Thom Hartmann: There's something rotten in Michigan - Jeff Timmer

[thomhartmann]

There's something rotten in Michigan - and it all centers on a guy named Jeff Timmer. We'll get to who Jeff Timmer is in just a minute - but first - follow me as I explain what's going on in the fight to keep democracy alive in Michigan. First - there's Governor Rick Snyder - who moved into the Governors Mansion last year - and immediately passed one of the most controversial laws this nation has ever seen. It was called Public Act 4 - which gave Snyder the power to appoint what he calls a "financial manager" - or what I call a "little dictator" - to seize control of a city in Michigan - fire all the local elected officials - break union contracts - slash spending on social services - and sell off huge chunks of the commons at a fire-sale price to corporate buddies. So far - cities like Benton Harbor - Flint - Ecorse - and Pontiac have met this fate - and citizens of those cities no longer have control of their local democracy. This is literally - at least at the local level - the death of democracy.

But Michiganders don't give up - especially on democracy. So after rallies, marches, and a massive petition drive - the group "Stand Up for Democracy" collected 226,000 signatures to immediately put Snyder's little dictators law on hold - and place it on the ballot in November - so that Michiganders can have a vote to repeal it for good. So even though Snyder killed off local democracy - he wasn't able to kill off state-wide democracy: he couldn't stop people organizing, collecting signatures, and formally challenging Snyder's radical law. Democracy couldn't be killed off that easily. And that's when Jeff Timmer stepped in. Timmer is a partner with a business called the Sterling Corporation - which prides itself as the "premier Republican communications company specializing in public affairs, political campaigns, BALLOT INITIATIVES, and fundraising for corporations, trade associations, issue advocacy groups and political candidates..." According to the Sterling Corporation's website - Jeff Timmer is a "veteran political and public affairs strategist specializing in public policy issue management, BALLOT PROPOSAL CAMPAIGNS, and partisan political campaigns." The website also notes that Timmer oversees development and production of Sterling's printed materials for clients. In other words - he knows a lot about font sizes - and we'll get to why font sizes are so important in just a moment.

So Jeff Timmer and the Sterling Corporation run political campaigns - in particular ballot initiative campaigns - on behalf of Republican clients. One of the Sterling's clients - or creations - is a group called Michigan Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility. According to federal campaign papers - Jeff Timmer is listed as one of the people in charge of this organization. Another creation is a group with a very similar name - Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility - which according to state documents is headed by a guy named Robert LaBrant - who also works at the Sterling Corporation at a Senior Counsel. What's the difference between the two groups - other than the word Michigan in the title? Virtually nothing. The Sterling Corporation runs Michigan Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility, and Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility shares an address with the Sterling Corporation - and both are headed up by people within the Sterling Corporation - people like Jeff Timmer - a guy who - again - knows a lot about font sizes. So why are font sizes so important? Because one of the Sterling Corporation's creations - Citizens for Fiscal Responsibility - lodged a formal challenge with the Michigan Board of State Canvassers - alleging that the "Stand Up for Democracy" petition that contained 226,000 signatures to repeal Snyder's financial managers law should be thrown out because...get this...the font size on the petition was too small.

So here's a quick recap: Governor Snyder kills democracy with his financial managers law. The people of Michigan rise up with a petition campaign to repeal Snyder's financial managers law. And the Sterling Corporation - along with Jeff Timmer - and organizations that share the same address as the Sterling Corporation - push back by saying the petition should be thrown out because of a font size technicality. Now here's where things get really messed up. The Michigan State Board of Canvassers - made up of four officials - two Democrats and two Republicans - ended up deadlocked over the petition challenge - with both Democrats ruling the petition is valid - and both Republicans ruling that the font size is too small and the petition should be thrown out. Since it was a two-two tie - then Governor Snyder, the Sterling Corporation, and Jeff Timmer won - and the ballot campaign to repeal the financial managers law was put on hold. All because of a font-size technicality - which might not be a technicality at all since the petition printer's affidavit says the font size is correct.

Now you're probably asking who are these two Republicans on the Michigan State Board of Canvassers who decided to silence the voice of 226,000 Michiganders all because of a font size dispute? Well - one of them is this guy - Norman Shinkle - who's been involved in local Michigan politics for several years. As for the other Republican on the canvassing board who threw out a quarter million signatures over font size - guess who he is...None other than...Jeff Timmer! So here we have Jeff Timmer ruling on a challenge brought by...Jeff Timmer...on behalf of corporation on which Jeff Timmer is a partner. This would be like being robbed blind by a burglar, then pressing charges and taking that burglar to court to get your money back and have him thrown in jail, only to find out the judge is THE BURGLAR! You would think Timmer would have recused himself - but all pretenses of impartiality, democracy, and basic law and order, have been brushed aside now in Governor Snyder's war on self-government and working people in Michigan. Democracy is dying in Michigan - and all the avenues that the people have to revive it are being cut off by corporate interests and Republican Party operatives life Jeff Timmer. You need to know this story - because it could happen in your state next.

The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann on RT TV & FSTV "live" 9pm and 11pm check www.thomhartmann.com/tv for local listings

[Warpy]

1. The law was supposed to have been passed with a supermajority

in the state lege. The GOP doesn't have a supermajority and it seems pretty clear that law didn't have one.

It's even rottener than just Timmer and Snyder. It's rotten enough to be the majority in the lege and a supine press that announces a supermajority pass when one did not happen.

This will have to go to the courts. I think it's quite likely the law will be slapped down.

I sincerely hope the major players go to prison over this one. They need to.

[freshwest]

2. Frightening and 'coming to a state near you' if this goes forward.

The first stage of fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of State and corporate power. ~ Mussolini

Michigan is more than half way there, in following the plan outlined by one of the former leaders in the Axis of Evil.

Thanks for printing out the details of the video for those with dial-up.

[Dustlawyer]

3. The corporations and zillionaires will not go quietly into the night!

They will stop at nothing, and I mean nothing, to keep and gain more power.