Latest news with #WayneCountyCircuitCourt
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Detroit City Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero to be on 2025 ballot, drops lawsuit
Detroit City Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero, who sued the city and its elections commission for disqualifying her from the August primary, is dropping the lawsuit after the campaign and city clerk's office agreed to place her on the ballot. Santiago-Romero filed a lawsuit last week after the clerk's office did not certify her election paperwork due to an outstanding late fee assessed against her for missing an October 2024 deadline for filing a quarterly campaign finance report with the Wayne County Clerk's Office, which handles campaign finance records. The Detroit clerk's office, in response, disqualified her from the ballot. But Santiago-Romero said she was certain she filed everything on time and provided evidence, such as confirmation receipts, to reporters and the court. Per a pending court order through the Wayne County Circuit Court, the incumbent District 6 council member will appear on the Aug. 5 primary ballot and the disputed late fee will be waived. Both the campaign and city clerk's office confirmed she will be on the ballot. The order is expected to be signed and finalized on May 6 by Wayne County Circuit Judge Patricia Perez Fresard. 'I'm relieved that the facts have been cleared up, and I'm qualified to be on the ballot,' Santiago-Romero said. 'Last week was truly a nightmare, and the hardest week I've ever had as a candidate. What kept me hopeful was the outpouring of support I received daily from our community — this fight was never about me, it was about us. I look forward to continuing to campaign to represent our district, and I'm grateful to both the Detroit city clerk and the Wayne County clerk for working with me to rectify this error.' Election 2025: Detroit mayoral, city candidates submit petitions to run for office Santiago-Romero said she received an emailed confirmation indicating that her Oct. 25, 2024, campaign finance report was filed on time. But the campaign mistakenly filed it as a "pre-general" election statement instead of a "quarterly" statement, and the county asked her to refile it on Nov. 11, 2024 — but not before hitting her campaign with a $250 late fee. The council member said she was unaware of any issues or fees when she filed her nominating petitions and signed her Affidavit of Identity with the city of Detroit on April 17, until her campaign received a letter from the city clerk indicating she was disqualified because of the late fee. Part of the language of the affidavit asks the petitioner to attest that they owe no past fees in order to be eligible to run. In the meantime, the campaign consistently attempted to reach the county clerk, providing several records indicating she turned in her paperwork on time, before filing the lawsuit. Dozens of supporters on April 25 stood behind Santiago-Romero at Clark Park in southwest Detroit, part of her district, as she demanded to be placed on the ballot, claiming she was wrongfully disqualified, and that she'd be forced to consider running as a write-in candidate if the court ruled against her. Sergio Martinez, 37, and Ed Gies, 63, were among the supporters who stood behind her. Martinez said Wayne County's handling of the issue was "unprofessional" at the time and should have been "clear, open and honest, and have provided their receipts" as the campaign has. "She shows up for us. She gets our issues. She was raised in the city. We've known her well before she even got into elected office, and I think that the people who are running against her, in general, don't get our community like she does. They don't show up even to campaign in this area," Martinez said. "We're here to get justice, to get on the ballot, and to make sure that democracy works as it should." Gies said that "with democracy being under threat," he was concerned that it could affect local politics. "Seeing our neighborhood champion ... not allowed to be on the ballot, it's really tragic," Gies said. Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@ Follow her: @DanaAfana. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Gabriela Santiago-Romero to be on primary ballot for Detroit council
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Whitmer selects Court of Appeals Judge Noah Hood to fill vacancy on Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer appointed Noah Hood, a Court of Appeals judge who she previously picked for lower judicial posts, to fill a soon-to-be-vacant position on the Michigan Supreme Court bench. Hood will replace Chief Justice Elizabeth Clement, who is leaving her post for a role with a national judicial organization, Whitmer's office announced April 23. Clement's departure and Hood's appointment gives Democrats a 6-1 advantage on the state's high court, which is tasked with ruling on and resolving disputed opinions from lower state courts. Clement was appointed to the court by former Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, in 2017, and had been the court's chief justice since 2022. Clement previously said she would leave her seat on the bench "no later than" April 30. Hood will serve the remainder of Clement's term, which runs through next year. He'll be up for election for an eight-year term on the bench in 2026. Whitmer has tabbed Hood for judicial seats before — first, in 2019, she appointed Hood to Wayne County Circuit Court, where he presided over criminal trials. Then, in 2022, she appointed Hood to the Michigan Court of Appeals. More: Michiganders registering to vote would have to prove citizenship under proposal More: Michigan court bans automatic life without parole sentences for murderers who are 19, 20 "I have had the distinct honor of serving the people of the state of Michigan for the past six years," Hood said in a statement issued by the governor's office. "I am deeply grateful to our governor for her decision to appoint me to serve on our Supreme Court. I am also grateful for what it represents. For as long as I serve, the people will always be able to count on me for even-handed justice." Whitmer appointed Mariam Bazzi, a Wayne County Circuit Court judge, to replace Hood on the Court of Appeals. Hood's Court of Appeals term was set to run through 2027. According to Whitmer's office, Bazzi is the first Arab American woman to be an appellate judge in Michigan. Hood previously worked as a federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of Michigan and in the Northern District of Ohio, according to his court bio. He also previously practiced law as an attorney at the Miller Canfield law firm. He is a graduate of Cass Technical High School in Detroit and has a bachelor's degree from Yale and a juris doctor from Harvard. His notable rulings in the Court of Appeals include dismissing a case last year challenging the city of Marshall's decision to issue a rezoning permit to allow for Ford Motor Co. to construct an electric vehicle battery factory near the city, as well as upholding the dismissal of a lawsuit against the organizers of the Faster Horses music festival in 2022, brought after four men died during the 2021 version of the event, held at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Hood is the second justice to be appointed to the high court by Whitmer. In 2022, she appointed Justice Kyra Harris Bolden to her post on the court. Bolden won election to an eight-year term on the bench in November. Along with appointments for Hood and Bazzi, Whitmer also appointed Christopher Trebilcock and Daniel Korobkin to posts on the Court of Appeals. Trebilcock, an attorney with the Clark Hill law firm, has previously represented Whitmer and her campaign in legal matters. Korobkin has been legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan since 2019. More: Michigan court bans automatic life without parole sentences for murderers who are 19, 20 This story has been updated to add new information. Contact Arpan Lobo: alobo@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Whitmer selects Judge Noah Hood as new Michigan Supreme Court judge
