The Michigan Conservative Dossier

By ZACHARY GORCHOW, DAWSON BELL and TINA LAM

FREE PRESS STAFF WRITERS

UPDATED AT 10:45 A.M.: Bleary-eyed legislators and members of Gov. Jennifer Granholm’s administration trickled back into the state Capitol this morning as they geared up for their last chance to complete a budget deal for the 2007-08 fiscal year and avoid a disastrous government shutdown at midnight.

The House and Senate both went into recess at 5 a.m. with the intent of returning to business at 8 a.m., but the only action in either chamber was the drinking of caffeinated beverages for one final push.

read the full story

Below is a post on the Grand Rapids Comm. College Republican blog that I came across today. It is a blog created to defend the usual suspects (Yob-Hall-Zatkoff) In his post on the 27th, Chaz, who I assume is the Chairman of the organization says he was working with Matt Hall to make sure that Trevor Pittsley doesn’t cheat in the Mackinac Island straw poll.

Note to Chaz: It would have been impossible to cheat in the straw poll. Secondly, the people who you are apparently aligned with are far more likely to stack a deck. I’ve added a screen capture of his blog in case Hall tells him to scrub it.

I wonder how long it will take this new blog to attack the State Party and the State Party Chairman like the Zatkoff operated “Turn Michigan Red” blog did.

Mackinac Conference 2007

Well last weekend the Grand Rapids CC College Republicans had a great opportunity to volunteer for Chuck Yob and John McCain at the annual Mackinac Conference. It was a huge success. Not only did most Republican Presidential candidates show up [including the possibility of Newt Gingrich] but more than 3000 Conservatives were on the Island as well.

We not only spent time passing out stickers, placing signs throughout the Island, and making sure Trevor Pittsley did not tamper with the straw-poll, but we also spent time at party after party where we saw many politicians.
read the entire post

Newt Gingrich preparing to launch website to seek $30 million in pledges towards presidential run; will decide whether to enter GOP field by Oct. 21.
Full story: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0907/6077.html

At 2:35 p.m. State Treasurer Robert KLEINE notified state workers that they were being “placed on temporary layoff consistent” with collective bargaining agreements and Civil Service rules.

Listen Here

Dear Friend,

If you’re like me, you’re currently being bombarded with e-mails promising a chance to win dinner with this candidate, or the chance to watch a debate with a candidate’s family, or asking you to give a gift for a candidate’s birthday (by the way my birthday is next week).

Like all candidates, I’m pushing hard for the end of this quarter’s filing, so I tried to think of my own gimmick to get you to help out my campaign. I decided that no one would donate just to have dinner with me, and since my wife isn’t a former president, you probably don’t want to watch a debate with her, and the birthday thing has been done. So, I decided that I would give away a chance to have me come to your house and make you dinner.

A lesson for Lansing lawmakers How to get an endorsement — maybe

Michigan Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land says she won’t endorse any of the Republican candidates for president until after Jan. 15 — the date of the Michigan presidential primary.

But here’s a tip for campaigns hoping to convince Land to take sides earlier: Use a different phone.

Speaking on Mackinac Island over the weekend, Land said that as a high-profile, uncommitted GOPer, she has been getting calls from “pretty much all” of the candidates, wondering whether she would consider an endorsement.

But the calls, coming in on her private cell phone, all come from restricted phone numbers (shorthand for “Don’t call me. I’ll call you”). Land said that if any of the big shots in the race leave a number with caller ID, she may reconsider.

Making friends and enemies

One of the early signs that actor Fred Thompson was serious about running for president came last spring when he skillfully exploited a feud with filmmaker Michael Moore to demonstrate his new-media savvy (responding to Moore in a YouTube video put down).

Visiting Mackinac Island on Saturday, however, Thompson said he hadn’t known Moore was a native of Michigan and expressed no interest in discussing him further.

Nevertheless, Thompson made clear his favorite Michigander from the film world is Chelsea’s Jeff Daniels, with whom he worked in “Marie” in 1985.

