leonard's war chest.

Both candidates spent around $30,000 in the last few months, reports show.

At this point, Leonard is clearly the stronger candidate for the general election in November, and this report solidifies that fact. 

Winning will take money, and Leonard is proving he can raise the necessary funds to get his message out and compete all across the Great Lakes State this fall.

Leonard and Schuitmaker recently sparred over the controversial "Common Core" law in Michigan.

Schuitmaker helped implement Common Core in 2013, but has since changed her position and now opposes it. Responding to a recent video on the subject from Leonard, Schuitmaker says she is upset he has not held a vote to repeal in the House. Leonard still has nearly a year to hold that vote, though.

Republican delegates to the state convention in August will decide the Republican nominee for Attorney General, as well as Secretary of State, Lt. Governor, and Trustees for U of M, Wayne State, and MSU.

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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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Controversial Schuette Proposal Strips GOP Precinct Delegates+Michigan Voters Power To Choose Who Leads MSU And U of M

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

A controversial proposal from Attorney General Bill Schuette would strip the power of Republican Precinct Delegates to choose the party's nominees for Board of Trustees at the University of Michigan, MSU, and Wayne State at the state convention.

The proposal also removes the power of voters to choose Trustees at the ballot box in November. Instead, Schuette believes that the Governor should get to handpick university leaders.

According to Chad Livengood of Crain's Detroit:

"Attorney General Bill Schuette called for a constitutional change in the governance of Michigan's flagship universities Monday as he stepped up scrutiny of Michigan State University and what top school leaders knew about complaints lodged against disgraced sports medicine doctor Larry Nassar.

Schuette, acting in his campaign for governor, said the governing boards of MSU, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University should be gubernatorial appointees like the 10 boards that govern the state's other public universities.

The members of MSU, UM and Wayne State's governing boards are nominated by political parties and elected in statewide races to eight-year terms."

Stripping grassroots delegates and voters of their power to choose who leads Michigan's most prominent universities is a terrible idea. 

Further politicizing these important boards with a Gubernatorial appointment process is not needed for any reason. 

Campaign donors shouldn't be rewarded with plum positions like these, candidates should have to go in the trenches, answer tough questions, and make their case to Michiganders.

Schuette's proposal misses the mark-big league.

 __________________________________________________________________
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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Developing: "Trump Republican" Matt Hall Challenges Rep. Justin Amash In 2018 Primary

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

Matt Hall, a Michigan Republican State Committeeman from Grand Rapids who is a strong supporter of President Trump, is challenging Rep. Justin Amash in the August primary.

Hall filed his campaign paperwork with the FEC earlier this year and is expected to officially announce his campaign in the coming weeks.

Hall served as a Trump delegate to the RNC in Cleveland last year, and he was also a member of the Rules Committee, helping to end the "Never Trump" movement with a vote he led. 

Hall, who recently graduated from law school, also served as the 3rd Congressional District Chair for President Trump's 2016 Michigan campaign.

According to MIRS:

"Hall said he supported Amash in his 2014 primary race against Brian ELLIS, but now feels that with the congressman's attacks against President Donald TRUMP he has moved too far from the Republican Party. 

"I believe Justin Amash needs to be held accountable to the grassroots of the Michigan Republican Party," Hall said. "The guy is not in line with the Republican base and someone needs to hold him accountable . . . He claims to be a constitutional conservative. I intend to expose him as a fraud."

Hall was a field director for former Secretary of State Terri Lynn LAND and a constituent relations liaison for Attorney General Bill SCHUETTE for four years before going to law school and externing at the Michigan Administrative Hearing system.

"I support building a wall. I support the travel ban. I don't support bad trade deals. I oppose chain migration," said Hall, who said he plans on running for Congress "full time." "Someone has to hold this guy accountable for not being a Republican and not supporting President Trump's agenda."

Stay tuned!

Amash

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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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Bombshell: Dem Candidate Running To Be "America's First Muslim Governor" Abdul El-Sayed May Be Ineligible For 2018 Ballot

El Sayed

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

A blockbuster new report from Bridge Magazine shows that Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, a Doctor from Detroit who is running for Governor, may be ineligible for the 2018 ballot.

The controversy surrounds El Sayed's 2015 voter registration in New York City, as the Michigan Constitution requires one be a registered voter in the Great Lakes State for at least 4 years before running for Governor.

"To be eligible for the office of governor or lieutenant governor a person must have attained the age of 30 years, and have been a registered elector in this state for four years next preceding his election," says Article 5, Section 22.

Experts believe the case is headed for court once El Sayed files his nominating petitions...

El Sayed has raised significant money from outside the state in his quest to become the first Muslim Governor in America.

According to Bridge:

"Dr. Abdul El-Sayed’s life story is a cornerstone of the Democrat’s campaign for Michigan governor. Born in Metro Detroit, he starred in high school sports, won a full scholarship to the University of Michigan Medical School and became chief of Detroit’s Health Department at age 30.

But a key chapter in that narrative, a professorship at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health in New York, may threaten El-Sayed’s ability to make it onto the the Aug. 7 primary ballot, where polls indicate he is the most credible challenger to Democratic front-runner Gretchen Whitmer.

That’s because the Michigan Constitution requires gubernatorial candidates be a “registered elector in this state” for four years before the general election – and El-Sayed was registered to vote in Manhattan as recently as March 2015, New York Department of Elections records show.

