Republican lawmaker’s proposal exempted husband from Michigan ‘right to work’ law

By David Edwards/Raw Story

A Republican state representative in Michigan proposed an amendment to exempt her husband’s job from the so-called “right to work” law which limits the ability of unions to collect dues.

State Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons (R) on Monday offered an amendment that would have added corrections officers like her husband, Brad, to the list of types of jobs not covered by the anti-union law. Police and firefighters had already been exempted from the legislation.

“When we talk about the brave women in police and fire we need to remember people in corrections,” Lyon explained earlier this week, according to MLive.com. “These guys work in conditions that we can’t even begin to imagine.”

“It’s not financial. It’s philosophy. I am saying we need to treat our corrections officers that way we treat our police men and women and firefighter men and women.”

Democrats, however, claimed that the proposal was an example of Republican hypocrisy.

“Why would she want to exempt her husband if this is such a great bill?” state House Democratic Caucus spokesperson Katie Carey asked. “We were kind of disgusted with it… We were just kind of disappointed that she would offer this amendment at the same time lauding this legislation.”

On Tuesday, Republicans chose to gavel down the amendment without giving it a vote.

“I’m convinced of the value of our union and I’m here to tell you we will continue to pay union dues, the union that has represented Brad with such unequaled advocacy,” Lyons declared in a Dec. 6 speech, adding that the “right to work” measure was about “the unions’ freedom to make its case to members.”

“Today, we are a proud union. Tomorrow, we will be a proud union family by choice,” she said.

Following passage of the bill, Lyons asserted: “This is the day when Michigan freed its workers.”

Watch this video from Michigan House Republicans, broadcast Dec. 6, 2012.

Will the Bolgergate Grand Jury Call Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons?

From The Michigan Democratic

Did Lyons Help to Obstruct Justice?

LANSING – While it seems certain that House Speaker Jase Bolger, Rep. Roy Schmidt, Schmidt’s son, Ryan, and fake Democratic candidate Matt Mojzak will appear before the Ingham County one-person grand jury, a number of other players may be compelled to testify, as well.

Today the Michigan Democratic Party begins a series on possible Bolgergate grand jury targets — who they are and how they could be involved in possible crimes.

State Rep. Lisa Posthumus Lyons would seem to be at the top of the list, based on media reports and text messages revealed through Freedom of Information Act requests. She may have conspired with others to obstruct justice.

“Lisa Posthumus Lyons has admitted publicly she acted as a messenger between Bolger and Schmidt,” Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer said. “Text messages reveal that Lyons instructed Schmidt to ‘make sure’ Mojzak, the fake candidate, did not ‘talk to the dems or the media.’ Clearly Lyons was involved in the cover-up from the very beginning.”

Lyons sent the following text messages to Schmidt on the evening of May 15:

19:42 “Not sure if your phone is on. I’m worried about you, Donna and Junior. I think you should cash in with some of your GRPD friends and have an off duty officer just hang out at your house tonight. If you want my Brad will call in sick and do it. I want you guys to be safe.”

21:26 “Do NOT read the press, watch the news or troll facebook. Don’t do that to yourself. listen to a cd with donna or read a book. Want me to pick you up in the morning or Brad could pick you up when he gets out of work or you could meet me at the park n ride at exit 52? Let me know. But I’m serious about calling any off duty police you may be friends with to hang out by your place.”

21:39 “The Speaker is asking that you not attend Committees for a couple days. He wants you to lay low practically sequestered. We don’t have insurance. You’d have to miss transportation tomorrow, which isn’t a big deal.”

22:11 “Oh, and Brad is going to have a GRPD car patrol by your house a few times tonight.”

22:34 “If you’re sure we’ll plan on that. I would blow my 9:15 off but it’s Education and I have to chair. Let’s plan on Thursday. Also on your way in bring cds NO MAINSTREAM MEDIA. I also need to tell you that you to make sure Matthew your dem opponent does not talk to the dems or the media or withdrawal. Jase will explain tomorrow.”

When confronted about her involvement, Lyons told the Grand Rapids Press, “The Speaker asked me to deliver a message. We were not told [Mojzak] was a plant. We were told that Roy had a Democrat file in that race.”

Voters can view all of the publicly available documents and media reports on the scandal atBolgergate.com.