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.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Wednesday sent a tersely worded letter to Republican Attorney General Mike Cox demanding that he intervene in a federal lawsuit over recently enacted health care reform legislation in favor of the new law.
Cox signed onto a lawsuit opposing the legislation on state’s rights issues on Tuesday. But Granholm says he over stepped his Constitutional responsibilities, and did not consult with her or her administration.
“I certainly do not question your authority or even your obligation when specifically authorized under MCL 14.28 to intervene in litigation in your capacity as Attorney General and to vigorously advocate those positions you believe are most consistent with the constitution and laws of this state. Your statutory authority does not, however, override the superior constitutional authority vested in the Governor to determine the position to be taken by the executive branch of the state government and certainly does not authorize you, as Attorney General, to unilaterally, and without consultation, to determine and declare the policy position of the state of Michigan.
Accordingly, pursuant to the constitutional authority vested in me as Governor, and the statutory duty imposed upon you by MCL 14.28, I am directing you to intervene in the Florida litigation on behalf of the Governor, the state of Michigan, and the Michigan Department of Community Health to uphold the recently enacted federal health care legislation and to protect and preserve the important protections afforded our state and its citizens by the new law.”
For his part, Cox spokesman John Sellek told the Associated Press that the AG’s office has not had time to review the constitutional claims in the letter.
And since Granholm called Cox’s involvement in the lawsuit “a political ploy,” Sellek could not help but take a political swipe back:
“I know the governor has often been mentioned as a candidate for an Obama cabinet position,” Sellek added. “But that doesn’t change the fact that the president and Congress have put a price on being an American citizen for the first time in our history.”
Incidentally, the political stabs back and forth are playing to the party faithful on both sides of the aisle. While Granholm is term limited, Cox is battling for the GOP nomination to replace her. Stay tuned for more on this.
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