I am writing today to announce the closure of the Michigan Messenger. After four years of operation in Michigan, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news into a single site, The American Independent at Americanindependent.com. This is part of a shift in strategy, towards new forms [...]
An abstinence-only presentation provided to numerous school districts in Calhoun and Eaton Counties in October of this year provided false and misleading information to students about HIV, experts allege.
Two county registers of deeds filed a class action lawsuit Monday on behalf of Michigan’s 83 counties alleging that the Mortgage Electronic Registration Services owes millions of dollars in property title transfer taxes.
Despite evidence of the impact of mercury on children and public health, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette last month joined with 24 other state attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to scuttle new EPA regulations that would reduce mercury emissions from power plants.
Retail food giant Meijer has been fined over $190,000 for violating state campaign finance law in its efforts to build a super store in Grand Traverse County.
Michigan Secretary of State Terry Lynn Land announced today that Meijer has agreed to the fines which she said represent the maximum civil penalty for the campaign-finance violations that occurred.
Land said Meijer broke the law by secretly using corporate money to counter a 2005 zoning referendum against big-box stores in Acme township and paying for an unsuccessful 2007 recall election aimed at township officials.
The company funded these campaigns through payments made to its law firm, Dickinson Wright, and public relations firm Seyferth Spaulding Tennyson Inc.
Continued -“Our campaign-finance laws are about openness and disclosure and in this case Meijer tried to avoid both,” Land said. “The overall goal of the Campaign Finance Act is to ensure compliance and disclosure, which we achieve with these settlements in addition to a record fine. Our democracy encourages everyone to participate in the election process but we all must follow the rules.”
The Muskegon Chronicle reports that as part of the settlement reached with the Secretary of State, Meijer agreed to internal control measures and restructuring to prevent future violations. Top executives must now approve the selection of outside legal and public relations firms and keep tabs on the work they do on behalf of Meijer.
“It’s my understanding that any individuals who committed crimes will be referred to the attorney general’s office for possible prosecution,” Acme township attorney Chris Bzdok told the Traverse City Record Eagle. “As long as that’s true, I think this is a very good resolution … if you’re trying to illegally fund the overthrow of a local government in Michigan, you’re going to pay for that.”
During the months of the campaign-finance investigation, many expressed doubt as to whether Land — who is from Kent County where Meijer is based and has accepted campaign contributions from the company — would take action against Meijer.
A breakdown of the fines levied against Meijer is available here.
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