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Yahoo
6 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Whitmer denies MSU request to remove Vassar, Denno despite misconduct findings
EAST LANSING — In a two-paragraph letter, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer put to rest 14-months of uncertainty about the future of two Michigan State University trustees found complicit of misconduct. Whitmer in a May 30 letter declined the MSU board's request to remove trustees Rema Vassar, D-Detroit, and Dennis Denno, D-East Lansing, but claimed her decision should not be interpreted as 'condoning of the conduct' of either trustee. Among other issues, Vassar was found by university investigators to have taken free tickets and flights, and Denno to have pressured consultants investigating MSU's response the 2023 mass shooting on campus to tone down criticisms of trustees' actions. "The denial of the request by no means indicates a condoning of the conduct alleged in the referral," Whitmer's Deputy Legal Counsel Amy Lishinski wrote in a letter to MSU board Chair Kelly Tebay. "Rather, it only means that other considerations related to the Governor's removal authority weigh against removal under these circumstances at this time." Stacey LaRouche, press secretary for Whitmer did not answer follow up questions about what these other considerations were and what conduct would warrant removal. MSU spent more than $2 million for an investigation by the Washington D.C.-based law firm Miller & Chevalier that found that Vassar and Denno violated multiple codes of conduct and ethics and acted outside the boundaries of their roles. Miller & Chevalier's investigation was sparked by a letter from Trustee Brianna Scott, D-Muskegon, to her fellow trustees and local media alleging 10 instances of misconduct by Vassar, who at the time chaired the MSU board. Miller & Chevalier found evidence to support some, but not all, of Scott's allegations. The tone of Whitmer's letter lacked the strong words she used more than a year ago after the allegations surfaced, and before MSU's own investigation found that many of Scott's concerns had merit. Days after the allegations were made public, Whitmer called them "deeply concerning." "I'm taking it very seriously," Whitmer said at the time. "I think the allegations, if accurate, amount to a serious breach of conduct in what we expect of our board members and ... the oath that they took." Neither Vassar and Denno responded to a request for comment June 3. MSU's investigation found that Vassar and Denno bullied and harassed former interim President Teresa Woodruff and then-Faculty Senate Chair Jack Lipton, leading to Lipton suing the trustees. A federal judge last week dismissed the board and several trustees from that lawsuit, but said Lipton's claims against Vassar and Denno could proceed. The investigation also found evidence Denno tried to get the consultants hired by the university who analyzed MSU's response to the mass shooting to change their findings after the report criticized the trustees' response. Vassar also accepted courtside tickets and a private flight from a donor for her and her daughter to attend a basketball game. Both trustees acted outside the authority of their roles, investigators found, as well as evidence that both Vassar and Denno attempted to "embarrass and unsettle" former Woodruff and attack Lipton. Miller & Chevalier concluded its report with several recommendations, including that Vassar and Denno be censured and referred to Whitmer so she could consider removing them. The board followed both recommendations, and also censured Scott for making her allegations public. Vassar and Denno have maintained that Miller & Chevalier's investigation was incomplete and misleading. "I refute most of the allegations in the Miller & Chevalier (MC) report," Denno said in an email to the State Journal last year. "I will accept a censure but contest any other form of punishment. What has been proposed is overly-punitive in nature." Through her attorneys, paid for by MSU, Vassar released a statement calling the report 'profoundly flawed.' She is involved in a dispute with the university over legal fees for attorneys MSU hired on her behalf. Whitmer has the sole authority to remove the trustees as governor. MSU's trustees, along with the University of Michigan's Board of Regents and Wayne State University's Board of Governors, are the only college governing bodies whose members are elected in statewide elections in Michigan, and as elected officials the only person who can remove them is the governor. In 2020 Vassar was elected with more than 2.3 million votes and in 2022, Denno was elected with about 1.9 million votes. Eric Lupher, president of the Livonia-based nonprofit public affairs research organization Citizens Research Council, told the State Journal last year that a governor removing an elected official in Michigan was so rare there was no defined process. The last high-profile effort to remove an elected official by a Michigan governor was over a decade ago, Lupher said. And the elected official in question, former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, resigned before Gov. Jennifer Granholm could announce a decision. Under the terms of their censure, Vassar and Denno were removed from all board committees and liaison positions. Those restrictions expired Dec. 31 and both sought and were granted seats on the board committee for academic affairs and the board committee on budget and finance in January. The controversy for both is not over, however. In a 17-page ruling dated May 28, U.S. District Judge Hala Jarbou said Lipton presented facts supporting a claim for a First Amendment violation against Vassar and Denno as individuals. Lipton has argued in court documents that Vassar and Denno encouraged students to attack him and label him a racist following comments he made after an Oct. 27, 2023, board meeting when he used the term "mob rule" to describe how Vassar chaired the meeting. MSU's own investigation supported some of Lipton's claims in the suit. "According to the amended complaint, Lipton's comment to the press about the October 27, 2023 BOT meeting was protected speech, and Vassar and Denno's subsequent conduct was retaliatory adverse action," Jarbou wrote. "Lipton has also demonstrated that Vassar will continue to retaliate against him for this speech, but he did not demonstrate the need for prospective relief from Denno." Jarbou dismissed Lipton's claims against the rest of the board in the same ruling. Here's the full letter from Lishinski to Tebay: "Re: Removal Request "Dear Chairperson Tebay, "We have received the referral from the Board of Trustees dated March 3, 2024, of Trustee Rema Vassar and Trustee Dennis Denno for removal 'per MCL 168.293.' Because our office takes seriously any complaint regarding misconduct by public officials, we reviewed the request carefully. 