We produce good scandals in Michigan, no? The preposterous cover-up engineered by Todd Courser (R-Lapeer) of his affair with his colleague in the Michigan House, Cindy Gamrat (R-Plainwell), has attracted national attention. Schadenfreude is delicious at moments like this.
But we also have some potentially promising developments in the past week. Actress Melissa Gilbert, now a Howell resident, has declared her candidacy for the 8th Congressional District, running against Mike Bishop (a first-termer who replaced Mike Rogers).
And more recently, we have the encouraging news that the Detroit School Board, with the support of Go Left America has filed a complaint with the Department of Justice asking for an investigation of Title VI violations that they allege the State of Michigan has committed against the district and its students.
Here's the introduction to one news story:
The Detroit Public Schools’ elected board has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate numerous allegations, including mishandling funds and a “general pattern of discrimination,” against Gov. Rick Snyder (R) and the emergency managers running the schools.
According to the board’s complaint filed with the justice department, the state, which has largely run the district for 12 of the last 15 years under the direction of Snyder’s appointed “emergency managers,” is engaged in a pattern of discriminatory conduct aimed at ultimately privatizing the district.
The 162-page complaint sets out a series of troubling charges. According to the plaintiffs, Detroit’s students, parents, and taxpayers have suffered as a result of sustained state “mismanagement” by these emergency managers. While under state control, the district ran up most of its current $2 billion in debt, which the plaintiffs allege was mostly spent on no-bid contracts to upgrade facilities that were later abandoned or given away to the state-run Education Achievement Authority, not the schools.
Please visit this diary posted earlier today by mdmslle for a little more background information:
So we did this thing where we filed a Title VI complaint to stop Rick Synder [sic] The organization that mdmslle heads, Bold Blue Media, is part of this effort as well.
What other GOOD or IMPORTANT stories are out there that you'd like to see covered? Do tell.
Remember: this weekend, we're having TWO kickoff meetups for outstate Michigan Kossacks. Here are the details:
Friday, August 14th, at 4:00 PM, at the Democratic Party HQ for Benzie County, 9930 Honor Highway, Honor, MI. It's between Indian Hill Road and the Cherry Bowl Drive-In on the North side of the road. Afterwards, anyone who’s able to stick around can regroup nearby at Papa J’s [no relation to Papa John's!] for a great meal and more stimulating conversation.
Saturday, August 15th, 2:00 PM, at a private residence in Holland, MI. (RSVP for the address & to let the host know how many to expect for lunch :)
They're gonna be great! If you're able to come by to one or the other, wonderful. If not this time, then perhaps the next.
Please help us build this weekly Michigan thread so that it includes information relevant to turning MI Blue again that you would like me to highlight. MI contributors always welcome!
You can reach me through kosmail at peregrine kate.
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