O’Brien, Markman and Zahra Have Failed to Protect Michigan Kids

From Michigan Democratic Party:

Michigan Democratic Party Releases New Internet Ad Highlighting Troubling Decisions

LANSING – Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer today unveiled a new Supreme Court online ad, “Dangerous,” that highlights troubling decisions by Colleen O’Brien, Stephen Markman and Brian Zahra that have endangered Michigan’s kids by letting child abusers off with light sentences or throwing out the convictions of child pornographers.

“O’Brien, Markman and Zahra have enabled violence against Michigan’s kids in a series of disturbing decisions,” said Brewer. “Michigan deserves a Supreme Court with justices that have zero tolerance for violence against children. Unfortunately, the records of O’Brien, Markman and Zahra show otherwise.”

• As an Oakland County Circuit Judge, Colleen O’Brien sentenced a man who had raped an 11-year-old boy to just one year in jail and four years of probation (People v. Jeremy Mark Williams, Case No. CR 2003-189231-FC).
• Justice Markman reversed the conviction of a politician caught with thousands of images of child porn (People v. Brian Lee Hill, No. 138668, 2010).
• On the Michigan Court of Appeals, Zahra reversed the conviction of a man who admitted to sharing pornographic images of children with members of an Internet club (People v. Russell Douglas Tombs, No. 236858, 2004).

The video is available online here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu9T2sKpLSo

MDP: Justices Should Disclose What They Know About Fake Supreme Court Candidate

From Michigan Democratic Party:

Detroit Free Press Reveals Mindy Barry, “Taxpayer Party” Candidate, as Longtime GOP Activist Who Clerked for Chief Justice Young

LANSING – Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer has requested that Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Young Jr., Justice Stephen Markman and Justice Brian Zahra provide full disclosure about their knowledge and involvement in the candidacy of Taxpayer Party Supreme Court candidate Mindy Barry, a longtime Republican activist, donor and voter that formerly clerked for Young, according to a recent report by the Detroit Free Press.

“Public confidence in elected officials has been severely shaken by the criminal petition fraud scandal surrounding now former Congressman Thad McCotter and the election-rigging scheme of House Speaker Bolger,” said Brewer in a letter to Young, Markman and Zahra. “Barry’s candidacy appears to be another GOP sham intended to deceive voters.”

Barry, who formed her committee the day before the Taxpayer Party’s convention, is its first and only Supreme Court candidate in that party’s history. Barry has indicated she intends to raise and spend less than $1,000. However, Barry is no political neophyte, having worked as a Republican staffer in Congress for several years, donated to Republican Clark Durant, voted in Republican presidential primaries and worked for Young.

“Barry is running as a sham candidate simply to draw votes away from the other female candidates in the race,” Brewer said. “She’s a longtime GOP political operative who isn’t making any effort — other than getting her name on the ballot — to win votes. Young, Markman and Zahra owe the voters full disclosure of their role in her candidacy.”

New MDP Video: MSC Justices Markman and Zahra: Protecting Insurance Companies Over Families

From Michigan Democratic Party

Justices Cast Deciding Votes to Deny Insurance Benefits to Victim of Hit and Run

LANSING – The Michigan Democratic Party has released a new video demonstrating how Michigan Supreme Court Justices Stephen Markman and Brian Zahra are puppets of special interests.

Last week, Markman and Zahra, along with the Court’s other GOP Justices, ruled to deny insurance benefits to the family of a hit and run victim. William DeFrain was hit by a car while walking in Florida in May on 2008. Six months later, after immense suffering, he died of his injuries. State Farm Insurance denied a claim by DeFrain’s mother, the policyholder, because it was filed after the 30-day deadline. The Michigan Court of Appeals unanimously ruled in favor of DeFrain’s family, but the Michigan Supreme Court overturned that decision.

“The current Court is nothing more than a rubber stamp for special interests like insurance companies,” MDP Chair Mark Brewer said. “This latest case proves that victims and their families can’t get a fair shot in this Court. Markman, Zahra, and their Republican colleagues have ruled in favor of special interests over 80% of the time. We need a change on the Court. It’s time to start protect Michigan families and victims – instead of protecting insurance companies and other special interests.”

You can watch the new video by clicking on the link below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQhGaZFF7dE&feature=youtu.be