'I am writing to notify you that the request has been denied. The denial of therequest by no means indicates a condoning of the conduct alleged in the it only means that other considerations related to the Governor's removalauthority weigh against removal under these circumstances at this time." Sincerely,Amy LishinskiDeputy Legal Counsel Contact Sarah Atwood at satwood@ Follow her on X @sarahmatwood. This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Whitmer denies MSU request to remove trustees Vassar, Denno
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washtenaw County prosecutor announces campaign for Michigan attorney general
Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit | Submitted photo Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit announced Tuesday that he is seeking the Democratic nomination for attorney general. Savit said his role as attorney general would be to 'stand between Michiganders and those trying to take their rights away—whether it's extremist politicians in Washington, corporate polluters contaminating our environment, or shady businesses ripping off workers and consumers.' As prosecutor, Savit created Michigan's only Economic Justice Unit, focused on wage theft, price gouging and consumer abuse, as well as new units focused on domestic violence and sexual assault. He was elected as Washtenaw County prosecutor in 2020 and re-elected in 2024. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Prior to that, he served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O'Connor. He was also senior legal counsel for the city of Detroit, where he oversaw the city's lawsuits against the opioid industry and led the litigation in a right-to-literacy lawsuit that netted nearly $100 million for the city's public schools. Savit said he would use the office to push back on the Trump administration, who he said is 'seeking to strip our communities of their fundamental freedoms.' 'The attorney general is uniquely situated to fight back, in court, against federal overreach,' Savit said. But he said it's also important to litigate issues closer to home, 'whether it's a slumlord taking advantage of tenants, a business ripping off its workers, or a scammer taking advantage of seniors.' Savit joins a field that also includes former U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, the Democratic nominee for attorney general in 2014. Only one Republican has entered the race so far, defense attorney Kevin Kijewski, best known for his representation of Clifford Frost, one of the 15 defendants charged by the Michigan Attorney General's Office with submitting false electoral votes in 2020 for President Donald Trump. Savit's campaign said he has already earned the endorsements of 15 state legislators, including state Sen. Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit), and more than 30 city and county officials, including Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand and Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton.
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Washtenaw County prosecutor joins Michigan attorney general race
LANSING, Mich. − Washtenaw County Prosecutor Eli Savit is entering the 2026 race for state's chief law enforcement officer, throwing his hat in the ring for Michigan attorney general. The 42-year-old Ann Arbor Democrat who started his career as a public school teacher said on his campaign website that he will "take on corporate polluters, protect workers and consumers from exploitation, and hold powerful interests accountable." "At a time when our constitutional rights are under attack, Eli will be a fearless advocate for justice, fairness, and opportunity for all," the site said. Savit worked as a law clerk to former U.S. Supreme Court justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sandra Day O'Connor and legal counsel for the city of Detroit before he was elected Washtenaw County prosecutor in 2020. He was re-elected to the position in 2024 and currently lectures at the University of Michigan Law School. As prosecutor, Savit created the state's only Economic Justice Unit, focused on price gouging, wage theft and consumer abuse, as well as zeroed in prosecutorial efforts on domestic violence and sexual assault cases, his campaign announcement said. In Tuesday's announcement, Savit said the attorney general's office needs to focus its efforts on abuses close to home − such as slumlords and scammers − and at the federal level, where he argued Trump "is seeking to strip our communities of their fundamental freedoms." "The attorney general is uniquely situated to fight back, in court, against federal overreach," Savit said. "And I'll do so whenever Michiganders are placed at risk." His endorsements include that of former Michigan Democratic Party Chairwoman Lavora Barnes, Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton and state Sen. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit. Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel is term-limited and serving her last four-year term. Savit joins two others who have already announced their candidacy for the statewide role: Defense attorney Kevin Kijewski, a Republican, and former U.S. Attorney Mark Totten, a Democrat. --------- Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Detroit rally pushes back against Trump efforts to dismantle climate and health protections
