Election roundup looks bright

Thank God for Rachel Maddow.

I was not feeling too well about Tuesday’s election. But I tuned into her show on MSNBC on Wednesday, and she put it in proper perspective. Now, I’m looking forward to the election in 2010.

Despite losing governorships in Virginia and New Jersey, there are still more Democratic Governors than Republican. The northeast part of the country is even bluer than before, thanks to the race in New York’s 23rd congressional district. Not only that, it shows how much in disarray the Republican Party really is. The extremist, rightwing tea baggers are not just satisfied with hijacking the party, now they want to drive out all the sane, moderates out of the party. Hey, we have a big tent.

Here in Michigan, the news is not as bad either. I’m disappointed that Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, lost the special election for the vacant 19th District Senate seat. However, Michigan Democrats did very well in municipal elections all across Michigan on Tuesday. Mayoral and City Council candidates backed by the Michigan Democratic Party won 65 percent of their races, or 44 out of 68. Ballot questions supported by the MDP such as the Kalamazoo antidiscrimination ordinance and the Macomb County Charter passed.

But the loss in the 19th District really hurt. I personally knocked on doors, he lost by a 2-1 margin and it will be a little harder in 2010 to take back the Senate with a 22-16 GOP advantage. But, after reading some post-election reports I feel much better.

In subscription only Gongwers, Matt Miner, chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, was quoted as saying: “When Mark Schauer left, this was our number one priority.” That’s good to hear. Even though Griffin lost by a 2-1 margin, he was outspent by a 4-1 margin. The Republicans had to pay for volunteers, and if this is their best effort and number 1 priority, I feel very good about 2010. In a Republican leaning district, you had to outspend the opponents by a 4-1 margin?

That sure says a lot about the campaigning ability of Congressman Mark Schauer to win twice in that district.

It’s hard to explain how the Republicans are lying about the Michigan State Police HQ in just a sound bite, but we have almost a year to boil the truth down to a one or two sentence response. That’s their big issue.

It was gratifying for Mike’s Nofs own party to also call him out on his lie about the Cobo hall bills that saved the North American International Auto Show for Michigan. Nofs was making a victory lap in the Senate Wednesday, and, according to Gongwer, “He got a pat on the back and a handshake from his new boss, Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop.”

“However, about 20 minutes earlier, in Bishop's first floor Capitol office, there was no back patting on the issue of Cobo Hall and the alleged corruption referred to in a widely seen Nofs TV commercial.”

"It is not the source of corruption," Bishop told WLNS TV-6, with Nofs standing to his left. "It is actually the one bright light in Detroit right now that we can all rally behind."

In fact, Bishop helped write some of the bills.

Sen. Tupac Hunter, D-Detroit, got it right: "If you're willing to play those types of politics, it tells me what type of legislator you'll be,” he said. “That means that you are being divisive. You are going into the old playbook of dividing the state. You are trying to gin up fears . . ."

I can’t wait until 2010.

Griffin endorsed by The Jackson Citizen Patriot

The Jackson Citizen Patriot endorsed Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, for the vacant state Senate seat in the 19th District that includes Jackson and Calhoun Counties.

The editorial board got it right on the lies put out by Republican opponent in the constant barrage of TV commercials, saying “In contrast to the advertising against him, Griffin has always projected an image of predictable (if sometimes prickly) moderation.

The editorial board was very polite in calling the GOP opponent what he is, instead saying, “The lines of reasoning in the anti-Griffin advertising are that he is a tax-and-spend liberal, a supporter of a lavish state police headquarters and a sugar daddy for Detroit. These claims are misleading.”

I’ll be a little more direct that the newspaper; they are outright lies, and that says all you need to know about the Republican opponent.

With just two days left before the election, the Griffin campaign needs your help in the all-important get-out-the-vote effort. Call (517) 392-0800 or (269) 425-4333 to help.

Video highlights Griffin’s bipartisan support

Supporters of Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, have been working hard to make up for the massive amount of money spent by his opponent to buy the vacant seat in the 19th state Senate seat with hard work.

Although Griffin does not have the money to buy TV time like his opponent, the campaign has put together an excellent video that really displays the wide and bipartisan support Griffin has. It talks about his values with some of his many supporters, and it does not attack or push lies like his opponent’s TV ads do.

Some of the money used to purchase the false TV ads came from the biggest GOP benefactor, the DeVos family. The attempt by Dick DeVos to buy the governorship in 2006 failed, so they are trying to purchase a Senate seat.

“This is politics as usual for the DeVos family,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer. “They’ve sent our jobs to China and now they’re sending them to Costa Rica at a time when our state can least afford it. Now they’re giving money to Mike Nofs, who will protect their interests in Lansing and will help to send Michigan jobs overseas.”

The campaign and volunteers are hard at work at the all important “get-out-the-vote” effort. The conventional wisdom is that elections are won by the candidate who gets his people to the polls, and they can use your help over the next five days.

