By Brandon Hall (Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
A Flint man, Gilbert Conway, may be involved in hundreds-of sexual assaults after over 500 videotapes of homemade rapes believed to have been recorded by him were discovered at his home during a police investigation this summer. Genesee County Commissioners authorized spending $20,000 at a meeting recently to convert the tapes from their old format to digital versions so detectives are better able to investigate the contents. According to Mlive:
"Investigators are going through thousands of hours of old video cassettes that they say may depict recorded sexual assaults by an accused Flint serial rapist.
A victim reported an alleged sexual assault of Gilbert Benny Conway, 60, of Flint, who now faces 86 counts of criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping, extortion, gross indecency and other charges in connection to six different cases that go back as far as 2009.
But the number of victims and scope of the alleged crimes is still unknown.
Genesee District Court records for Conway show six different cases filed in 2018 that involve criminal sexual conduct where the alleged assaults took place between Aug. 29, 2009 and July 4.
"He had the camera set up while he's raping his victims," alleged Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton. "We think there's a whole lot more victims out there. We want to try to identify them and seek additional charges because we want to get justice for these victims."
Conway is being held in the Genesee County Jail without bail.
It is believed there are "hours and hours" of video, Leyton said, and that the tapes "go back years. It's going to take a big time effort by the Flint police and my staff to go through it," he said.
He said each tape could contain up to eight hours of video.
"We'll go through the tapes, then try and identify the victims, then try and find them and interview them," Leyton said. "You're talking about a major-league investigation."
MLive-The Flint Journal could not reach Flint Police Chief Tim Johnson for comment.
Genesee County Board of Commissioners on Monday, Oct. 8, approved a $20,000 special appropriation that will fund the transfer of around 500 "Hi8" videocassettes that were seized as evidence at Conway's home."
__________________________________________________________________ Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
By Brandon Hall (Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
State Rep. Dave Pagel lost a hard fought State Senate primary battle to State Rep. Kim LaSata, and he's evidently still salty about it. Pagel is appearing at a campaign event for Democrat Senate candidate Ian Haight! The event takes place October 1st.
Conservative activist David Yardley tells WMP Pagel is finally showing his true colors. "It is unfortunate that it has taken Dave Pagel this long to show his true BLUE colors," Yardley said. "He now openly side with the Democrats."
Yardley says Pagel should accept his loss. "This is no surprise, he has had the worst voting record in the Republican caucus," Yardley said. "He has voted for tax and fee increases, common core, the list goes on. It's really too bad he cannot accept the fact that he lost the primary." __________________________________________________________________ Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
By Brandon Hall (Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
The Michigan Republican Party recently decided to leave Judge Elizabeth Clement off of literature being distributed by activists across the state as part of their "Results Not Resistance" campaign effort.
I will be the first to say the party has improved greatly under Ronna and Chairman Weiser, and I am not the biggest fan of Judge Clement, mainly for her ruling on the gun rights case before the Supreme Court recently.
When conservative grassroots activists expressed disappointment with that decision and talked about replacing her, establishment Republicans laughed.
Then she ruled to put "Voters Not Politicians" on the ballot, and the Lansing special interests went BALLISTIC! All of a sudden, the grassroots activists they were just mocking weren't so stupid after all.
However, no one made an effort to suspend the rules at convention and replace her. ANY delegate could have filed that motion, but none did. Despite some controversy, with no alternative, Clement won. Way she goes.
Now, party leaders say they are removing her from campaign lit because of concerns from "grassroots activists." Fake news. The party has pushed MANY candidates the grassroots vehemently disagreed with.
This was because of powerful connected groups like the Michigan Chamber and Freedom Fund, period. Don't be fooled into thinking it was because of the "grassroots."
First of all, why alienate the Metro Detroit soccer moms all the experts agree are so vital this fall for Republicans chances of keeping the House and having any chance of scoring an upset win against Stabenow? Also, why divide the party even further, what happened to that "unity" we're always told about?
More importantly though, what kind of precedent does this set?
Will the party abandon a future nominee for statewide office because they are too much of a grassroots, anti PC choice?
When party leaders start picking favorites, beware. What you're cheering for now may infuriate you later.
