A Government Paralyzed By Corruption

From Michigan Senate Democratic

Legislators returned to Lansing today with a full agenda on their plate and a number of bills the Republican majority and Governor Snyder said were urgent to get passed.

Their aggressive agenda quickly fell apart, however, and what we saw instead is a Government paralyzed by corruption and fraud.  The actions of Speaker of the House Jase Bolger to undermine the Democratic process and take the right of legitimate elected representation away from the people of Michigan have brought state government to a standstill by breaking the very trust the public has in the democratic process.

The report released yesterday by the Kent County Prosecutor makes it alarmingly clear that Speaker Bolger knowingly tried to defraud the public, lied about it and continues to deny responsibility for the damage it has caused.  It has become all too apparent that the agenda he has pursued as Speaker of the House over the past 18 months has been focused squarely on a partisan election strategy without regard for the impact it has on the people of Michigan.

As a result of Speaker Bolger’s lack of honesty or integrity, the true intent of the bills before the legislature today could no longer be trusted.  Whether right or wrong, his conduct has made it impossible for anyone to believe the motivation behind them was anything other than political gamesmanship.

To put it simply, a leadership change is needed to restore the faith the people of Michigan must have in their Government and it’s up to the Republicans to make that happen from within.  They can stand up to their own failed leadership and send a message that fraud and election rigging have no place in Michigan’s capitol.  They have the ability to affirm to the public that there is simply too much at stake for our state, our families and our future for Speaker Bolger’s selfish actions to stand in the way of what truly needs to be done to get our state back on track.

Should Michigan speak up, and Speaker Bolger step down or be removed as the Speaker of the House, then, and only then, can the people of Michigan begin to trust that their legislature is truly working in their best interests once again.

You can add your name to the growing list of voices calling on Speaker Bolger to resign his leadership position by signing the petition here: http://goo.gl/MYa2d