Call (517) 392-0800 or (269) 425-4333 to help.

Calling all cars: its crunch time in the 19th District

It’s crunch time. The Nov. 3 Special Election for the vacant seat in the 19th State Senate District is less than a week away, and Michigan and Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, need our help.

The campaign is gearing up for the all important “get-out-the-vote,” and special elections are won by the candidate who gets his people to the polls. The Republicans are spending money like a drunken sailor to win the race, and as a former drunken sailor, I know of what I speak.

They are paying for volunteers, and you can’t turn on a Lansing or Jackson TV station and not see a TV commercial from the GOP opponent. He has at least two different commercials, and all are complete lies. He’s floating the lie that the new Michigan State Police building had something to do with the layoff of state Troopers. Expect that lie to be used next November, too. He’s also pushing the Cobo Hall tale, and he’s even trying to acciuse Griffin of voting for federal legislation.

The Griffin campaing is asking people to volunteer beginning on Friday to Election Day on Tuesday. They need people to go door-to-door, make phone calls or any other task needed.

Sign up today.

Griffin stands up for Veterans

Concord resident Larry Root makes a great case for electing Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, to the Michigan Senate in a letter-to-the-editor that appears in the Oct. 22 edition of the Jackson Citizen Patriot.
Root is also the Michigan Coordinator for the Missing in America Project, a nationwide effort with a mission to locate, identify and inter with honor every veteran languishing on a mortuary shelf. Root writes:

Griffin a true friend to our military veterans

I am writing to urge you to vote for Marty Griffin for State Senate. I am the state coordinator of the Missing in America Program, a national group that works to ensure our unclaimed veterans receive an honorable burial.
I contacted Marty's office to urge him to support legislation this state needed to make sure every veteran is properly taken care of. Marty went further; he introduced the legislation, which passed in the House last session. It has been reintroduced and is now in the Senate.
Marty Griffin listens to his constituents' concerns and is a true friend of veterans.

The bill in question was House Bill 6200, introduced by Griffin on June 4, 2008 and approved in the House with a vote of 107-0 on Sept. 18, 2008 and sent to the Senate. The bill would simply require funeral directors to screen for veteran status when a cremation order is signed. It died because the Senate refused to take it up before the two-year Legislative session expired; not a single committee hearing was held, nothing.

He reintroduced the bill on Feb. 17, 2009, and it was approved in the House on Feb. 24 by a vote of 106-1. Chuck Moss, R-Birmingham, cast the lone no vote. The bill is currently in the Senate Committee on Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs where it is stuck again.

First, we need to elect a stand up guy like Griffin for who “Support the Troops” is more than a bumper sticker, and Democrats need to take control of the Senate so good Legislation can at least be considered. The special election to fill the vacant 19th District seat in the Senate is Nov. 3.

The TV airwaves are being filled with false attacks on Griffin

The TV airwaves are being filled with false attacks on Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, as Nov. 3 Special Election for the vacant seat in the 19th State Senate District fast approaches.

The latest one continues the Republican false campaign issue of trying to claim the layoff of 100 State troopers earlier this year was because of the construction of the new Michigan State Police headquarters. That’s a blatant lie, but that has not stopped the GOP from using this.

The State Troopers were laid off because they refused to take the six furlough days like the rest of the 50,000 state employees to avoid layoffs, and in fact the MSP budget bill passed on Sept. 30 bring back some 54 troopers.

This new ad is even more blatant, and it focuses even more on the lie that the HQ led to trooper layoffs. Plus, it’s not paid for by the GOP candidate Mike Nofs. This false smear is paid for by some group called the “Michigan Jobs and Labor Foundation.”

I have no idea who that is, and I can’t find a web site for them or a campaign finance report. All I could find was a Lansing PO box listed for them via a Google search. There is also no You Tube video like the other ad.

The ad paid for and featuring Nofs, targets Griffin for his vote in favor of legislation that created a regional authority to run Cobo Center in Detroit, ending city control of the facility, and the appropriation of funds to help pay for the aging building's renovation.

There is no You Tube video of this lie either, but in the ad Nofs plays the boogeyman Detroit card that will excite the GOP base. In the ads he says that the rest of the state should not bail out Detroit because of the city's corrupt mismanagement of Cobo.

"We shouldn't be using our tax dollars to fund Detroit's corruption," Mr. Nofs says in the ad.

What Griffin did was save the North American International Auto Show. Officials with the auto show had warned that if changes were not made to the center, they could move the show to Chicago, Los Angeles or another city. The auto show is responsible for as much as $500 million in economic activity annually in southeast Michigan.

As for this alleged corruption, the package of four bipartisan bills will allow for a regional authority to lease the convention center in downtown in order to expand and improve the facility. In other words, sole control is taken away from the Detroit City Council and spread to officials in surrounding counties.

