As I started to put this blog to bed, the news just came that the shooter in Maine has died as a result of a self inflicted gun shot wound. The drama now ends and the mourning and healing can now start. My heart goes out to the family and friends of the victims, as well as all of the citizens of Maine. See my Video of the Day. See my Quote of the Day.
The Detroit News is reporting today about how much my favorite AG has spent on her political prosecution of Nick Lyon, former governor Snyder and others related to the Flint Water Crisis. She has been such a great steward of the taxpayer’s money (not!!!!!). Here are the headlines and the opening three paragraphs from the Detroit News article today.
Flint Water legal tab keeps growing to tens of millions as Nessel’s office mulls next move.
The state of Michigan has spent at least $60 million so far in legal costs related to the Flint water crisis — including what was spent to litigate a historic settlement with the city of Flint as well as the prosecution and defense of more than a dozen state employees.
The tally reflects the costs of civil litigation that resulted in a $600 million state settlement earlier this year and legal expenses for two rounds of prosecutions that have spanned two attorneys general and resulted, ultimately, in a few misdemeanor plea deals and no convictions.
The total does not include about a year of yet-to-be-determined legal expenses out of Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office; the attorney fees ordered in a connected federal dispute over protected documents unearthed during the criminal investigation; or the $47 million that will be taken from the state’s $600 million civil settlement for attorneys who represented Flint residents suing the state
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Earlier this week I referenced a story by Charlie LeDuff about how AG Nessel broke down the firewalls her own staff set up so she couldn’t interfere in a friend and donor’s prosecution.
Yesterday the Detroit News fired Charlie LeDuff, not because of any errors in his reporting, but because of the personal attacks he posted on social media against the AG. I applaud the Detroit News Editor and Publisher, Gary Miles, for taking this action against LeDuff so he gets my Orchid of the Day. Charlie LeDuff gets my Onion of the Day, for his unprofessionalism.
Here are excerpts from Gary Miles’ editorial on why LeDuff was fired.
Last week in this newsletter I defended the work of freelance columnist Charlie LeDuff on the attorney general’s breach of an isolation wall in the investigation of her friend.
I cannot and would not defend, however, his deplorable and unrepentant use of a coded misogynistic slur to refer to the Attorney General on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) later that Friday afternoon.
The tweet outraged many, including me. It caused significant pain and embarrassment for a Detroit News staff that works hard not just to report and tell the news, but to do so in a professional way. I have especially felt the anger of the women on our staff, who have pointed out that use of such terms, even thinly veiled, prompt others to do the same and can make the work of female public officials, as well as female journalists, even more challenging. It escalated the name-calling and viciousness in our public and political discourse that we have long decried on our editorial pages. And it threatened to overshadow, and maybe it did overshadow, the very important story that Charlie had illuminated about the state’s highest elected law enforcement official.
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“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the f the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”
The above is the oath of office all members of congress take.
As I read about our new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, I disagree with many of his stances, but there are two things that really trouble me.
One, he is not shy about reminding people he is a constitutional lawyer. He took the above oath of office which says, “I will support and defend the Constitution”, yet he not only bought into the Big Lie, but he also didn’t vote to certify the 2020 presidential election, and he was instrumental in developing the former president’s legal strategy in trying to overturn the election which then led to January 6, 2021. In my opinion he did not honor his oath of office with these actions.
Two, he refuses to insist on the removal of George Santos. He hides behind the theory that Santos is innocent until proven guilty, but he admits his real reason is that he doesn’t not want to remove Santos because it will jeopardize the slim majority Republicans hold in the House.
.I do not trust, nor will I support anyone who violated their oath of office and did not vote to certify the 2020 presidential election.
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Quote of the Day: “There is no solution to the gun problem, and little more to write, because Americans are addicted to firearms. When rapid-fire guns are difficult to get, things improve, but I see no such improvement in the future. Americans love guns and appear willing to pay the price in blood.” Stephen King, in an opinion letter today in the NY Times.
Orchid of the Day: Gary Miles, of the Detroit News. See above story.
Onion of the Day: Charlie LeDuff
Question of the Day: Did Mike Johnson and every other member of congress who did not vote to certify the 2020 presidential election violate their oath of office?
Video/Image of the Day: How Many More?