Cropsey appointment to AG’s office prompts concerns

Former State Sen. Alan Cropsey has a new job, and it is worrying some activists in the state. Cropsey was formally appointed as the legislative liaison for Attorney General Bill Schuette.

Cropsey, a Republican from DeWitt, was the Senate Majority Floor leader the last several years and has actively blocked anti-bullying legislation. In fact, activists say Cropsey killed a compromise bill on anti-bullying in the last night of the lame duck session in 2008.

“Equality Michigan hopes to start a regular dialogue with the Attorney General and his staff regarding any and all justice issues affecting our LGBTQ community,” said Emily Dievendorf, policy director for Equality Michigan. “Michigan learned a valuable lesson from the Andrew Shirvell debacle — allowing a staffer in the State’s highest law enforcement office to operate in any way against justice and equality for all Michigan citizens due to a personal bias or ignorance compromises the credibility of the Attorney General himself.”

Shirvell made national headlines last fall when he was accused of stalking and harassing openly gay University of Michigan Student President Chris Armstrong. Former Attorney General Mike Cox brought civil service charges against Shirvell. He was fired in November when the hearing revealed he had used government resources to call Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to complain about Armstrong, and used government computers to blog about the student leader. Shirvell said he was pursuing Armstrong because he was pushing “a radical homosexual agenda” in his position.

“During a period of time when state after state was moving forward and passing anti-bullying legislation, enumerated or not, here in MI, Sen. Cropsey consistently blocked movement of numerous bills,” says Kevin Epling, co-director of Bully Police USA. “Even those from members of his own party. From 2006-2010, 22 states passed anti-bullying laws. During those years I personally never saw any written discourse from his office as to factual reasons as to why he opposed it or details on what he cited would directly and negatively affect Michigan’s schools. Nor to my knowledge was there any written suggestions from then Sen. Cropsey on possible additions, deletions, or alterations to language from his office or even fully alternative bills to help safeguard our children. Apparently the choice was to simply stall the bill rather than to truly express his concerns and assist in its creation.”

The anti-bullying legislation is named after Epling’s son, Matt. Matt committed suicide after being bullied in 2002. Epling and his wife Tammy have made education about the dangers of bullying a mission. They make appearances all over the state telling their story, and teaching young people how to stop bullying.

“Since 2008 we have lost an additional four children to bullycide. Deaths that may have been prevented by the education and prevention enouragements put forth in the law,” Epling said. “To me his actions over these years perfectly demonstrated ‘bullying’ behavior based on his position of power within the Senate, and how he chose to exercise and control that power.”

“Attorney General Shuette can uphold the honor of his office by not only ensuring that his staff’s personal biases or ill-informed beliefs don’t interfere with justice, but also through his support of laws that address bullying at every level,” said Dievendorf. “We look forward to working with AG Shuette, and with Michigan’s legislature, to pass an enumerated anti-bullying bill that will protect every Michigan student.”

Epling is not quite as hopeful about Schuette and Cropsey looking out for students who are victimized by bullies.

“Those working for the Attorney General’s office work for all the people of Michigan and Mr. Cropsey has clearly demonstrated, in my opinion, that those who agreed with him got preferential treatment, and those who didn’t got ignored. Seems counterproductive instead of working in the best interest of all parties. Which is what one should expect from an attorney serving a single client, the State of Michigan. I am only basing my opinions on my past dealings with Mr. Cropsey in the area of anti-bullying legislation not on any of the other work he has done in his years of service to Michigan,” says Epling. “Yet, I do feel that based upon his past performance in this area alone that anti-bullying efforts in Michigan may suffer, bullying may become less of an issue because he clearly has not see it as an issue of concern and in some cases, the general safety of Michigan’s children may be at risk.”

Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office did not return phone calls or emails for comment on this story.