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The Michigan Messenger going forward

By Staff Report | 11.16.11

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 [...]

Colorado-based abstinence program provided false and misleading information to Michigan students

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.16.11

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.

Class action lawsuit filed against MERS over unpaid taxes

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By Todd A. Heywood | 11.15.11

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.

Schuette fights important mercury regulations

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By Eartha Jane Melzer | 11.14.11

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.

Giuliani event for Walberg postponed

By Todd A. Heywood | 06.22.10 | 12:58 pm

A fundraising event for 7th Congressional district candidate Tim Walberg featuring former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani has been postponed.

Congressional Quarterly reports the event was supposed to happen Monday June 21, but was canceled due to last minute “scheduling” issues. But Walberg tells CQ he would happily host the former mayor, calling the idea “exciting.”

There is a bit of irony in all this. Earlier this year, members of the Jackson area Right to Life took the Tipton Republican’s opponent Brian Rooney to task for skipping the annual dinner to attend a fundraiser for the Republican Main Street Partnership. Those RTL supporters of Walberg’s accused Rooney of rubbing elbows with a group that had dared to work with and endorse pro-choice candidates in the past.

Walberg, they said, was the RTL guy.

So why is he rubbing elbows and excited about the potential of fundraiser with Giuliani, a pro-choice Republican?

The Rooney campaign told CQ it would let Walberg’s hypocrisy “speak for itself.”

Comments

  • http://www.google.com/profiles/kirksmonkey James T

    In Brian Rooney, we have a candidate who has never voted in the district, who moved just barely within its borders (10 miles from of Ann Arbor) shortly before entering the race, who is indebted to the tune of $220,000 to out-of-state interests, who won't publish his tax returns (Obama and McCain did this in 2008), and who ignores criticism about these facts.

    Rooney’s major contributors include the out of state gambling industry as well as Tom Monaghan. Based on past history, these interests hope to be able to count on him to push legislation that favors them. Even if the legislation contradicts his principles or hurts his constituents, he will likely tow the line for them because he can't afford to snub them and lose their contributions to his re-election campaign.

    All of these questions raise an important concern as to whose interests he will be most accountable to as a public official — the people who elected him, or the interests who funded his campaign?

    If he can't run a transparent and honest campaign, he cannot be trusted to be a transparent and honest representative of our district in Washington. Carlson and Walberg may not have the same youthful appeal as Rooney, but their comparative moral high ground gives them an edge over Schauer. Rooney, on the other hand, has no hope against Schauer if he doesn't address the voters' ethical concerns.

  • res21

    I think we all need answers as to why Rooney is in the district. Especially, when hes a carpetbagger for moving into the district and then not knowing how much hes worth. I think it's time for Rooney to put out his income tax statements like the rest of the candidates have done so we don't have to question his integrity.

    From The Detroit News: http://www.detnews.com/article/20100617/POLITIC…

    Candidate explains that his assets aren't etched in steel
    Brian Rooney , a Republican running in south-central Michigan's 7th Congressional District and whose family owns the Pittsburgh Steelers, appears to be worth more than $50 million, according to his financial disclosure form.
    If that were so and he were elected in the fall, he would beat Rep. Fred Upton , R-St. Joseph, as the wealthiest member of the Michigan delegation. Upton, a grandson of a Whirlpool co-founder, has assets valued at between $6.6 million and $27.3 million. That ranks him as the 21st richest member of the House.
    When Political Insider asked Rooney about his listed assets in OFK Development, a financial management firm, he laughed and said, “Oh, no … I wish.”
    Turns out, Rooney said, that's the value of the entire asset, while his portion is worth about $500,000. He said he'll be filing an amended statement.

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