That was Thompson’s first movie, based on a true story, and he played himself, a lawyer whose client was a former parole board director seeking redress from bribe-taking public officials. One of them was Daniels.

Daniels, of course, was just acting, and Thompson said working with him was a “great experience.

“He’s a great guy. I like him a lot.”

Levin: The White House is gunning for me

U.S. Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., one of the Bush administration’s toughest critics on Iraq, says the White House is out to get him.

With the deadline approaching for third-quarter campaign contributions, he sent an e-mail out to supporters Tuesday that said: The “White House is trying to defeat me for re-election next year. Right now, they’re searching for the strongest challenger to take me on.”

Meet the challengers

Levin can probably rest easy. The strongest challenger to express interest in the Senate race so far is former state Rep. Andrew (Rocky) Raczkowski, who managed all of 38% of the vote as Levin’s GOP foe in 2002.

Also giving it some thought is state Rep. Jack Hoogendyk, R-Kalamazoo, and, according to the grapevine, GOP national committeeman Chuck Yob. “I heard that rumor, too,” Yob said Tuesday. So is he interested? “I think if the president called and asked me to run, I’d think about it,” he said. “But I’m not waiting by the phone.”

Detroit Free Press

By George Weeks

DETROIT — On the eve of the weekend gathering of seven Republican 2008 presidential contenders on Mackinac Island, Arizona Sen. John McCain’s campaign cited four national polls in asserting “we are making large gains.” He indeed made some gains.

But the two latest statewide Michigan polls put the decorated Navy pilot and Vietnam POW in a tailspin in the state where he beat George W. Bush in the 2000 primary.

While he can pull out of it, McCain came to Michigan as a wounded warrior because of his fund-raising and organizational problems, including the devastating blow of Attorney General Mike Cox quitting as his Michigan chairman.

full article

Check out Matt Hall’s blog

Chris Stark, The New Jersey College Republican Chair, and a friend of mine was on Fox News last night.

Seton Hall University Hides Behind Catholic Mission

Denies Tom Delay while promoting liberal “thinkers”

Seton Hall University has denied the College Republicans program proposal to bring author and former Congressman Tom Delay to campus citing their catholic mission as the sole reason for denial.”

“The actions Seton Hall took against conservatism this week is unconscionable,” Chairman Christopher Stark believes, “just four years ago we welcomed with open arms the former Iranian President—a man who began the nuclear weapons program and had documented human rights violations—yet Tom Delay is clearly more controversial and less intellectually in tune with academia for him to appear on campus.”

Seton Hall used the indictments of Congressman Delay to say that as a Catholic Institution they could not allow the school’s name to be associated with such an event.

“First of all, what happened to the very Catholic and the judicially sound principle of presumption of innocence,” Stark wonders, “it is obvious that this University only applies its Catholic Mission when it suits a liberal agenda.”

“Congressman Delay was simply pursued by an overzealous Democratic prosecutor, while President Khatami of Iran, Wesley Clark, Mikhail Gorbachev, Kofi Annan, and numerous other liberals invited to Seton Hall each violated the Catholic Mission of the university in their rhetoric and action.”

To show clearly the bias of this university, take a look at how Monsignor Sheeran, the Seton Hall University President, characterized Iran to the school newspaper.

“We are delighted that President Mohammad Khatami of Iran will be visiting Seton Hall on Friday,” Sheeran said. “He is the president of a great nation, proud in faith, strong in its traditions, with a remarkable history and, with God’s help, a future blessed by much peace and prosperity.”

“So obviously, Tom Delay must not represent a great nation, must not be proud in faith (even though his newest book speaks of his journey in faith), and conservatism must obviously lack strength in traditions and history. So I ask, does the President believe that Iran is truly this shining beacon, or perhaps that they are the shining city upon a hill?”

###

Students challenge Gary Peters to debate

September 25 — Students Against Gary Peters has challenged Democratic congressional candidate Gary Peters to debate his hiring as a political science professor at Central Michigan University.