One of the signs at the 'Climate Can't Wait' rally in Detroit. Feb. 15, 2025. Photo by Jackson Coleman. More than 200 people rallied in Detroit during Saturday's 'Climate Can't Wait' rally. The event was designed to 'push back on [Trump administration] attempts to dismantle climate and health protections,' organizers said in a pre-event press release. Participants included U.S. Reps. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) and Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor), and Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero. 'Four hundred EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] employees were recently fired, including dozens from our region. Their job is to ensure the air we breathe is clean, the water we drink is safe, the ground our children play on won't give them cancer. Downriver we have Superfund sites and Brownfield sites being cleaned up from dangerous chemicals. Everyone in the country knows what happened to children in Flint because of lead in the pipes,' said Dingell. 'Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill to get the lead out of every pipe in America so no child or American was ever in danger again. We cannot lose all the progress we have made. We must stand up against dangerous, unconstitutional undermining of our environmental protections to keep our land, air, and water safe for generations to come.' Tlaib said 'Republicans have already begun their long list of handouts for Big Oil executives to get richer while the rest of us get sicker,' 'They are sending the message to frontline communities all across our country, including right here in Detroit, that corporate polluters' profits are more important than your health,' Tlaib added. 'We have the right to breathe clean air.' Santiago-Romero added: 'The President's administration is failing the American people. We are being robbed of our much-needed resources to address climate change and our aging infrastructure.' The effort was held at the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation co-hosted by the Environmental Defense Fund Action, Great Lakes Business Network, Michigan Climate Action Network, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Moms Clean Air Force, and West Michigan Environmental Action Council. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Death threats follow Michigan Democratic lawmaker's decision to have herself sterilized
Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) speaks ahead of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signing the last bill in the Reproductive Health Act in Lansing on Dec. 11, 2023. (Photo: Anna Liz Nichols) Michigan state Rep. Laurie Pohutsky (D-Livonia) said she's received death threats after revealing during a rally last week that she underwent voluntary sterilization because she was concerned about the future of reproductive health care during President Donald Trump's second term in office. Pohutsky's comments during a '50501 Movement' rally in Lansing last week quickly spread across the internet, including among right wing media circles. The rally was part of a national movement that aimed to hold 50 protests in 50 states on one day. 'I refuse to let my body be treated as currency by an administration that only sees value in my ability to procreate,' Pohutsky said during the rally, emphasizing that 'a sitting government official opted for voluntary sterilization because she was uncertain she would be able to access contraception in the future.' Pohutsky's social media profiles were quickly bombarded with hostile comments. In one voicemail left with her office, a caller says that 'godless people' are going to be 'eliminated' and warns Pohutsky that she is 'on notice.' Some of the threats have been referred to law enforcement to investigate, Pohutsky said. Pohutsky said that U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Detroit) reached out to her after the speech gained traction online, noting that Tlaib is no stranger to viral moments or receiving threats. The speech also garnered the attention of conservatives on a national level, including Ben Shapiro, who said of Pohutsky, 'So many broken people.' The fourth-term House member responded to Shapiro, saying 'I think the broken people are the ones who are personally aggrieved by my personal health care decision.' Pohutsky said she and her husband decided last year that they were done having children and began exploring options for more permanent forms of birth control, citing her concern after Trump won the election about being able to continue to access the contraception she had been using. After exploring surgical options with her doctor in November, the surgery was booked for January. Pohutsky said she nearly delayed the procedure because the House scheduled votes for that day, but decided to keep the Jan. 23 appointment when Trump 'pretty much immediately started signing executive orders that didn't have the force of law, but that institutions were complying with as though they did.' 'I had released a statement the day after the surgery explaining why I missed the vote and did not describe the surgery, because, frankly, it's my own business,' Pothusky said. But in the weeks between the surgery and the rally last week, Pohutsky said she spoke with several people who were exploring similar options or had already undergone the procedure and faced similar conversations about whether their concerns about being able to access the procedure in the future were valid. 'I think that, in particular, women second guess themselves a lot,' Pohutsky said. 'And I thought there was value in hearing from an elected official who is sort of in a position of authority … and hearing some validation from them.' That led to her decision to share her story on the steps of the Michigan Capitol, garnering applause from the hundreds of protesters in attendance. While Pohutsky said she did not expect the level of animosity in response to the speech, she said even the negative reactions have only reaffirmed her decision. 'The negative reaction has actually made me feel much more secure and validated in my choice to undergo the procedure and the timing with which I did it,' Pohutsky said. Not all of the reactions have been negative, Pohutsky said, adding that she has heard from people who already underwent the procedure, had just scheduled it or were still exploring it. 'There's a lot of noise, there's a lot of negativity, but the message that I was trying to get across did resonate with some people and has made it worth it,' Pohutsky said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