The bills, Senate Bills 586-588, were sponsored by Republicans. House Bill was sponsored by a Democrat. The bills had overwhelming support. The bills passed by votes of, respectively, 91-16, 31-1; 92-15, 32-1; 90-17, 32-1; and 93-14, 32-1. A lot of Republicans join Griffin in those votes.

Join the MSU College Democrats Sunday to make Michigan a better place

Join the Michigan State University College Democrats in Battle Creek this Sunday for a District Invasion to canvas on behalf of Rep. Martin Griffin, R-Jackson, in the race for the vacant 19th District seat in the State Senate.

To don’t have to be a College Democrat to participate in this important election less than two weeks away. Heck, you don’t even have to be a Democrat; just someone who cares about good government. The plan is to carpool from Spartan Stadium and spend the day canvassing.

The campaign can’t promise hotel accommodations like the Republican opponent is, or even booze like the GOP leadership does, but they are offering breakfast, lunch, a t-shirt and a chance to make Michigan a better place.

This is the first step in taking back the Senate like we did the House in 2006. The Republicans enjoy a thin 21-16 lead with the vacant seat, and they are pulling out all the stops to win it back. They see it as the first step in keeping control of the Senate in 2010. More people voted for Senate Democrats in 2006, but they gerrymandered the districts so badly, they kept control.

Griffin was first elected to the House in 2006 when Democrats took control of the House. Prior to that, Griffin served as the Mayor of Jackson from 1995 - 2006. Griffin has experience in government at all levels; local, state and federal. He served for 12 years as a staff member in the Michigan Legislature and five years with U.S. Rep. Carl Pursell.

Griffin also has a long list of accomplishments and involvement, including chairing the Jackson County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, a member of the Economic Development Corporation of Jackson, a member of the National Association of Realtors, a member of the City of Jackson Planning Commission, a Trustee of Ella Sharp Park Board, a Downtown Kiwanis member, Urban Core Mayors Group, Trustee for Police and Fire Pension Boards and on the Cascade Humane Society Capital Campaign.

GOP pulling out all the stops and cash to capture 19th District seat

With just 15 days left until the Nov. 3 Special election that will send Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, to the Michigan Senate to fill the 19th District seat vacated by the election of Congressman Mark Schauer, the Republicans are pulling out all the stops to capture the seat.

The Republicans are paying for transportation and the hotel accommodations for any person willing to volunteer for the GOP candidate, Mike Nofs. It’s unclear if alcohol is provided to those underage volunteers with their hotel accommodations like they did at the so-called “GOP Leadership Conference” on Mackinac Island last month. They are also putting out a TV commercial where they are outright lying. Now, they are using an “Online Phone Bank” with the goal of making 19,000 calls by Nov. 3. So far, they have just 486 calls.

It really is a great idea, and they are going so far as to actually list by name with a running total the top callers and the top counties. The most calls, as of today, came from predominantly Democratic Ingham County with 188 calls. The 19th District covers the Counties of Jackson and Calhoun. It speaks volumes that only three calls were made from Jackson County and none from Calhoun where Nofs lives.

The argument can be made that all of the calls by Calhoun County residents are being made there, and there is no reason to list them. The argument can also be made that those callers aren’t really volunteers. But here are the counties, and Ingham has an insurmountable lead, 188-62.

Top Counties
Ingham County has made 188 calls
St. Clair County has made 62 calls
Allegan County has made 50 calls
Bay County has made 48 calls
Oakland County has made 44 calls
Monroe County has made 24 calls
Sanilac County has made 23 calls
Leelanau County has made 21 calls
Midland County has made 6 calls
Grand Traverse County has made 4 calls
Alcona County has made 4 calls
Jackson County has made 3 calls
Branch County has made 3 calls
Macomb County has made 3 calls
Alger County has made 2 calls
Clinton County has made 1 call

Ingham County has such a big lead because the person with the most calls, Amanda Rheaume with 157 calls, lives in Ingham County on the Michigan State University campus. She has a huge lead, with triple the calls by her nearest competitor.

Top Callers
Amanda Rheaume has made 157 calls
TJ Campbell has made 50 calls
Michelle Mcquiston has made 48 calls
Christine McCoy has made 33 calls
Ragina Smith has made 30 calls
Kathleen berden has made 23 calls
Ruth Wisz has made 21 calls
Michelle Johnson has made 20 calls
Helen Hermes has made 19 calls
Anthony Markwort has made 19 calls

GOP following the script in the Senate race in the 19th District

Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, called it right back in July when in a letter to the House GOP caucus he pushed for the Michigan State Police headquarters to be the major campaign issue in the 2010 election.

Mike Nofs is following that advice like a script in the race for the vacant seat in the 19th State Senate District next month that will be a preview of the 2010 race. Nofs is running against Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson.

Nofs is running a TV commercial on Lansing TV stations staged with the under construction MSP HQ in downtown Lansing in the background where he spouts the lie that the layoff of 100 State troopers was because of the project.

That is simply not true, and he knows it.