The invitation was extended in the following letter to Peters, who is challenging Congressman Joe Knollenberg:

Professor Gary Peters
Department of Political Science
Anspach Hall, Room 203
Central Michigan University
Mount Pleasant, MI 48859

Dear Professor Peters:

As you know, your candidacy for the United States Congress while you remain a full-time, temporary assistant professor of political science at Central Michigan University has been in the news for weeks in the newspapers, over the airwaves on television and radio and on the internet.

To help clarify the record and allow for both sides of the story to be presented fairly to the taxpayers of Michigan and the students and alumni of CMU, I would like to extend a debate invitation to you.

I would very much enjoy the opportunity to debate you and I hope you will accept the invitation.

Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Dennis Lennox II
Students Against Gary Peters

UPDATE II: Dan Carlson or Matt Hall apparently read this blog posting and ordered Zatkoff not to cooperate. He obliged.

UPDATE: Zatkoff and Migliore are being cooperative with my initial requests for information.

With the huge scandal that recently plagued the College Republican National Committee, one would think that CR leaders would be more open with finances.

This weekend on Mackinac Island the CRs had a meeting where a Treasurers report was given out. But with no bank statement. It blows my mind that members approved a Treasurers report with no bank statement.

MFCR Chair Justin Zatkoff opened up a new CR account, so he at the very least should have information readily available on this new account.

I sent an email to Zatkoff today asking him for information, and he directed to the Treasurer Lauren Migliore. I sent her an email and got an automatic response:

From: Office of the Treasurer <finances@mfcr.org>
Date: Sep 25, 2007 10:07 PM
Subject: [MFCR Financial Inquiry]
To: cheneygun@gmail.com

Thank you for contacting the Michigan Federation of College Republicans financial office. In an effort to continue to be the most ethical and transparent political organization in Michigan we will provide information to all College Republicans to the best of our ability.

Please note that while we are working to respond to your request, we may be contacting your chapter chair to verify your status as a College Republican.

If you are not a College Republican please reply with a detailed explanation of who you are, why you are requesting the information, and what you plan to use said information for.

While we will do our absolute best to accommodate any and all requests, the Michigan Federation of College Republicans reserves the right to deny, inpart or in full, any requests it receives.

Thank you. Your e-mail has been received and will be responded to as soon as possible.

Which brings us to movie and TV star Freddie (his real name) THOMPSON. (Oh, yeah, he once served in the U.S. Senate, too). Here is a piece of work.

His handful of young supporters stood patiently for about a half-hour at the lower level of the Grand Hotel, where the horse drawn carriages deposit riders. They were eager to shake Thompson’s hand and get some words of encouragement. They got neither.

“Hi. How are ya,” he blurted out in his Southern drawl as he breezed right passed them. There were no sincere “Thanks for being here. I really appreciate your support.” Nope, he dashed off to the safety of the elevator with a TV news crew in hot pursuit.

“Senator, should the president be the smartest person in the room?” Thompson laughed, and picked up the pace to the elevator where an aide literally stood with arms outstretched across the elevator door so the camera crew could not step inside. Door closes and away goes “Freddie.”

First impression, fair or not. This is one inaccessible and, perhaps, a tad arrogant candidate. No warmth, no connection, no humanness about him. Even conservative and religious zealot Pat DOBSON has made that observation noting that Thompson has “no passion, no zeal and no apparent ‘want to.’”

Source: MIRS NEWS

This little piggy didn’t go to market. It went to the Northside impound lot.

The now-infamous fiberglass recall pig that has adorned the Capitol entrance ever since the income tax debate began two weeks ago, got into trouble with the Capitol folks Tuesday.

Mr. PERKS was towed off the Capitol grounds today when caretaker Leon DROLET, Michigan Taxpayers Alliance director, forgot to tell its handler he didn’t have the $25 permit to unleash the pig on the lawn this afternoon.

Capital Facilities Director Steve BENKOVSKY said he tried to call Drolet this afternoon about the scheduling conflict, but wasn’t able to reach him. Northside Towing got the next call and was out in front of the Capitol at about 3 p.m.

