LANSING, Mich., Aug. 24 MI-Taxpayers-United
LANSING, Mich., Aug. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Three weeks ago,
Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama informed news media that he
wanted to reinstate full voting rights to Michigan delegates at the Democratic
National Convention Aug. 25-28 in Denver.
U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D), Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) and Debbie
Dingell, wife of venerable U.S. Representative John Dingell (D-Dearborn), all
active promoters of Hillary Clinton; and Michigan Republican Party Chairman
Saul Anuzis, provoked the fight with the Democratic and Republican National
Committees in D.C.
Without any public hearings, the majority of 110 State Representatives,
and 38 State Senators were co-conspirators in the popup of Public Act 52 of
2007 ("Closed Early Michigan Presidential Primary") signed by Gov. Granholm
on September 4, 2007.
"Our Jan. 15 Primary before the Feb. 5 Iowa Caucus Primary will cause
Presidential candidates and the national news media to focus on solutions to
serious problems beleaguering a large industrial state like Michigan," the
chorus of political leaders from Michigan argued as the reason they secretly
decided to defy National Party rules.
But there were two more politically selfish reasons. The new Early
Presidential Primary state law actually created a "Closed Primary" in
violation of Michigan's Constitution. Independent voters, 51% of the 7.2
million registered voters in Michigan, were forced to vote on either the
Democrat or Republican ballot, violating the will of the people to preserve
the "purity of elections" and "secrecy of the ballot".
The 21% of registered voters who actually voted on Jan. 15 were
automatically registered as either a Democrat or Republican by name and
address on the Qualified Voter File list maintained as permanent public record
by the Michigan Secretary of State, and County, City and Township Clerks.
A second hidden motive was the intent by politicians to amend the 1992
Constitutional Amendment approved by majority voters statewide to limit the
terms of certain political offices. Legislators intended to put Term Limits on
the Jan. 15 Presidential Ballot which would have lengthened the terms in
office of one-third of the current State Representatives scheduled to be term
limited out of office at the end of this year. Their time ran out to
successfully add this to the Jan. 15 Primary.
Taxpayers United Michigan Foundation, which has been the non-partisan,
non-profit grassroots citizen organization defending citizen rights guaranteed
under Michigan's Constitution for 31 years, fought holding the Jan. 15 Primary
through 10 state courts without success.
Through its State Chairman (Volunteer), Bill McMaster, the Foundation has
been vigorously defending Michigan's Constitutional guarantees of "One Person,
One Vote" and "Secrecy of the Ballot."
McMaster is certain the March 26, 2008 Order & Opinion of U.S. District
Court Judge Nancy Edmonds in Detroit (Case No.08-10149) invalidates the Early
Michigan Primary forbidden by National Democratic and Republican Party rules.
Judge Edmonds' Opinion & Order threw out Michigan's Primary by ruling
grassroots citizens have a constitutional right to secrecy of the ballot and
equal protection of the laws and that Michigan's Early Presidential Primary
was unconstitutional, invalid, nonexistent and with no legal effect.
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox (R) represented the State Legislature,
Gov. Granholm, Democrat and Republican State Parties and Secretary of State
Terri Lynn Land (R) alleging the constitutionality of Michigan's Primary in
Judge Edmonds' court.
Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land, one of the losing defendants in the
above case, authorized a public statement following Judge Edmonds' ruling.
Quoted in part:
"By operation of the nonseverability clause of PA 52 of 2007, the primary
election and the collection and compilation of the party preference
information in connection with that primary are invalid, inoperable, and
without effect. Invalid means not legally or factually valid, null; "null"
means having no legal force, invalid ... being or amounting to nothing; nil;
lacking; nonexistent."
"If the Early Michigan Primary never was, how come Michigan's 147
delegates (and 21 alternates) arriving in Denver today were being told they
have only half of one vote?" McMaster reasoned.
Most are union and Democrat office holders selected to go to Denver
supporting Hillary Clinton in accordance with Michigan Democratic Party
caucuses following the Early Presidential Primary.
Forty percent are African-Americans. It's ironical that the last time half
a vote per person was a rule was for freed slaves following the Civil War.
The Michigan Board of Canvassers certified the election in February.
Three times after Judge Edmonds' ruling invalidated the Primary, McMaster
testified before the Michigan Board of Canvassers that if the election never
was then it should be de-certified and there would be no need for the National
Democratic and Republican Parties to punish Michigan delegates at either
Convention.
At the last hearing of the Michigan Board of Canvassers in Lansing Aug.
21, the three voting board members present rejected discussion and action
after McMaster's testimony again urged them to de-certify the election.
Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer was there. Board member and
Attorney Norman Shinkle (R) reported to Saul Anuzis in person at Republican
Party Headquarters 15 minutes after the Board refused to de-Certify the Jan.
15 election.
National Democratic and Republican Party rules have not been violated.
Judge Edmonds cleared the way five months ago for Michigan delegates to have
fair and equal voting rights with National Convention delegates from other
states.
SOURCE Taxpayers United Michigan Foundation