Clement won and she is our nominee, she should be on the literature. __________________________________________________________________ Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
By Brandon Hall (Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Dems Chair Brandon Dillon like to take shots at Attorney General Bill Schuette over Healthy Michigan and medicaid expansion, claiming Schuette's election could put the program in jeopardy. However, West Michigan Politics has learned Whitmer's husband, Dr. Mark Mallory, owner of a Lansing area dental practice, refuses to accept patients from the Healthy Michigan program! Interesting. Perhaps her husband should educate Whitmer on the instability of the program, as well as the long term financial problems it faces? Actually, she's a smart girl-she already knows. She just doesn't seem to care. It has helped people certainly, but we need to be real about what it means going forward, and how we can be responsible while administering it. At the LEAST. According to Chad Livengood of Crain's Detroit:
"Whitmer and her Democratic allies are making Snyder's signature domestic policy achievement — the expansion of Medicaid eligibility — their signature policy issue to run against Republican Attorney General Bill Schuette in the governor's race this fall.
"We're going to make it a big issue this fall," said Brandon Dillon, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, who kicked off an "Unhealthy Michigan" campaign Thursday to highlight Schuette's opposition to the program. "The fact is, Schuette wants to take away Rick Snyder's signature achievement — and we want to protect it."
They contend Schuette's past efforts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act that provided 90 percent federal funding for the entitlement program and his support of work requirements will lead to the demise of Snyder's Healthy Michigan program."
__________________________________________________________________ Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
By Brandon Hall (Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
Duane Chapman. better known as Dog The Bounty Hunter, is coming to Michigan on October 2nd to support Matt Maddock's State House campaign. The Facebook event describes the evening this way: "Dog the Bounty Hunter and his wife Beth Invite you to help send a guard Dog to Lansing! A Private Evening Reception with Matt Maddock Candidate for state house 44th district. Enjoy Cash bar and Appetizers! Tickets will sell out - help send Mad Dog Maddock to Lansing!" The cost is $50 a ticket , and $100 for a VIP photo opportunity with Dog and Beth!
Dog and his wife Beth are longtime friends of Maddock and his wife, Meshawn. Both couples are in the bounty hunting business. Maddock, who was endorsed by Dog, scored a big league primary win in August, taking over 60% of the vote in a crowded field. __________________________________________________________________ Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
By Brandon Hall (Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
Contact John Cheney-Lippold:
Email: jchl@umich.edu
Phone:734.764.6799 According to his University of Michigan bio: "Professor Cheney-Lippold teaches and writes on the relationship between digital media, identity, and the concept of privacy. He is the author of We Are Data: Algorithms and the Making of our Digital Selves."
"In an email sent on September 5, Professor John Cheney-Lippold told the student, who had taken a course with him during the Spring 2018 semester, that he would have to rescind an earlier offer to write a letter of recommendation due to “politics.”
“I am very sorry, but I only scanned your first email a couple weeks ago and missed out on a key detail,” wrote Cheney-Lippold, who teaches in the Department of American Culture’s Digital Studies program.
“As you may know, many university departments have pledged an academic boycott against Israel in support of Palestinians living in Palestine,” he said in reference to the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel.
The movement says it seeks “to isolate Israel academically, culturally, economically and militarily” until it abides by key Palestinian demands. Critics accuse it of rejecting the Jewish people’s right to national self-determination and aiming to dismantle the Jewish state, a goal supported by the campaign’s co-founder.
Cheney-Lippold noted that the academic boycott forbids “writing letters of recommendation for students planning to study” in Israel — a stipulation included in the official BDS guidelines."
The article notes that U of M leaders disagree with the decision.
"Rick Fitzgerald, a spokesperson for the University of Michigan, told The Algemeiner on Monday that the school “has consistently opposed any boycott of Israeli institutions of higher education.”
“No academic department or any other unit at the University of Michigan has taken a position that departs from this long-held university position,” he confirmed.
“The academic goals of our students are of paramount importance. It is the university’s position to take all steps necessary to make sure our students are supported,” Fitzgerald continued. “It is disappointing that a faculty member would allow their personal political beliefs to limit the support they are willing to otherwise provide for our students.”
He said the school will engage its faculty colleagues “in deep discussions to clarify how the expression of our shared values plays out in support of all students.”
Stay tuned! __________________________________________________________________ Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
By Brandon Hall (Email Him At WestMIPolitics@Gmail.com)
If you work for Dana Nessel, she might not show you her penis, but after she's done verbally assaulting you, one damn well might wish she had.