The Republicans are trying to rewrite history and ignore the facts. They are completely ignoring the history of the project. The HQ was first requested by former GOP Gov. John Engler. The original draft of the project, under Engler, drew initial opposition from State Police and Military and Veterans Affairs officials some 10 years ago because the proposal attempted to move some of the emergency management operations into downtown Lansing but did not provide room for the vehicle and other storage needed. It was also too large and luxurious.

After changes were made to make the building smaller, it met the approval of State Police Director Peter Munoz, and Governor Jennifer Granholm requested the building.

The project was then approved on a bi-partisan vote by the Joint Capital Outlay Committee in 2007, as are all state building projects that do not require specific legislation. The committee consists of members from both parties from both the House and Senate. The lease was then approved by the State Administrative Board. Munoz said he supports project, as does the State Police Troopers Association.

The State Administrative Board consists of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Director of the Department of Transportation. The State Administrative Board has general supervisory control over the administrative activities of all state departments and agencies, including, but not limited to, the approval of contracts and leases, oversight of the state capitol outlay process and the settlement of claims against the state.

The project also brings the State Police into compliance with a constitutional provision requiring that state departments be headquartered in Lansing and with Governor Jennifer Granholm's executive directive (2003-22) that state offices, where possible, be located in central business districts. Michigan State Police want the building back where the majority of the MSP is currently headquartered. Michigan State University wants the building back where the majority of the MSP is currently headquartered.

Nofs then pushed the standard GOP lie that the lease for the new, modern HQ will cost taxpayers $4 million a year more than the current HQ, but that lie ignores two facts. It ignores the fact that it costs in the millions to maintain the current HQ MSU plans to tear down as soon as the MSP leaves, and that the plan is to now buy the building with bonds.

Vote for Martin Griffin on Nov. 3 for some honesty.

Only debate for the 19th Senate seat goes forward even though Democratic candidate was in session

It’s a little sad that in the important race for the vacant 19th District seat in the Michigan Senate next month there is only one, solitary head to head debate, but that’s the case in this important race.

The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce hosted the only debate last Thursday, but Democratic candidate Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, was unable to attend because the House was in a marathon session that lasted until 11:50 p.m. The Speaker invoked a call of the House, which means the doors are locked and lawmakers cannot leave. Surprisingly, the debate wet forward anyway, giving the GOP candidate free publicity in a county where he is an unknown.

The GOP candidate took shots at Griffin, and he Griffin was unable to defend himself. Word is that he even tried to misrepresent Griffin’s vote on suspending an inflationary increase in the personal exemption on Michigan's income tax, saying every time you get a pay raise, the state gets a pay raise.

Not true. The House voted to freeze the personal income tax exemption at last year's level, and it would have increased the exception from $3,500 to $3,600 this year. Which means you will not get an extra $4.35 back next spring. It seems like $4.35 is a small price to pay for not throwing a monkey wrench in the gears of recovery by killing education and local communities.

‘Stand With Griffin’ District Invasion set for Saturday

College students from all over Michigan will be in Battle Creek this Saturday to show their support for Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, in his race for the vacant 19th District Senate seat that represents Calhoun and Jackson counties.

Griffin voted in the minority on Sept. 30 to protect the Michigan Promise Scholarship from getting axed and preserve other higher education funding, and college students are standing up for Griffin for that support.

The plan is to invade the district beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday Oct. 10 at the Martin Griffin for State Senate campaign office in Calhoun County, 38 Michigan Ave E: Battle Creek, 49017.

The Nov. 3 election is less than a month away, and this is the first step in taking back the Senate like we did the House in 2006. The Republicans enjoy a thin 21-16 lead with the vacant seat, and they are pulling out all the stops to win it back. They see it as the first step in keeping control of the Senate in 2010. More people voted for Senate Democrats in 2006, but they gerrymandered the districts so badly, they kept control.

We saw the importance of Democrats having control during the recent budget process. Like I said, Republicans are pulling out all the stops in trying to win this seat, and they have gone as far as to pay for hotel rooms and transportation for the so-called volunteers for the Republican opponent.

Apparently, paying volunteers is a common practice in the GOP, and we saw a prime example of that during the so-called Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference last month where college Republicans bragged about underage drinking and partying.

The canvas is not limited to students or even parents of students struggling to help their student pay for college, so grab a friend or two and come out with your walking shoes. And think car pool. Call (269) 425-4333 for further information.

Walk with Marty Griffin and volunteers Saturday to take back the Michigan Senate

Rep. Marty Griffin, D-Jackson, is looking for volunteers to march in the annual Harvest Festival Parade that steps off at 10 a.m. Saturday in Parma.

Griffin is running in a special election set for November for the 19th District that represents Calhoun and Jackson counties that was vacated with the election of Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, to the U.S. House last November. This is the first step in taking back the Senate like we did the House in 2006.

