Note: Republicans in the legislature made recalls much more difficult in 2012.
In spite of the rigged game here I for one welcome signing any and all recall
petitions.
Joe Harcz
1 of 10 Snyder recall petitions OK’d for circulation
Jonathan Oosting,
The Detroit News 7:59 p.m. EST February 8, 2016
635905566905504522-020816-dy-Recall-Snyder-board0005.jpg
A group of protesters demonstrates outside the Michigan Board of Canvassers on
Monday, The Board of State Canvassers on Monday unanimously approved for
circulation a petition seeking to recall Gov. Rick Snyder for his 2015 decision
to move the state School Reform Office to a department under his control.(Photo:
Dale G. Young,The Detroit News)
Lansing — The Board of State Canvassers on Monday unanimously approved for
circulation a petition seeking to recall Gov. Rick Snyder for his 2015 decision
to move the state School Reform Office to a department under his control.
But the bipartisan panel rejected nine other petitions, including six that
attempted to recall the Republican governor over the Flint water contamination
crisis, frustrating activists who drove from Flint and Detroit for the hearing.
In one instance, the board deadlocked in a 2-2 vote, with both Democrats
supporting Flint recall language and both GOP members opposing it.
The petition approved Monday was submitted by Benjamin Lazarus, a member of the
Warren Consolidated Schools Board of Education. He did not attend the hearing
but told The Detroit News he believes the governor “has a toxic disdain for the
rights of local government.”
Snyder used a March executive order to move the School Reform Office under the
Department of Technology, Management and Budget, a move the state Board of
Education quickly called “unconstitutional.” Lazarus noted the School Reform
Office last week appointed a chief executive officer to run four East Detroit
schools.
“As a community of leaders in education, it is our duty to stand up to
injustice, especially when the well-being of children is placed in harm’s way,”
Lazarus
said by email. “With courage and confidence, we can restore trust in the power
of ordinary people, parents and teachers, to take a stand and do the right
thing.”
Most of the public debate at Monday’s hearing focused on the Flint water crisis
and recall language proposed by affected residents and other interested
activists.
A petition submitted by Flint resident Quincy Murphy sought to recall the
governor because he “admitted” in his 2016 State of the State address that “he
failed” the city.
Board member Norm Shinkle, a Republican appointee, agreed with Snyder’s
attorneys that the language was not factual because Snyder told residents that
“government
failed you,” including leaders at the local, state and federal level. He did
not “admit” to personal failure.
“If this petition would have quoted the governor in remarks from the State of
the State, I would have voted for it,” Shinkle said. “But it doesn’t. It
requires
us to make an inference.”
Fellow GOP appointee Coleen Pero joined Shinkle in voting against the petition.
Democratic appointees Jeannette Bradshaw and Julie Matuzak voted for the
petition, which fell short of the the majority support required for circulation.
Murphy, who already had one petition rejected by the board last month, said he
intends to review and resubmit his recall language in the near future.
“It’s unfortunate that it was deadlocked Republican and Democrat,” Murphy said.
“I respect their opinion, I respect the protocol, and I’m not interested
in going to court because of some technicalities. I’m looking at getting it
right.”
The board rejected five other Flint-related recall petitions on technical
grounds, including spelling errors, incomplete sentences and quotes that
combined
multiple statements by Snyder.
A 2012 state law, signed by the governor, requires the board to determine
whether petitions “factually and clearly” state each reason for recall.
“I think the board followed the historical precedent that’s been set in the
past,” said private attorney John Pirich, who represented the governor at the
hearing. “If the language is correct, accurate and factual, as it was with the
first petition, it’s certified. If it’s not, if it had errors or mistakes,
they shouldn’t certify it.”
But the rejection of the Flint water recall petitions did not sit well with the
50 or so activists who attended Monday’s hearing.
“I am appalled, I am disappointed in my government, and I am disappointed in
each and every one of you,” Dorothy Batchelder told board members. “You are
playing with semantics, and in the meantime, my family and members of my family
have been poisoned.”
Pirich, representing the governor, said he did not have any immediate plans to
challenge the School Reform Office recall language in court, which means
organizers should be cleared to begin collecting signatures.
Lazarus told The News he does not have an established organization capable of
running a statewide petition drive but is curious to see what other groups
might be interested in partnering with him. He suggested animosity over the
Flint water crisis could help the cause even though his recall language is
not directly related.
“The next step is really to reach out to those coalition partners,” Lazarus
said. “It is a daunting task, but I believe it can be accomplished, particularly
in light of all the news in regards to Flint.”
Forcing a recall election would require the collection of at least 789,133
valid signatures, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. The 2012 recall
law shrunk the collection window from 90 days to 60 days. If voters were to
remove Snyder from office, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley would take his place.
Snyder has repeatedly apologized to Flint residents for the water crisis,
citing failures at all levels of government, including the state Department of
Environmental Quality, which did not properly ensure corrosion controls were
added to Flint River water the city began using in April 2014. He has vowed
to resolve the crisis during his final three years in office.
“Recall attempts are a part of the democratic process and we respect that
people have the right to take part in that process,” Snyder spokesman Dave
Murray
said earlier Monday. “We’re focused on helping the people of Flint, and the
governor this week plans to present a budget proposal that is aimed at long-term
solutions to the crisis there.”
joosting@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Source:
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/michigan/flint-water-crisis/2016/02/08/recall-petitions-gov-rick-snyder/80006436/
