Revs. Edward Pinkney and Charles E. Williams II, along with attorney Bruce Hollowell, express outrage after BOC vote April 26, 2012/Photo Leona McElvene
April 27th, 2012 | By Michigan Forward, Repeal Public Act 4
Citizens from around the state of Michigan continue to express outrage in the wake of a decision by Republican appointees at the State Board of Canvassers meeting rejecting expert testimony, physical evidence and scientific evaluation showing a petition to repeal the emergency manager law was in compliance with the legal font-size as required by law.
Attorney Herb Sanders testifies against PA4 takeover at City Council March 13, 2012
“This partisan attack on democracy will not stand,” said Herb Sanders, director of the coalition. “People are outraged at the bold-faced hypocrisy displayed by Republican members of the State Board of Canvassers who rejected expert testimony, physical evidence and scientific measuring means presented to them in favor of affidavits signed by other alleged printing experts that didn’t even bother to show up to the hearing.”
The fact that no experts testified to the legitimacy of claims made that the font size was incorrect calls into question whether the affidavits are little more than pieces of paper signed by “ghost” printers.
PA 4 opponents packed Board of Canvassers meeting April 26, 2012/Photo by Leona McElvene
“No one would be surprised to find that in politics some people are just dirty, lying cheats who will stop at nothing to get their way,” said Sanders. “One thing is for sure, they will show up in court or the masterminds of this scheme will be held accountable in the court of law for their shenanigans.”
The partisan attack came on the heels of news that the Stand Up for Democracy Coalition had officially received notice reporting the group had collected 203,238 valid voter signatures needed to place the repeal of Public Act 4 (aka the Emergency Manager Law) on the November 2012 general election ballot. The group exceeded the 161,305 valid signatures needed by more than 40,000.
AFSCME Council 25 Secretary Treasurer and Michigan Forward leader Brandon Jessup testify at meeting/Photo Leona McElvene
On Thursday, April 26, 2012 the members of the State Board of Canvassers met in Lansing to decide if the petition would be placed on the November general election ballot. They also reviewed a memo from the Secretary of the Board of State Canvassers that largely dismissed the challenges of a republican group seeking to prevent voters from deciding the fate of PA 4.
Republican Board of Canvassers members voted against referendum/Photo Leona McElvene
At the hearing, the font size on the petition was determined to be correct after physical evidence and expert testimony was presented to the board and several hundred citizens in the audience. Still, two republican appointees to the board ignored the evidence before them and voted not to place the issue on the ballot to the outrage and disbelief of other republican, democratic and independent voters attending the hearing. The matter heads to the Michigan State Court of Appeals next week.
For more information go to http://www.standup4democracy.com or call 1-866-306-5168 to volunteer.