The Republicans enjoy a thin 21-16 lead with the vacant seat, and they are pulling out all the stops to win it back. They see it as the first step in keeping control of the Senate in 2010. More people voted for Senate Democrats in 2006, but they gerrymandered the districts so badly, they kept control.

The budget process has shown how important control of the Senate really is. Senate Republicans are pushing an irresponsible budget proposal that mortgages Michigan’s future just so they can stay in power.

The Senate Democrats have presented an alternative budget proposal that still includes some painful cuts, but uses reforms to protect the things that will make our state competitive in the future. The Senate Democrat’s budget proposal would maintain funding for many important programs and looks to other funding sources to soften the cuts to other state programs. But, the Senate majority refuses to even consider it because at least five in the Republican Caucus are running for statewide office next year, and they want to be seen as cutting taxes.

The Republicans are throwing money around in this race like it’s candy, and they are practically paying volunteers. This is from the state party web site:
“For your help and support at these events, the Michigan Republican Party will take care of all transportation to and from events down in the 19th Senate District along with all hotel accommodations.” It doesn’t say if the accommodations are 4-star, but it’s sad that they are so bankrupt of ideas they have to bribe volunteers. When you are out of ideas, spend lots of money.

This is what we are up against, so we need you Saturday, as well as on other days to knock on doors and to phone bank.

The gathering point for Saturday’s parade is the corner of Elizabeth Street and Grove Street in Parma, 49269. You can RSVP by calling (810) 623-3198 or visit the Facebook page. The campaign is trying to set up car pools for the parade.

Join the Battle in Battle Creek for Michigan Saturday

Join like minded Democrats and progressives this Saturday for the “Battle in Battle Creek” sponsored by the Justice Caucus for the first battle in the war to take back the Michigan Senate from the obstructionist Republicans.

Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, is running in a special election set for November for the 19th District that represents Calhoun and Jackson counties that was vacated with the election of Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, to the U.S. House last November. This is the first step in taking back the Senate like we did the House in 2006.

The state election will have national repercussions when the Congressional district boundaries are redrawn based on the 2010 Census.

The plan is to gather at 12:30 p.m. at Ironworkers Local 340, 510 Columbia Ave E, Battle Creek, MI 49014. Following a picnic lunch, volunteers will hit the streets of Battle Creek to knock on the doors of targeted Democratic and independent votes in support of Griffin. Bring a friend or two and make a contribution to improving the state. Griffin is well known and popular of his home county of Jackson, but he is less known in Battle Creek and Calhoun County.

For more information call (313) 333-4502 or (734) 674-7327.

The Justice Caucus mission is to promote the cause of progressive democracy within the Democratic Party, in government and in the legal profession. They also put on Camp Millie that gives Democratic activists the tools for effective progressive political action in their community.

Nofs needs Senate seat to pay for green fees and vacation home

Mike Nofs - the Republican candidate for the Michigan Senate’s vacant 19th District seat against Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson - continues to pull the wool over people’s eyes and continues to sell the myth that he is a regular guy and pro-worker.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer held a press conference in Battle Creek Thursday and reveled regular guy Nofs purchased a Lake Michigan beach front home in South Haven, primarily from the proceeds from a sweetheart deal when he sold his land for a dump to BFI Waste Systems of North America for an undisclosed amount of money that he referred to as “higher than market value” when he was a Calhoun County Commissioner.

But his reason for running for the seat is to serve himself not the residents of Jackson and Calhoun Counties. He told the Battle Creek Enquirer when he announced in April that apparently his two public pensions weren’t enough to maintain his lifestyle.

“I felt for the first time how hard it is to live on a fixed income while your expenses keep going up,” he was quoted as saying in an article. Apparently, those expenses include playing golf at the Battle Creek Country Club and beach front vacation homes.

“With two taxpayer-provided pensions, windfall profits from the sale of his land to a garbage dump, and a new vacation home in South Haven, Mike Nofs doesn’t understand the challenges facing the financially struggling families of the 19th Senate District,” Brewer said. “And with wealth like that, it’s no wonder Mike Nofs opposes government reforms such as the disclosure of financial assets of candidates and elected officials.”

Nofs doesn’t want people to know his sources of income. Nofs was one of just 19 House members to vote against a bipartisan public official asset disclosure bill, House Bill 4285, in 2007.

“Nofs has spent his career lining his pockets and putting Lansing special interests ahead of his constituents,” Brewer said. “His advocacy for the garbage industry and for companies which outsource Michigan jobs has paid off handsomely for him, while hurting the people of Calhoun and Jackson Counties.”

Union endorsement in Senate race is anti-worker

Michigan Senate Republicans have been waging a war against Michigan workers and collective bargaining, so it was with shock and disbelief that I learned that Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Michigan State Council had endorsed the Republican in the race for the vacant 19th Senate District over Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson.
I emailed them for an explanation and to voice my objection, and to point out the fact that Senate Republicans have been pushing the union busting “Right to Work for Less” bills, and to let them know that increasing their thin majority will ensure the bills will move. But Mel Grieshaber, the Executive Director of SEIU Local 526M that represents prison guards, assured me that was not the case.

