Latest news with #MichiganHouseofRepresentatives
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Michigan anti-discrimination law would explicitly ban antisemitism under new proposal
A Democratic lawmaker in the Michigan House of Representatives introduced legislation June 4 to amend the state's civil rights law to include an updated definition of antisemitism, saying recent attacks on Jewish communities in the U.S. have created a crisis. Rep. Noah Arbit, D-West Bloomfield, said during a June 3 news conference the Michigan Antisemitism Protection Act would create a 'gold standard definition of antisemitism' within the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, the state law that bans discrimination in housing, employment, education and public accommodations on the basis of certain protected classes, including, religion, age, race, sex and sexual orientation. 'If adopted, these standards would assist relevant state institutions, agencies and authorities identify and elevate potential instances of illegal discrimination against Jews in Michigan,' Arbit said. He added the bill, HB 4548, would not affect constitutionally protected free speech, but would add protections for ethnicity in arenas already covered by the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. Specifically, the bill would add ethnicity as a protected class and adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's working definition of antisemitism. The IHRA states: 'Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.' Arbit, who is Jewish, said a June 1 attack at a Colorado event drawing attention to Israeli hostages held by Hamas and the fatal shootings of two Israeli embassy workers in May outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington are the latest instances of targeted violence against Jews in the U.S. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, the alleged perpetrator of the Boulder, Colorado, attack, was charged with a federal hate crime after telling investigators he wanted to kill all Zionist people, according to an FBI affidavit. The attacks, however, aren't isolated instances of targeted violence, Arbit said. 'Over the last decade and a half, American Jews have watched our vibrant synagogues congeal into fortresses. The anxiety that our sanctuaries or Sunday schools could be the next target for a gunman or terrorist pervades Jewish communities across Michigan,' he said. Arbit was joined by Michigan's two other Jewish lawmakers, Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Southfield, and Rep. Samantha Steckloff, D-Farmington Hills. Steckloff said all three lawmakers have received calls from the FBI about credible threats against them, adding she had a police detail on her home. Steckloff said it's important to push back against antisemitic tropes, including the idea that Jews control societal institutions. She also said American Jews should not be blamed for what the government of Israel has done, referencing the ongoing war in Gaza. 'We cannot continue to hate American Jews because of what is going on overseas,' Steckloff said. HB 4548 would bar discrimination on the basis of accusing Jews of being more loyal to Israel or the alleged priorities of Jews worldwide than in the U.S. While the IHRA states that manifestations of antisemitism may include targeting the state of Israel, the group also states that criticism of Israel similar to criticism of another country cannot be considered antisemitism. The bill states discrimination "does not include criticism of the State of Israel similar to that leveled against any other country, nation, state, or government." Holding Jewish people collectively accountable for Israel's actions, however, is considered antisemitism under the bill and under the IHRA's working definition. The definition was adopted in 2016. Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: New Michigan bill would adopt definition of antisemitism in state law
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Michigan GOP House members call for impeachment articles against secretary of state
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democratic candidate for governor, is interviewed by the Michigan Advance on the porch of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Mich., during the second day of the Mackinac Policy Conference on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) A Republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives on Tuesday called for the chamber to issue articles of impeachment against Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson – who is also a Democratic Party frontrunner for the 2026 gubernatorial primary. The call for the impeachment of Benson, who was elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022, came from Rep. James DeSana (R-Carleton), citing what he called unlawful election directives, a failure to preserve critical election records and supposed conduct that has undermined the public trust. Benson in a statement called the effort a 'clown show.' DeSana was joined at a news conference by conservative firebrand Rep. Matt Maddock (R-Milford), who stood by as DeSana claimed that Benson was 'the most lawless secretary of state in Michigan history.' The articles accuse Benson of exceeding her authority during her tenure by allegedly ignoring procedural requirements imposed by the Michigan Legislature through statute, her alleged donations to a political action committee in support of Michigan Supreme Court Justice Kyra Harris Bolden when she sought to retain her seat last year – allegedly just before her department's attorneys argued before the high court in an election inspector challenge – and Benson's office's banning of firearms at polling locations. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DeSana also said Benson's office's handling of absentee ballots during the 2020 presidential election was part of his calculus to call for her impeachment. With Benson as a potential major player in the Democratic gubernatorial primary next year, DeSana was asked if the move was purely political. 'Whether it's viewed as political or not, my people sent me here to uphold the law and have fair elections and we are not anywhere near that right now. So if they want to deem that political, it's political,' DeSana said. 