Will Reform Group Trip Up Granholm, Cherry?

This was written by Richard Burr who blogs on The Detroit News.

The Michigan Chamber of Commerce is preparing to file a complaint with the state against Reform Michigan Government Now, alleging that the group broke the law by not registering as a ballot group in 2007. And it is asking intriguing questions about the governor and lieutenant governor's involvement in the project.

The PowerPoint presentation that the Mackinac Center for Public Policy found on a UAW web site shows that the aim of the proposal isn't bipartisan reform. It is to rig the Constitution to put Democrats in charge of all three branches of government. The PowerPoint about "Changing the rules of politics in Michigan to help Democrats" was made on Nov. 21, 2007.

"...the creation date of the PowerPoint presentation proves conclusively that RMGN was required to file as a ballot question committee in 2007, not as (it) did on February 22, 2008 when (its) statement of organization was filed with the Secretary of State," says Bob LaBrant, general counsel for the Michigan Chamber of Commerce. "If RMGN had registered back in 2007 as required, (it)would have been required to file an annual report that was due January 31, 2008 disclosing their contributors and expenditures."

The chamber also thinks that PowerPoint presentation shows the group did "at least $75,000 to $100,000" of more in polling work (two statewide surveys and nine focus groups from May to November 2007). That would violate the $500 threshold requiring registration as a ballot question committee, LaBrant contends.

This issue also raises the possibility of ensnarling Lt. Gov. John Cherry and Gov. Jennifer Granholm in the investigation. Both say they invested some political money in the research. But the chamber couldn't find any spending of money in the public record.

Here's LaBrant's poignant question: "Perhaps 'PowerPoint-gate' will lead to a similar question being asked of the governor and lieutenant governor: 'When and in what amount did they contribute, and to whom did they write the check?'"