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.
Republican Secretary of State candidate state Sen. Michelle McManus of Lake Leelanau has challenged her Democratic rival, Jocelyn Benson to a debate on campaign finance issues.
“I look forward to a spirited debate with you in the contest for Secretary of State,“ McManus wrote in a letter circulated today. “While I am familiar with your positions on a variety of election issues, I am unaware of your positions on campaign finance issues.
She said that Benson’s “silence on campaign finance issues has been deafening.”
As chair of the Senate Campaigns & Elections Oversight Committee McManus sponsored SB113, a bill that would give the Secretary of State deadlines and reporting requirements for responding to campaign finance violations and require that the Secretary assess fines for campaign finance violations. This bill passed the Senate but has not cleared the House. McManus asked Benson whether she would talk steps to promote the passage of her bill.
As you are aware, I have long worked towards reforming our campaign finance system, whether it was to enforce a shot clock on violations, make legal defense funds more transparent or go to a quarterly reporting system for all committees. My record on campaign finance is clear, and will bring much needed transparency and enforcement to our current system. I would like to know your positions on these important campaign finance issues.
McManus is a cherry farmer with a B.S. in political science from Central Michigan University. Benson teaches election law at Wayne State University. Her background includes work as a law clerk for Honorable Damon J. Keith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and degrees from Wellesley College, Oxford University and Harvard Law School.
No debate appears to be scheduled for the candidates in the Secretary of State race.
In an interview last month Benson told Michigan Messenger that she is looking forward to discussing campaign finance issues as part of her campaign. She said that her background as a lawyer and election law scholar has prepared her to interpret federal election law rulings such as the recent U.S. Supreme Court case Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.
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