Elections & Politics

Political corruption knows no party, history shows

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By ERIC FREEDMAN
Capital News Service
LANSING — The recent FBI and State Police search of Sen. Bert Johnson’s office in Lansing and home in Highland Park serves as a reminder that illegal conduct, corruption and scandal don’t carry party labels. Details of the federal-state investigation of Johnson, D-Highland Park, remain incomplete, but news reports suggest it may relate to questionable staff payroll practices. Evidence in Michigan and elsewhere in the country demonstrates that some politicians — regardless of party affiliation — don’t respect the law, the public or the oath they swore
Think about recent history in the state:

Republican ex-Rep. Todd Courser of Lapeer, expelled from the House in disgrace last year in an adultery scandal, faces trial in May on a perjury charge. Republican ex-Rep. Cindy Gamrat of Plainwell, who resigned in the same scandal, had her perjury and misconduct in office charges dismissed last June. Democratic ex-Rep. Brian Banks of Detroit was sentenced in February for filing false financial statements to secure a loan.

Elections & Politics

Corruption lingers 20 years after legislative scandal erupts

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By ERIC FREEDMAN
Capital News Service
LANSING – It was 20 years ago this month that a front-page newspaper article began to unravel an extensive legislative corruption scandal that led to felony convictions for 10 people, including a lawmaker from the Upper Peninsula. That Jan. 15, 1993, Detroit News article and dozens that followed also helped push one of the state’s most powerful politicians onto the Capitol sidelines, uncovered political influence in the awarding of state contracts and triggered tougher oversight of the House Fiscal Agency (HFA), the nonpartisan office that analyzes tax and budget issues for the House of Representatives. And for the first time in 14 years, the Auditor General’s office examined the HFA’s books, discovering that at least $1.8 million in public money had been stolen, misspent or simply couldn’t be accounted for. That first article about suspicious financial dealings at the HFA, “State fiscal watchdog under fire,” by reporter Jim Mitzelfeld was like a domino standing on end that, when tipped over, knocks down all dominos lined up behind it.