Analysis
This article gives a summary of the controvesy concerning the signature collection methods of the Michigan Civil Rights Inititative. The Michigan Civil Rights Commission is quoted saying that they are concerned about allegations of fraud. The Grand Rapids Press version ommitted the strongest criticism offered by the Michigan Civil Rights Commission, that the “misrepresentation was coordinated and involved many petition circulators and thousands of voters.” The other voices presented in the article are the Jennifer Gratz, the MCRI Executive Director, and local radio personality Robert Womack.
Article Text
By TIM MARTIN
The Associated Press
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Three weeks after Grand Rapids hosted the last of a round of hearings on a ballot proposal that would ban affirmative action in the state, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission is asking the state attorney general to launch a criminal investigation.
The commission, most of whose members were appointed by Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, held hearings on how voter signatures were collected for the initiative, at the Governor’s request. The commission plans to release its findings Monday.
The commission also wants the Michigan Supreme Court to reconsider orders that have placed the proposal on the November ballot and allow opponents to appeal based on misrepresentation claims.
Courts have ruled that supporters of the proposal, which would ban the use of race and gender preferences in government hiring and university admissions, collected enough valid voter signatures to qualify for the ballot.
Republican Attorney General Mike Cox has not investigated, saying it would be hard to determine wrongdoing when it comes down to differing interpretations of what was said while soliciting hundreds of thousands of signatures. State law already requires voters get a chance to read the petition language before they sign it.
But after concluding hearings in Detroit, Flint, Lansing and Grands Rapids, the commission said there is a pattern.
Karen Henry Stokes, the only Grand Rapids commission member, said the group is concerned about allegations of fraud.
“There was one example after another where the circulator said this (petition) was in favor of affirmative action”, she said, referring to the public comments collected.
She cited testimony from Robert Womack, also known as local radio personality “Robert S,” who said on his show he read off dozens of names of people with Grand Rapids ZIP codes who were listed as signing in support of the ballot proposal, but who called in and either said either they did not sign it, or there were discrepancies with how their names appeared.
The group sponsoring the ballot initiative, the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, repeatedly has said it did not misrepresent its proposal. MCRI supporters note that the commission went on record as opposing the initiative before it scheduled any public hearings.
“There’s nothing to be surprised about,” MCRI Executive Director Jennifer Gratz said of the commission’s requests. “We could have predicted they would do this before we collected even one signature.”
Critics of the proposal have said many voters signed the petitions thinking the measure would protect affirmative action programs.
The commission has little power of its own but can make recommendations for courts and lawmakers to consider.
The commission report also will ask state lawmakers to sponsor legislation to prevent possible fraud during ballot initiatives.
Article Ommitted from The Grand Rapids Press Version
The Michigan Civil Rights Commission says a ballot proposal to ban some affirmative action programs was misrepresented to some voters and that the state attorney general should investigate.
The civil rights commission report says misrepresentation was coordinated and involved many petition circulators and thousands of voters, commission spokesman Harold Core said Wednesday.
Related posts:
- Civil Rights Commission Finds Fraud in Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI)
- City Commission in Grand Rapids Unanimously Passes Resolution Opposing the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI)
- WOOD 8 Reporting on the Michigan Civil Rights Commission Findings
- WXMI on the Michigan Civil Rights Commission
- Michigan Civil Rights Commission Releases Report on MCRI Signature Gathering Deception