Nessel, the most radical nominee for Michigan Attorney General in state history, is unable to keep campaign leadership on board because she is evidently extremely nasty to her staff. Dangerous Dana's body count so far? Four campaign managers, six spokesman, and we're still 49 days away from election day... Some Democrats, unable to support her opponent, Speaker of the House Tom Leonard, are even looking at Independent candidate Chris Graveline. Kyle Melinn and MIRS exposed Nessel's treatment of campaign staff in a story last week.
"Democratic Attorney General nominee Dana NESSEL and her fourth campaign manager, Max GLASS, parted ways Thursday, shortly before Nessel's sixth spokesperson, Brian STONE, was let go after being on the job 48 hours. The personnel moves means Alexandra "Alex" BORNGESSER, Nessel's third campaign manager who moved over into a COO-like role after Glass joined the campaign three weeks ago from the camp of former gubernatorial candidate Abdul EL-SAYED, is back in charge, at least in the interim...
At least 20 Democratic staffers have moved in and out of the Nessel campaign since she launched her bid 13 months ago, sources with direct knowledge of the campaign tell MIRS.
Abby DART, a former senior advisor for the Nessel campaign from Aug '17 to June and Democratic political hand more than 20 years, said "I've never seen anything like it before." While two other sources with direct knowledge of the campaign used words like "chaotic," "toxic environment," "crazy" and "verbally abusive" to describe the Nessel outfit, Dart declined to go there. However, the veteran of both the Barack OBAMA and Bernie SANDERS campaign said that with any campaign there is a certain level of stress, particularly with a first-time candidate. "I consider myself even-tempered and I approach my jobs with the expectation of being treated with respect and there were instances where I don't believe that was the case," Dart said.
Stone, who also has a 10-year background in public relations, Democratic politics and the U.S. Navy, said he had heard from friends that working with Nessel "might be rough" in what was described as a "toxic," "abusive" and "disrespectful" atmosphere. But having helped Nessel on other political matters, he said he thought it would be different. "Instead of being able to help Dana, I had a rude awakening," Stone said. "I realized very quickly that I was in a horrible situation. Everyone was working in fear of contact with the candidate. People had all developed coping strategies for dealing with Dana." Stone was let go within 48 hours of starting without getting into the specifics.
"It was absolute chaos. I've never seen a campaign like this," he said. Stone, who is openly gay, said Leonard would be a "hostile attorney general who would probably attack my civil rights, much like (incumbent) Bill Schuette" which leaves him with the question: "What do I do, knowing that I have to choose between saying nothing and helping an abusive person climb to power, or to speak up and possibly help a candidate who will use their political power to abuse my civil rights? It's a lose-lose, but all I have at the end of the day is my integrity. "I admired Dana Nessel," he said. "I am still inspired by Dana Nessel's achievements. I wish her the best on this campaign, but she needs to fix her behavior. Nobody deserves to be mistreated or abused."
Stone lasted 48 hours in his role and he replaced Lucas BEZERRA and Ken COLEMAN who both served separate stints after Angela WITTROCK left the campaign. She took over for the original marketing person, Dmitriy MOVSESYAN. Others listed on campaign finance documents as having received a salary from the campaign at various points include Dart, Leah DOTSON, Nick KOLENDA(Finance), Alex HADDAD (Finance), Morgan KOETJE(Finance), Samuel PERNICK (Finance), Derrick ANDERSON, Gregory LONG, Mary SIEFERT, Melia HOWARD and Charlie CAVELL (Finance).
Leonard has had one campaign manager, Robbie RANKEY, and one spokesperson, Gideon D'ASSANDRO. When presented with information, Rankey quipped, "Six spokespersons and four campaign managers? I wonder if she will put together another tally mark infographic for this."
Speaker Tom Leonard at a press conference Monday
Leonard, who held a press conference about the scandal on Monday, says the reports are "disturbing." “Over the weekend, disturbing reports surfaced about my opponent mistreating her campaign staff,” Leonard said in a statement.
“Her actions have caused many well-respected members of the law enforcement community to call into question her ability to enforce our laws in a fair, independent, and level-headed manner. I was joined by sheriffs and prosecutors from across the state today to discuss their concerns.”
Leonard says Michiganders deserve better than Nessel.
“We can’t have a ‘dangerous,’ a ‘chaotic,’ a ‘toxic,’ and an ‘abusive’ person in charge of law enforcement in our state,” Leonard said. “Michigan deserves, and needs, much better.”
__________________________________________________________________ Brandon Hall is a lifelong political nerd from Grand Haven, and is the Managing Editor of West Michigan Politics.