“Mike Nofs has signed the laborers pledge and we have seen it,” he wrote. “He does not support right to work, nor will he vote for it if it comes up in the Senate.”

He was so adamant to defend the misguided endorsement that the word “signed” was in all caps. I beg to differ. The Senate Republicans owned a 21-17 edge when now U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, held that seat. Giving them a 22-16 edge with a special election win in November and a leg up in the 2010 election will only embolden them to push RTW. I’m sure when the Republican Caucus gets Nofs behind closed doors and twists his arm the pledge will not be worth the paper it’s written on.

Proponents of RTW claim the law would do away with the requirement that workers must be in a union to be employed at a union shop. However, federal law already protects workers who don't want to join a union to get or keep their jobs, and gives workers the right to opt out of a union. But they must still pay union dues. RTW would give them the option of not paying dues while still enjoying the benefits of being in a union.

Unions in RTW states are required by law to defend non-dues-paying members involved in a dispute or charged with a grievance at work, but even those employees do not have to contribute dues. The simple fact is RTW does not give workers more rights, but instead it weakens unions and their ability to bargain for improved benefits and working conditions, which they call the real intent of RTW. The union, by law, must represent all workers equally.

Last session, there were RTW bills in both the House and Senate that did not get out of committee. The Senate version was introduced by Sen. Nancy Cassis, R-Novi. This session, there is only the House version: House Bill 4081 introduced by Rep. Marty Knollenberg, R-Troy. I’m sure Cassis will be reintroducing the Senate version soon, especially if the Republicans increase their majority this November.

I also got a response from SEIU political director Vaughn Thompson, who assured we that Nofs, as well as Sen. Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, are both “pro-worker.” I about fell out of my chair when I heard that one. I don’t yet know a whole lot about Nofs’ record, but I’m familiar with the record of the man from my hometown of Monroe. He is anything but pro-worker, and I don’t understand how he got that undeserved reputation.

“We all know that Right to Work is wrong for Michigan and so does Mike Nofs and some others pro-worker Republicans like Randy Richardville,” Thompson wrote.

Perhaps he forgot about Senate Resolution 16 that was approved with every single Republican, including Richardville, voting yes in February that asked the U.S. Congress to oppose the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). Under the EFCA an employer could only challenge a card check petition if fraud or illegal coercion was alleged, and not automatically call for an election when the majority of workers say they want a union by signing pledge cards.

Perhaps he forgot about the vote on House Bills 4785-86 that would provide unemployment benefits to individuals who are only available for and seeking part-time work and those in an approved job training program who have exhausted their regular benefits that would pump $140 million in federal funds into Michigan. Every Republican voted against it, including Richardville.

Perhaps he forgot about Richardville, chair of the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee, stripping out a provision in Senate Bills 4453-4455 that would help workers having their homes foreclosed on. The provision would have stipulated that if at the end of the 90 days a homeowner is eligible for a loan modification, but the lender does not give it to them for whatever reason, then the lender would be forced to take the foreclosure through the judicial process. That provision passed the House, but it was striped out and approved along party lines in the Senate with Richardville standing up for banks against workers.

You need to reconsider that endorsement.

Campaign to take back the Michigan Senate in full gear

BLACKMAN TOWNSHIP -- I knocked on my first door Saturday in the quest to take back the Michigan Senate from the obstructionist Republicans, knocking on doors with Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, in his race for the 19th District that represents Calhoun and Jackson counties that was vacated with the election of Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, to the U.S. House in November.

The unusually cool August weather made it a pleasant day; although the Jackson County township subdivision with no sidewalks and long sloping driveways gave me a great workout. It was also cool to get a mini-tour of Jackson with the former mayor of the city where Griffin is very popular.

I also discovered the coolest book store in downtown Jackson called The Book Exchange, and there were rooms and rooms filled with used books.

The reception was very warm, and many people said they are supporting him. We didn’t restrict the canvassing to just Democrats and independents, so that was a good sign. Only one guys said he would not vote for him, but he wasn’t even on he walking list; his wife was.

I was surprised at the number of people who were not aware of the special election. We will really need to work hard on our get out the vote efforts, and it will be even more important in a special election. That will be even harder with the announcement last week that the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Michigan State Council endorsed the Republican in the race.

Apparently, they have not heard about the bills pending in Michigan Senate to make Michigan a right to work for less state introduced by Senate Republicans that is just an excuse to break unions. Apparently, the Republican is a former police officer and the SEIU represents corrections officers. I can’t think of another reason.

Republicans enjoy a slight 21-16 majority in the Senate, despite more people voting for Democrats in the last Senate election in 2006. The Senate is where good legislation and policy go to die. We saw an example last week of how they continue to put politics above helping Michigan with their 10th Amendment show.

