Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, shown here sweeping up horse manure, has led an effort to suppress Democratic turnout in Michigan elections by fighting to uphold a ban on the option to vote a straight-ticket in our elections. The legislation, passed by our GOP-dominated state legislature, was a blatant attempt to harm Democrats’ chances given that one-half of all voters use the option and the vast majority of these are Democrats. Schuette was so determined to undermine Democrats that he took the appeal all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
This morning, the SCOTUS joined the 6th District Court in telling Schuette to go Cheney himself:
The straight-party voting option will still be available in Michigan in the Nov. 8 general election after the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday rejected a last-ditch appeal on the issue from Attorney General Bill Schuette.
The court, which currently has eight members, rejected Schuette’s request for a stay of a preliminary injunction issued against a recent Michigan law banning straight-party voting. Two justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, would have granted the application, the court said.
Schuette wrote a ludicrous op-ed in the Detroit News earlier this week, saying, “Critics of Michigan’s law have urged me, acting on behalf of the state, to roll over and walk away from a defense of the law. But that would be a dereliction of duty. As the Michigan Manual states, ‘The attorney general is the lawyer for the state of Michigan.’ In other words, defending state law is the job of the AG.”
In that statement, Schuette left out two crucial points. First, if a law is unconstitutional as was ruled by the Sixth District Court, he is not only not compelled to defend it, he’s compelled NOT to defend it. He did that anyway.
Second, I call his op-ed ludicrous because Michigan voters have voted AGAINST banning straight-ticket voting not once, but TWICE. The voters of Michigan have spoken and their so-called “representatives” ignored them and put their own partisan greed ahead of the wishes of Michigan citizens.
You have to wonder just how many times Bill Schuette will use our tax dollars to advance his own extremist worldview and craven partisan efforts to shore up his 2018 gubernatorial bid before he comes to the realization that he is harming himself along with the rest of the state.
My guess: Never.
UPDATE: I’ve said it before but it bears repeating, this win is largely thanks to former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer. His legal skills ensured this victory on behalf of Michigan voters. Which makes this meme by Progress Michigan so absolutely spot-on:
UPDATE 2: Here’s a hoot: Schuette says he’ll “respect that [SCOTUS] decision”. Like he had a choice? Was he going to take it to the International Supreme Court? Maybe the Galactic Supreme Court? Good lord, what a maroon.