While Tim, the tow truck guy hooked it up to his truck, members of the State Police Capitol post looked on, along with some firemen who were there to lobby for a tax hike. They held up a sign that read “Fire Protection Isn’t Pork.”

The governor’s chief of staff walked by and gave a thumbs up at the scene. State Budget Director Bob EMERSON was with Chief of Staff Mary LANNOYE and was asked if he was responsible for turning in the pig?

“I’m not that smart,” Emerson laughed.

Asked how much it would cost to “bail out” the pig, Northside Towing Vice President Jeff FINLEY said, “I don’t know. I ain’t never towed a pig before.”

Apparently, the towing company once hauled around the Quality Dairy cow, but the pig was a first.

The scene in front of the Capitol drew a fair amount of smiles and laughs on a day where —amid talk of government shutdown — humor was in demand inside the building. When told of the chuckles, Finley said, “Hopefully, they remember the truck that towed it.”

Drolet said he forgot that the pig couldn’t be on the lawn Tuesday since his usual spot was reserved for a different group.

“The pig was engaged in an act of civil disobedience and the man just came to bust him,” Drolet said.

Mr. Perks will legally return to his post Wednesday, Drolet said.

(Capitol Correspondent Tim SKUBICK contributed to this report.)

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Strange Happening at Mackinac [David Freddoso]

I’m glad I stayed on the island Friday night, but here’s an episode I missed, from the Detroit Free Press:

…[Ron] Paul’s supporters taunted former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for alleged complicity in the attacks..

…According to one eyewitness, [Rudy] Giuliani was beset by dozens of Paul enthusiasts as he was leaving the island, some of whom shouted taunts about 9/11, including: “9/11 was an inside job” and “Rudy, Rudy, what did you do with the gold?” — an apparent reference to rumors about $200 million in gold alleged to have disappeared in the collapse of the World Trade Center towers.

Ed Wyszynski, a longtime party activist from Eagle, said the Paul supporters threatened to throw Giuliani overboard and harrassed him as he took shelter in the ferry’s pilothouse for the 15-minute journey back to Mackinaw City.

“It was awful,” said Wyszynski, who supports Mitt Romney for the GOP presidential nomination.

“I was embarrassed to be a Republican. Never, ever, have I seen such a disgraceful performance.”

The Paul campaign denies any involvement, and insists that Paul does not believe 9/11 was an inside job. There is a video of what happened here. Certainly no indications of anyone planning to throw him overboard, but the tape doesn’t include the entire ride either.

At the end, upon learning that Giuliani exits at the front of the boat, away from everyone else, one of the Paulites remarks, “Chickens—-!.”

http://migop.blogs.com/blog/2007/09/newts-speech-at.html

Mike Compagnoni is the former Chair of the Albion College Republicans and active in the Calhoun County Republican Party.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the next Hitler

by Mike Compagnoni

His firm beliefs violate nearly all the freedoms we stand for as Americans. And in my mind are a perfectly good reason to never let him into America. Columbia University take note, we don’t want him on your stage.

Despite the long held American value of letting someone speak and letting their words decide if we should respect them or not, we should not allow men like this the podium. It speaks a great deal to us as Americans to even allow a blatant enemy of our nation to address us publicly on our own soil. This was an act of respect which American leaders would never be returned if they visited Iran.

Fundamentally, respect is the greatest issue lacking for Mr. Ahmadinejad. He does not respect America, religious freedom, social freedoms, free and fair elections, and of course supports terrorism. He has no respect for others. He is simply a megalomaniac and a terrorist apologist.

His willingness to threaten Israel, develop nuclear weapons against worldwide reproach, and now supply insurgents intent on further destabilizing Iraq with weapons shows that he is an enemy of all people. Not just Americans.

It is my sincerest wish that:

He goes home.

Never comes back to America.

Is overthrown by freedom seeking people.

His position is replaced by a free democracy.

And a terrorist like him never returns again.