Just in this session alone that just began in January, Senate Republicans have blocked meaningful Legislation that includes the workplace smoking ban many people have been clamoring for, laws to make voting easier that has bipartisan support and were passed in the House, redlining for auto insurance and the unemployment bills that will give Michigan families running out of unemployment access to $140 million in federal funds.

We need your help to make Michigan a better place. There are organized walks every Wednesday and Thursday at 5 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays starting at 10 a.m. Walking is great exercise, and if you like meeting people and care about Michigan, volunteer at one of the offices, and not just for walking.

Martin Griffin for State Senate (Calhoun office)
38 Michigan Ave E.
Battle Creek, MI 49017
(269) 425-4333

Martin Griffin for State Senate (Jackson office)
218 S. Mechanic St
Jackson, MI 49201
(517) 392-0800

Senate candidate dumps on Michigan

LANSING – Michigan House Democrats have been working for the last nine years or so to address the complaints of Michigan residents over out-of-state and Canadian trash filling up Michigan landfills, but one former state Representative who profited from it wants to join the Senate in blocking legislation addressing the problem.

Mike Nofs - the Republican candidate for the Michigan Senate’s 19th District - has been dumping on Michigan for years – all while making a profit and protecting the interests of the garbage industry at the expense of Michigan and its residents.

While serving as a Calhoun County Commissioner in the 1990s, Nofs pushed for the expansion of a garbage dump onto land he owned in Convis Township. Once the Commission approved the expansion, Nofs sold his property to BFI Waste Systems of North America for an undisclosed amount of money that he referred to as “higher than market value.” While he skipped town with his profits, his neighbors were left with a dump in their backyards which takes foreign garbage.

Nofs has also taken campaign contributions from the garbage industry and, as a state representative, he continually voted to allow foreign trash to be dumped into our communities.

Nofs is running against Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, for seat in the 19th District that represents Calhoun and Jackson counties that was vacated with the election of Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, to the U.S. House last November.

Canadian and out-of-state-trash from as far away as Florida makes up nearly a third of the trash dumped into our landfills. In addition to the capacity imported trash is eating up, it has also caused some much more serious problems that have cost taxpayers money. Trash haulers have brought in hazardous waste, radioactive material and raw sewage. Two garbage spills by out-of-state haulers in Wayne County’s Huron Township in 2006 cost taxpayers more than $200,000 to clean up.

One of the most effective ways to combat this problem is through economics, and having the lowest dumping fees in the Midwest has made Michigan a magnet for other people’s trash. A perfect example of what the Griffin and the House are trying to accomplish with the fee increase occurred in 2002 when Pennsylvania raised its fee from $3.25 a ton to $7.25 a ton and saw trash imports fall from an all-time high of 12.6 million tons to an annual decrease to a low of just 9.6 million tons in 2006; the first time in more than a decade imports fell to below the 10 million ton mark.

“Mike Nofs is not the type of person we need representing the 19th District,” said Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer. “Nofs has personally profited from garbage companies and time and time again has voted to protect the garbage industry and greedy corporations – putting them ahead of his constituents. Foreign trash is ruining the health and beauty of this great state and Mike Nofs is one of the reasons why.”

Jones plays ‘stinky’ politics with MSP HQ

LANSING – If anyone had any doubts or needed anymore evidence that the almost complete Michigan State Police headquarters in downtown Lansing is nothing but a campaign issue for Republicans, the Lansing State Journal published a letter from Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, to the House GOP caucus where he told them this can be the issue that wins back the House for Republicans and threatened them if they did vote for it.

You will recall that last month Sen. Cameron Brown, R-Sturgis, and a GOP candidate for Secretary of State, managed to attach an amendment to the state police budget that kills the money for the lease payment on a new MSP HQ, set to be completed in the next couple of months. Despite the project going through all the proper steps and bipartisan approvals, Republicans are using it as a campaign issue and making the false claim that it was political payback from the Governor to one of the developers, Joel Ferguson.

Jones called it an “inside stinky deal” despite the fact that the project was approved on a bi-partisan vote by the Joint Capital Outlay Committee in 2007, as are all state building projects that do not require specific legislation. The lease was then approved by the State Administrative Board. that consists of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the Secretary of State, Attorney General, State Treasurer, Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Director of the Department of Transportation. The project also went through the proper public bid process.

Jones claims that the “capitol outlay committee was not told all the facts,” but offers none of the facts that were allegedly absent, or that another opponent, Brown, spoke at the meeting. Everything the Republicans do in Lansing is done for political effect, not to benefit the people of Michigan, and Jones proved that. He outlined a campaign for taking back the House in 2010 using the HQ.

