Halle-freakin-lujah Information is just coming out but various news sources are reporting that the Michigan Court of Appeals has declined to convene a special 7-member panel to review the correctness of a 30-year old decision regarding “substantial compliance” of referendum petitions. Because of this, for now at least, the referendum to repeal Public Act 4, the Emergency Manager law, WILL […]

This is unprecedented The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled today that the petitions for the repeal of Michigan’s Emergency Manager law did NOT comply with the law. This is despite the sworn printer’s affidavit and expert analysis proving otherwise. However, the Court also said that prior rulings relating to “substantial compliance” compel them to allow the petitions and to validate […]

Astonishing

I find myself using the word “astonished” or “astonishing” a LOT lately when it comes to Michigan politics. My level of cynicism seems to be rising exponentially as each week passes when I see the outrageous and egregious things that Republicans are doing in our state.

But this might take the cake.

Pontiac – we build excitement?

There’s a pretty well-written, well-researched and fair piece about Michigan’s Emergency Manager crisis at Governing.com. It focuses heavily on Pontiac and their history with EMs including their current one, Louis Schimmler.

There wasn’t a lot in the article that I didn’t already know but there were two things that caught my attention…

Hello? Anybody out there? I really have to ask the question, “Where is the mainstream media on the challenge to Public Act 4 repeal petitions?” This is not just a wonky, technical discussion. This is an attempt to silence the voices of nearly a quarter million Michiganders on a concocted technicality. (If you’ve missed my previous posts on this, you […]

Desperation is SUCH an ugly thing

Yesterday I reported that a group known as Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility is challenging the petitions for the repeal effort against Public Act 4 — Michigan’s odious Emergency Manager law. The basis of their complaint is that the font size of part of the petitions is too small.

It turns out that there is some case history on this very topic in Michigan…

FONT SIZE???! [NOTE: This post has been updated HERE.] In a clear act of desperation, a group opposing the repeal of Public Act 4 — Michigan’s Emergency Manager law — are challenging the petitions because they say the font size is too small. [O]pponents of the referendum drive say they’ve found what they’re calling a “fatal error” on the petitions. […]

Yes, it’s still the law In what appears to be a never-ending saga of a ham-handed, clumsy implementation of a constitutionally-questionable law, the Snyder administration has finally won a court battle which put Flint Mayor Dayne Walling out of a job (again) and Emergency Manager Michael Brown back in (again). This and the continuing battles in Detroit and elsewhere to […]

Second time’s a charm Michigan Rising has risen like a phoenix from the ashes of the first attempt to recall Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and is giving it a second try. Last week, they submitted petition language in Washtenaw County. They had no trouble getting their language approved last year so there is little reason to believe they will have […]

Stop Public Act 4! The Michigan Secretary of State’s (SOS) office has confirmed that the Stand Up for Democracy coalition has turned in 24,151 valid sheets containing 225,885 signatures, exceeding the 161,305 needed to put the law on hold and the referendum on November 2012 ballot. [NOTE: this does NOT mean the signatures themselves have been validated, just that they […]

Here are some photos, courtesy of Michigan Forward, from the delivery of over 226,000 petition signatures to the Secretary of States office on Wednesday. Some details along with a statement from Michigan Forward are available in yesterday’s News Round-up. Rally at Central United Methodist Church Another rally shot Brandon Jessup, Rev. David Bullock, Rev. Charles Williams and others delivering petitions […]