It looks like this may be the day the Democrats get their big tax increase. Up to today, they have only been able to muster 51 Dem votes. But now it looks like they will get three to eight Republicans to join them. You need to contact them immediately and let them know your opinion. The vote will likely happen tonight!

Geoff Hansen geoffhansen@house.mi.gov

On Saturday I took a break from bouncing from bar to bar to go and hear Fred Thompson’s speech. I have to say, that I was very unimpressed. The speech was boring and of little substance. I’ve been watching Thompson’s campaign, and after his speech this weekend I am convinced that he doesn’t have what it takes.

I sat across from a gentleman running for Dave Robertsons open seat, Paul Scott. He asked me if I heard of anyone else running in the primary and I told him that I had, but wouldn’t mention any names. Suffice it to say, he wasn’t too happy.

Immediately after Thompson was done speaking, I left. I wasn’t to keen on listening to John McCain’s “this is where I differ from the GOP base” speech and the war, although I did hear that he gave an excellent speech.

The Romney campaign clearly ran the show. His people were everywhere, he had a great party, and he won the straw poll.

Ron Paul made an impressive showing. His people are definitely the most vocal. A lot of the Paul volunteers meandering around do not identify themselves as Republicans.

I talked to the MFCR Executive Director, Andrew Boyd after Thompson’s speech on the porch of the Grand Hotel. We had a good chat and he stressed the point to me that we need to work together…I agreed.

I also chatted with Jack Hoogendyk for a while. It was a good reminder of why conservatives should help Hoogendyk in his endeavors. His wife Erin was charming also.

While bantering back and forth with Matt Hall for an hour and a half, I saw Glenn Clark walk by. I’ll just say that we had a very productive exchange.

Apparently Mike Cox told John McCain this weekend that he was withdrawing his support. On top of that, John Yob (McCains State Director) is said to be going to DC to work for McCain.

Seems to me like they know Michigan is lost for them.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I finally met Spence Abraham.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

Nolan Finley

Magic is gone for McCain in Michigan

John McCain has lost his Michigan mojo.

This weekend should have belonged to the Arizona senator, as he returned to the state that produced the McCain Miracle in 2000 to speak to Republicans who handed him an exhilarating victory in his Quixotic challenge to George W. Bush. Instead, McCain is barely hanging on to his status as a first-tier Republican presidential candidate. The state that was so wild about him eight years ago now finds other candidates prettier.

McCain was to meet during the Republican convention with Attorney General Mike Cox, so Cox could tell him face-to-face what’s been rumored all week: He is resigning as state chairman of the McCain campaign.
full article

Romney wins GOP Mackinac straw poll

McCain is second; Paul bests Giuliani as event winds up

September 24, 2007

BY DAWSON BELL

FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

MACKINAC ISLAND — Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney used his Michigan connections to good advantage over the weekend in easily winning a presidential straw poll of registrants to the Michigan Republican Party’s biennial island conference.

Romney, a Michigan native and son of a former governor, pulled in 39% of the vote that was open to delegates to the conference who were also Michigan residents. Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain, who has been fighting organizational woes in Michigan and elsewhere, was a relatively strong second, with 26.5%.

Texas U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, whose Internet-fueled insurgency campaign was second only to Romney’s in visible presence at the conference, finished third with 10.8%, edging out former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at 10.6%.

Former Tennessee U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson was at 7.2%, with other candidates in low single digits. The straw poll, conducted for the state GOP by the Hotline, a Washington D.C.-based online political newsletter, ran all weekend, drawing 979 of the approximately 2000 party activists in attendance.

All five of the top finishers spoke at the conference, along with California U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter. Three other candidates, Colorado U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, Kansas U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, did not appear.

State party officials said the conference was the best-attended in the nearly 50-year history of the event and was a reflection of Michigan’s heightened importance in the presidential campaign, especially after the state moved its primary up to Jan. 15.

The Republican candidates are scheduled to be back in Michigan on Oct. 9 for a debate in Dearborn.

Contact DAWSON BELL at 313-222-6604 or dbell@freepress.com.