“By Oct. 1 we will cut every service and every program that is state funded. Everyone will be pissed,” he wrote.
“(Rep.) Pete Lund (R-Shelby Township) and (Rep) Paul Opsommer (R-DeWitt) where (sic) right when they said there should not be one republican vote for this thing. Imagine how this vote can be used. Picture a postcard with Granholm, (Rep.) Mike Simpson (D-Jackson), and the MSP building on front. On the back it could say: "They supported lining the pockets of developers with millions of dollars while 100 state troopers got laid off." "They supported wasting your tax dollars with a boondoggle that was not needed," "Throw the crooks out! It's time for a change!"

Stating with Jones.

Never mind that it’s a complete lie, and that has never stopped politicians like Jones, who is term-limited in 2010 and looking for his next political job.

Jones also confirmed all Republicans will use it in 2010. (SOS candidate Brown) “made it part of his statewide campaign (standing up to special interests) and (GOP Oakland County Sheriff Mike) Bouchard is going to make it part of his statewide governor campaign. Bouchard invited me to attend that conference. Senator Kahn simply wanted to tell you that returning senators will use the issue and keep it alive. Reporters like Steve Wilson will not let it die.”

He also threatened his fellow Republicans that did not toe the party line and dared to do the right thing and voted for honoring the contract the state made.
“I wish to warn you that if you vote for the MSP HQ lease, you may (sic) held accountable later,” Jones wrote.

They even plan to use it against Rep. Marty Griffin, D-Jackson, running for the vacant seat in the 19th State Senate District with the primary set for next week. It’s just one more political stunt in that race used by the GOP.
“Mike Nofs is beating the hell out of Marty Griffin with it already in their early senate race,” Jones wrote.

Jones even claims the developer threatened him through a lobbyist, and he made lots of false charges about the developer, saying, “the developer openly brags on the golf course about how he owns Lansing and can get away with anything. I heard today in a coffee shop from a businessman that the developer had said he already pocketed 5 million on the deal.”

What a class act Jones is.

Senate Republicans stage illegal political stunt in campaign for 19th District Senate seat.

Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, established his campaign web site as his run for the vacant seat in the 19th State Senate District gets underway.

The seat was vacated last November with the election of former Sen. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, to the U.S. House. Gov. Granholm set primary election for Aug. 4, and the General Election is Nov. 3. Griffin officially kicked off the campaign on May 30 with events in the two counties in the 19th District, most of Jackson County and all of Calhoun County.

The Senate Republicans are desperate to win this seat back and maintain their slim four-seat lead. The Senate Republicans have been the biggest obstacle to getting meaningful legislation passed, and retention of this seat will be the first step in Democrats taking back the Senate in 2010 for the first time since 1983.

Republicans have become so desperate that they are pulling some questionable stunts. On Wednesday they staged a Senate Committee hearing to showcase the leading GOP candidate, former Rep. Mike Nofs, R-Battle Creek; just one of three GOP candidates for the seat.

According to subscription only MIRS, Nofs was featured in a Senate Majority Caucus press release, and he testified at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on Wednesday on two bills to help Duncan Aviation retain jobs, even though Nofs had nothing to do with the bills. This is a clear case of using state resources for a political campaign.

Senate Bill 624, sponsored by Sen. Jason Allen, R- Traverse City, and House Bill 4930, sponsored by Rep. Rep. Kate Segal, D-Battle Creek, would provide tax breaks to help Duncan Aviation of Battle Creek save 100 jobs.

Nofs is no longer in the Legislature, and he did not have anything to do with the bills. It’s clear why he testified instead of the bill’s sponsor, and the reason is pure politics. Senate Republicans are politicizing jobs, and politicizing the Legislative process for campaign purposes and pure political gain.

Griffin grew up in Jackson and graduated from the University of Michigan. He has experience in both the public and private sector, working as a Realtor for many years. Griffin was elected Jackson's mayor in 1995 and for the twelve years he served the city his focus was on bringing in new investment by cleaning up and redeveloping downtown areas, streamlining the permitting process to cut red tape, and balancing the city budget without raising taxes.

He was elected in 2006 to the House from the 64th District Griffin is also very involved with a number of local organizations, including the Economic Development Corporation of Jackson, the Downtown Kiwanis Club, the Ella Sharp Park Board, Cascade Capital Humane Society, Jackson County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Police and Fire Pension Boards and the National Association of Realtors.

One extremist endorses another extremist

Apparently, the right is all atwitter that extremist rightwing Republican Tim Walberg is endorsing Mike Nofs for the vacant state Senate seat in the 19th District.

The seat was vacated when U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer, D-Battle Creek, unseated Walberg in November when voters rejected his extremist views, and the 19th Senate seat was vacated with Schauer’s move to Washington, D.C. Rep. Martin Griffin, D-Jackson, has also filed to run for the seat that represents Calhoun and Jackson counties. Griffin is a moderate who will better represent the residents of that district over the extreme GOP views that voters soundly rejected in November and have led to defections from the GOP as it continues its veer to the right.

This is little more than political payback because Nofs endorsed Walberg last year. Any endorsement from an extremist like Walberg is good news for the Democrats and the residents of Michigan.