'It is about keeping our secretary of state accountable to the residents of Michigan for her job. It is her job to run the secretary of state's office and to run elections. We make the law that determines what is the authority over the election. She cannot make that law.' In response, Benson said that she believes in oversight and transparency, but 'this isn't it.' 'This is Republican lawmakers abusing their authority to access sensitive election information that would allow them – or any conspiracy theorists they share it with – to tamper with election equipment, interfere with the chain of custody of ballots, or impersonate a clerk on Election Day,' Benson said. 'I continue to call on Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall and his caucus to work with us and a judicial mediator to help us reach a resolution to this matter.' Benson added that the threat amounted to a Republican-led circus. 'But let's be clear: this clown show he is leading is no way to govern. It is not how we solve problems. It is not how we make government work for everyone. And every taxpayer dollar wasted on these shenanigans is a waste of time and money,' Benson said. 'I remain committed to the security of our elections and to the people of Michigan. I work for them. I suggest the House Republicans start doing the same.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Whitmer signs northern Michigan snow day forgiveness plan
An ice storm leaves a tree coated in Gaylord. March 30, 2025. Photo courtesy of NOAA's National Weather Service. Legislation to forgive ice-storm related school closures was signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday, protecting northern Michigan students and schools from mandatory summer school sessions. House Bill 4345, now Public Act 5 of 2025, passed with unanimous support in the Michigan House of Representatives and with near-unanimous support from the Michigan Senate. The plan addresses additional days in the 2024-25 school year, allowing local school boards to waive up to an additional 15 days of instruction. The school district must be located, at least partially, in a county covered by a state emergency declared by the governor. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Due to the recent spring ice storms that ravaged northern Michigan, those counties include Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Mackinac, Montmorency, Oscoda, Otsego, and Presque Isle counties. Bill sponsor Rep. Cam Cavitt (R-Cheboygan), said in a statement that he was grateful to Whitmer for signing the bill, and that schools should not be penalized for keeping kids safe during an ice storm. 'This is a smart, bipartisan win for students, teachers, and local communities,' Cavitt said. 'Now that our snow day forgiveness plan is law, school districts can end the school year when it makes the most sense for them. There will be no state mandate forcing districts to remain open for weeks into the summer and foot all the corresponding bills that would come along with the extended school year.' Cavitt said schools don't budget for facility costs in June, and that teachers and students line up summer work opportunities well before the school year ends. Districts also typically plan facility maintenance during that time due to the lack of students in the buildings. 'For all these reasons, it didn't make sense to force schools into hosting mandatory summer school,' Cavitt said. 'The ice storm threw everything out of whack. I'm glad we didn't let it ruin summertime too.'
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Ex-Speaker Lee Chatfield, wife to stand trial over alleged misuse of political money
Former Michigan House Speaker Lee Chatfield and his wife will stand trial over the alleged mishandling of thousands of dollars raised through political funds, a district judge ruled May 30. Chatfield, a Levering Republican who held the most powerful position in the Michigan House of Representatives in 2019 and 2020, faces 13 embezzlement, conspiracy and larceny charges. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office claims he knowingly used money from political funds to pay for vacations, dinners at upscale restaurants and other non-permitted items when he was a lawmaker. Prosecutors also claim Chatfield submitted mileage reimbursement requests from the House for trips he did not take. His wife, Stephanie Chatfield, is charged with two counts of felony embezzlement. Both have pleaded not guilty to all charges. A preliminary exam for both Lee and Stephanie Chatfield was held in February. In a 20-page opinion published May 30, East Lansing 54B District Judge Molly Hennessey Greenwalt ruled there is enough evidence to send them to a jury trial. Unlike at trial, where prosecutors must prove a crime beyond a reasonable doubt, the standard of evidence at a preliminary exam is to establish probable cause that a crime may have occurred. Hennessey Greenwalt denied a motion from prosecutors to include an additional larceny charge against Lee Chatfield. She wrote that there is not enough evidence Lee Chatfield took money from associates, including his brothers and a childhood friend who worked on his state House campaigns, without their approval. The Chatfields are set to be back in court June 11 for an arraignment hearing in Ingham County 30th Circuit Court. 'Our investigation uncovered extensive evidence of elaborate schemes to embezzle and misappropriate private and public funds to bankroll Lee Chatfield's lifestyle during his time as Speaker of the House,' Nessel said in a statement. 