El-Sayed re-registered in Michigan in 2016 and did so with a New York driver license, according to Michigan Secretary of State records.

“This may be a problem. This may be something that the courts may have to decide,” said Ed Sarpolus, executive director of the Target-Insyght polling firm in Lansing.

Six election lawyers from Michigan reviewed El-Sayed’s voting records at the behest of Bridge Magazine. All but one raised serious questions about his legal qualifications to be on the 2018 state ballot. One called the case against him a “slam dunk.”

The issue likely wouldn’t come to a head until El-Sayed files paperwork making his campaign official. Among them is an affidavit of identity swearing he meets constitutional requirements to be a candidate. The deadline is April 24.

El-Sayed’s campaign told Bridge he’s eligible because he has owned an apartment in Ann Arbor with his wife since 2008."
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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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Breaking: "No Show Schuette" Makes Surprise Stop At Grand Rapids Debate (Kind Of)

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

Attorney General Bill Schuette made a surprise appearance in Grand Rapids at the first debate between the Republican candidates running for Governor Monday night, a cardboard cutout version, at least.

The stand up was visible outside Kent GOP headquarters, and WMP snapped a pic.

Schuette refuses to participate in a series of townhalls with the other candidates.

Monday's event was hosted by the Kent County Republican Party in Grand Rapids, and it was a packed house of Kent GOP members, local politicians and candidates, as well as many Republican activists.

The next debate is Wednesday in Jackson, and Schuette says he will not attend that, either.

The debate is hosted by the Jackson Chamber of Commerce.

It's not clear how long Schuette will avoid debates, eventually, he will need to face Republican primary voters.

Kudos to Dr. Jim Hines, Lt. Governor Brian Calley, and State Senator Patrick Colbeck for attending tonight's event!

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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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Developing: Will Speaker Leonard Impeach The Michigan State Board Of Trustees?

Speaker Leonard (DarKen Photography)

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

As controversy rages at Michigan State University over the sexual assault scandal involving Dr. Larry Nassar, the spotlight is now on the MSU Board of Trustees after President Lou Anna K. Simon and Athletic Director Mark Hollis resigned late last week.

While Governor Snyder has the authority to remove the trustees, many believe the Governor is reluctant to use that power for a myriad of reasons. His office says he is considering doing something, but what that means is unclear.

Enter House Speaker Tom Leonard.

Leonard passed a resolution from State Rep. Tom Barrett last Thursday in the House that was extremely critical of MSU leadership, and subsequently, Simon and Hollis were gone within hours.

In media interviews about the controversy, Leonard has raised the possibility that the Trustees could be impeached by the House.

According to Kathy Gray the Detroit Free Press:

"Speaker of the House Tom Leonard, R-DeWitt Township, said while the resolution dealt solely with Simon, he'd like to see the entire board resign or be impeached by the Legislature.

"I do believe the board of trustees needs to resign. I've never seen a situation that's been this mishandled," he said. "These trustees care more about their skyboxes in the fall than these 150 victims. And that's absolutely reprehensible."
So, what would that process look like? Here's what you need to know:

"Any member of (university) boards may be removed from office upon conviction in impeachment proceedings for the reasons and in the manner set forth in section 7 of article 11 of the state constitution," reads MCL 168.293

According to Article 11, Section 7 of the Michigan Constitution:

"The house of representatives shall have the sole power of impeaching civil officers for corrupt conduct in office or for crimes or misdemeanors, but a majority of the members elected thereto and serving therein shall be necessary to direct an impeachment.

When an impeachment is directed, the house of representatives shall elect three of its members to prosecute the impeachment.

Every impeachment shall be tried by the senate immediately after the final adjournment of the legislature. The senators shall take an oath or affirmation truly and impartially to try and determine the impeachment according to the evidence. When the governor or lieutenant governor is tried, the chief justice of the supreme court shall preside.

No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the senators elected and serving. Judgment in case of conviction shall not extend further than removal from office, but the person convicted shall be liable to punishment according to law."

Who might Leonard appoint to prosecute the impeachment if he moves forward? State Rep. Jim Runestad and State Rep. Laura Cox seem like a great place to start, and Leonard gets to choose three... Perhaps State Rep. Tom Barrett as well?

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 Senator Patrick Colbeck Is The First Major Candidate For Governor To File Petitions For 2018 Ballot

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

State Senator Patrick Colbeck is the first major candidate for Governor to turn in nominating petitions to the Secretary of State.

Colbeck turned in around 18,000 signatures earlier this week, 3,000 more than needed. 

Once confirmed, Colbeck will now be on the August 2018 Republican primary ballot. Dr. Jim Hines turned in his signatures last year.

Colbeck touts the grassroots effort behind the process. No paid signature gatherers were hired, hundreds of his supporters got the job done on their own.

"Over 500 volunteers sacrificed countless hours to make this possible," Colbeck said in a Facebook statement. "Unlike other gubernatorial campaigns, no one was paid to collect signatures nor did we spend money on expensive mailers to registered voters nor did we use taxpayer funded staff to collect signatures. It was a pure grassroots effort that differentiates the enthusiasm of our supporters from those of the other campaigns. It also shows how we do more with less financial resources...which is a good skill set for our next Governor."



Colbeck will face off against Lt. Governor Brian Calley at a town hall in Grand Rapids on January 29th. Attorney General Schuette refuses to participate.

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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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