UPDATE: Michael Steinberg, mentioned below, has amended his Facebook post and, thankfully, no longer recommends “plunking” for Sam Bagenstos. I’m leaving the post up because a number of people still are spreading this tripe. I have also heard that some people believe this is the position of the ACLU of Michigan. It is NOT. I was recently made aware of […]

After receiving the good news last month that a federal judge had commanded the Michigan Secretary of State to allow for straight-ticket voting, yesterday we got bad news: A three-judge panel of the 6th District Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that the ban on straight ticket voting could remain in place for the November election. The result, of course, is […]

Circuit Court Judge Deborah Thomas recently announced that she is running for the Michigan Supreme Court. This is her second supreme court race and her candidacy is generating a lot of energy and enthusiasm. She’s a fierce and lifelong advocate for those in society without a voice in the judicial system and, in addition to her job as a Circuit […]

In 2012, Bridget Mary McCormack got the cast of the West Wing to do a video for her to remind people to vote on the Non-Partisan ballot. She had an “in” with them since her sister Mary McCormack played Deputy National Security Advisor and ex-CIA officer Kate Harper. The video went insanely viral and has had over 1 million views. […]

If I had to use only one word to describe Circuit Court Judge Deborah Thomas, it would be “fearless”. Judge Thomas, one of three people nominated by the Michigan Democratic Party for the Michigan Supreme Court (on the non-partisan section of the ballot), has never let adversity stand in the way of achieving her goals. Despite losing her father at […]

Snyder’s Supreme Court appointment will set the tone for the 2013 legislative session

As I anticipated (rather testily) last month, Democrats are losing a voice on the Michigan state Supreme Court. Thanks to the unethical behavior of Diane Hathaway, whose name will now forever be associated with the betrayal of Democrats and Michigan citizens in general, we went from a 4-3 Republican-to-Democrat ratio to what will be a 5-2 balance once Governor Rick Snyder makes his appointment.

This has many people across the state wondering what Snyder will do with this opportunity.

On the one hand, he could continue his recent trend of appeasing the far right conservatives in his party, cementing the partisan divide that has so intensely polarized our state and that has created warring factions who despise each other.

On the other hand, he could choose a more moderate candidate who is more palatable to Democrats in Michigan. By doing this, the Governor could begin to repair some of the damage that was done when he chose to force Right to Work legislation through during the inflamed duck session and the animosity he created by passing laws that hinder women’s access to legal abortion services in our state.

My analysis after the jump.

Oh, for the love of Goddess… With the election of Bridget McCormack on November 6th, Democrats in Michigan picked up a precious seat on the state’s highest court. These seats are hard-won and, in McCormack’s case, it took the effort of a crack campaign staff coupled with volunteers across the state working their tails off to make it happen. Now […]

The desperation is palpable

An out-of-state group known as the “Judicial Crisis Network” is spending $1 million in Michigan to attack Supreme Court front-runner Bridget McCormack. After you read my interview with her HERE, you’ll quickly realize that she’s a candidate perfectly suited for the Supreme Court. The now-viral West Wing ad released by her campaign gave her name recognition not usually seen with candidates for the bench. As I said in my interview, she’s the real deal, running a real campaign and she’s going to win.

However, that’s only true if we get out the vote for her, along with Connie Marie Kelley (interview HERE) and Shelia Johnson (interview HERE.) The most recent Detroit Free Press poll shows that an astonishing 75% or more of Michigan voters are undecided in the Supreme Court races (one partial term where Johnson is the candidate and two full-term seats where Kelley and McCormack are on the ballot.)

We simply must spread the word on these three incredible women. We must tell our friends, our coworkers, our family — anyone who will listen — that these three women represent the best choice for Michigan’s future.

More after the jump.

We need to educate our friends, relatives and coworkers!

The Detroit Free Press released an astonishing poll recently that showed that in the two Supreme Court races, one for a partial term and one with two seats open for full terms, more than 75% of voters are undecided. Three-quarters of the voters don’t know who to vote for. Of course, Eclectablog readers know:

• Bridget Mary McCormack (interview)
• Connie Marie Kelley (interview)
• Shelia Johnson (interview)

Now it’s time to share this information with as many Michiganders as you can. An easy way of doing that, of course, is to print out the Eclectablog Voters Guide (pdf) and hand it out widely.

As your reward, I present you with the the bloopers and outtakes from Bridget McCormack’s massively viral West Wing public service announcement (after the jump.)

The last of the truly reasonable Michigan Republicans…

When I was just a lad and an aspiring activist, I volunteered for a group called “The Three O’Clock Lobby”. It was a youth-run, youth advocacy group and we endeavored to make sure the voice of young people was represented in policy-making, law-making, and government in general.

It was during my time there that I first met Governor William Milliken when I and another young person asked him to wear a button saying “I support youth participation” at a celebration of the International Year of the Child (this event is actually mentioned in the Wikipedia article.) Milliken was not only a really nice and sweet man, he was a listener and he was reasonable. Considered a moderate, a man with his approach to leadership and governance would have no home in the Republican Party today, especially not in Michigan. William Milliken was willing to compromise and there’s no compromising in today’s Republican Party.

Today, Professor Bridget McCormack, candidate for the Michigan Supreme Court, announced that she has received the endorsement of William Milliken. It’s a clear sign of where things are in Michigan today, politically-speaking.

More after the jump.

Another superb candidate for the State Supreme Court in Michigan

Connie Marie Kelley is currently a judge in the Wayne County Circuit Court. She was endorsed and nominated by the Michigan Democratic Party for the Michigan Supreme Court along with Bridget Mary McCormack (interview HERE) and Shelia Johnson (interview HERE.)

Like the other two MDP-endorsed candidates for the state’s highest court, Judge Kelley comes from a background that makes her unique suited and qualified to be a state Supreme Court justice. She has spent her career advocating for clients as an attorney and making the justice system more accessible for those who use it as a judge. She has represented a wide variety of clients including victims of domestic violence, those who have experienced discrimination, and workers who have been treated unfairly by their employers. In her personal life, she has seen the impact that drug abuse can have on families and has used that experience to help young people find other paths, serving as a mentor and teacher to young people from urban areas.

The full interview is after the jump.