'I am glad to see this case finally move forward to a trial in circuit court. My office will continue to pursue public corruption with every tool at our disposal and push for stronger transparency and good governance in our state.' At the center of the charges against the former Speaker and his wife are a series of political nonprofits Lee Chatfield used to raise money. For politicians, a 501c(4) fund can be advantageous because the organizations are subject to fewer public disclosure requirements and contribution limits than traditional candidate committees, allowing for greater fundraising and less scrutiny. Lee Chatfield was considered a proficient fundraiser for his political causes. He raised "millions and millions" of dollars with the funds, his attorney Mary Chartier said at the conclusion of his preliminary exam in February. Though 501c(4) social welfare funds are allowed to pay for certain political causes, Nessel's office alleges the Chatfields used the funds to pay for things personal in nature. Witness testimony from the preliminary exam stated that one such fund controlled by Lee Chatfield, the Peninsula Fund, paid off nearly the entirety of a $153,000 credit card balance. A forensic accountant hired by prosecutors testified many of the purchases on the card didn't appear to line up with the Peninsula Fund's stated goals. Chartier argued that it was up to the law firm managing the fund, the Dykema firm in Lansing, to make sure the spending remained in compliance. The most serious charge Lee Chatfield faces carries a maximum 20-year prison sentence, if convicted. Stephanie Chatfield's charges each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, if convicted. In Dec. 2021, Rebekah Chatfield, Lee Chatfield's sister-in-law, told Lansing police she had been sexually assaulted by Lee Chatfield from the time she was 15 years old and a student at the northern Michigan religious school where Lee Chatfield taught. She also reported misuse of campaign funds at the time, according to her court testimony in the case. Lee Chatfield has denied any sexual assault. Chartier previously said a years-long consensual affair took place between Lee Chatfield and Rebekah Chatfield when both were adults. Michigan State Police began investigating Lee Chatfield, and were later joined by Nessel's office in the investigation. When Nessel announced the financial charges against Lee and Stephanie Chatfield in April 2024, she said the investigation into the sexual assault allegations was closed without charges. Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Ex-Speaker Chatfield, wife to stand trial over embezzlement charges
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Battle between SOS Jocelyn Benson and Republicans over election documents escalates
Republicans in the Michigan House of Representatives passed a resolution to hold Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson in contempt for withholding some election training materials requested by the House Oversight Committee, which subpoenaed Michigan's chief elections officer. Republicans accuse Benson of hiding material they have the right to review while Benson says some of the information sought by lawmakers could compromise election security. The passage of the resolution May 22 follows months of back and forth between the GOP-led Michigan House and Benson, a Democrat running to succeed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who cannot run again due to term limits. GOP lawmakers say they want to review the training materials to ensure the clerks who administer elections across Michigan receive proper guidance. Two GOP lawmakers who previously served as clerks — state Reps. Jay DeBoyer of Clay Township, who chairs the House Oversight Committee, and Ann Bollin of Brighton Township — introduced the resolution to hold Benson in contempt after the deadline to comply with the subpoenas directed at Benson and the Michigan Department of State. It passed on a party-line vote against Democratic opposition. That same day, the Department of State had prepared about half of the training material for review for potential sensitive information that might necessitate redactions, according to a May 22 letter from Heather Meingast, Division Chief for Michigan Department of Attorney's Civil Rights & Elections Division. The resolution opens the door for the House Office of Legal Counsel to initiate legal action to ensure Benson and her department comply with the subpoenas. "With how much has changed in state election law over the last few years, our legislators need to review those materials and ensure there aren't any holes or confusion in the training process," wrote state Rep. Rachelle Smit, R-Martin, in a March statement. During Benson's tenure as secretary of state, the Michigan Department of State has implemented several voter-approved election changes, including a major expansion of absentee voting and early voting. Benson said she has publicly shared thousands of pages of training materials for local election administrators. But she said she has a duty to ensure Michigan's election security. "And you cannot bully me or abuse your authority to get access to information that, if it ends up in the wrong hands, could be used to interfere with the chain of custody of ballots, tamper with election equipment or impersonate a clerk on Election Day," Benson said in a May 22 news conference. Benson slammed House Republicans for escalating the battle over the election documents. "This is government rooted in bullying and chaos — and I'm tired of it. It's not only ineffective but it is dangerous," she said during a May 22 news conference. Benson says she welcomes going to court over the matter, saying she and the department she leads have responded to the subpoenas in good faith and previously proposed having a third-party mediator from the judicial branch join a meeting with House legal counsel. "So if Chairman DeBoyer and the House Republicans want to go to court over this, we will see them in court," she said. Michigan Politics: House votes to ban trans girls from girls teams Benson's campaign has solicited donations off the fight. "Michigan Republicans are attacking Jocelyn," reads the email subject line of a May 22 message from her campaign asking supporters to "Pitch in to stand with Jocelyn as she works to protect our democracy from GOP threats." Benson has made government transparency a pillar of her campaign for governor. Republican lawmakers have argued that a bumpy rollout in 2025 of a new campaign finance system carried out by Benson's office and her response to the subpoenaed election information belie Benson's commitment to transparency. Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@ or 313-296-5743. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan House GOP and SOS Benson fight over election documents