Mackinac leadership conference

GOP candidates follow party line

Presidential hopefuls push Republican agenda: lower taxes, less spending and help for business.

Gordon Trowbridge and Charlie Cain / The Detroit News

By Dan Meisler
DAILY PRESS & ARGUS

State Rep. Chris Ward, R-Brighton Township, broke with his Republican cohorts late Thursday night and cast the only GOP vote in favor of a Democratic budget plan that would raise the state income tax and potentially avoid a government shutdown.

The tax increase was part of an overall deal that involved spending cuts and government restructuring.

OAS_AD(‘ArticleFlex_1′);

Ward’s vote prompted talk of a recall from a taxpayers’ association and also praise from one fellow Livingston County Republican, state Sen. Valde Garcia of Marion Township.

“I applaud Chris for attempting to compromise,” Garcia said. “I’m already working for a compromise on the Senate side … in the end, both sides are going to have to sacrifice and compromise.”

However, Leon Drolet, a former Republican state lawmaker and head of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, which supports recall efforts against lawmakers who vote for tax increases, said the vote warrants a recall.

“It is enough to justify a recall, in my personal opinion,” he said. “If the citizens of that community want to follow up with that, we would support them.”

Ward’s vote was evidently part of a deal that fell through to have Republicans, and Democrats in politically vulnerable districts, support the plan.

full article

Friends,

Late last night, in a rare Sunday session, the state Senate passed $950 million in budget cuts and sent the cuts to the state House. These cuts are almost two-third of what is needed to avoid a tax increase or government shut-down on October 1st. Passing these spending cuts happened despite the best efforts of a traitor.

First and foremost, props to Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop for getting these cuts passed in the Senate. Second, thanks to the Republican senators, especially those in tough districts, for stepping up and voting for these spending cuts, even though Democrats will surely attack these vulnerable senators in the next election. These principled men and women deserve a call or email expressing appreciation.

I must take a moment to single out, however, Senator Valde Garcia (R-Howell) for abandoning the Republican caucus and voting with Democrats against spending reductions. Sadly, Senator Garcia has been a cheerleader for Governor Granholm’s tax hike and economic policies for quite some time.

In addition to lobbying Republican house members to vote for the income tax hike, Garcia was Granholm’s partner in moving the 21rst Century Jobs Program (21CJP) through the Senate almost two years ago. The 21CJP borrowed money from the future, gave it to a newly-created panel of “experts” to give away in the form of grants and loans to hand-picked companies that these experts felt were going to create jobs some day. Much of the grant money actually went to public universities, not private companies, because these universities have professional grant writers and the Governor’s experts believe new jobs are best started by government agencies.

Senator Garcia also has the distinction of being the only Republican senator to vote with senate Democrats for full replacement of the Single Business Tax, instead of supporting a net business tax cut that the rest of the Senate Republicans preferred.

On fiscal issues, Senator Garcia is indistinguishable from Governor Granholm. His votes reflect a slavish devotion to the belief that increased government spending is more important than saving Michigan’s economy.

Senator Valde Garcia has earned the title of Michigan’s biggest RINO.

Recall 1983?

Leon Drolet
MI Taxpayers Alliance
www.mitaxpayers.org

By: Jonathan Martin
Sep 23, 2007 08:54 AM EST

All the party’s top presidential contenders trekked to the state to address the foot soldiers in what could be a decisive primary Jan. 15.

MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. — It was Michigan Democrats who sought to end the stranglehold Iowa and New Hampshire have had on the presidential nominating process by angling for years to move up their primary. Yet despite the best efforts of Sen. Carl Levin and company, it’s the Republican contest here that may have been given added relevance with the new Jan. 15 date.

The fact that Michigan could be the largest GOP domino to fall in rapid succession no matter how the early state calendar ends up being constructed — there are 61 delegates to be had here and over a million people could take part in the GOP primary, compared with the roughly 100,000 Iowans expected to caucus there — doesn’t seem to have penetrated the political consciousness.

Until this weekend, at least.

Read the entire story here