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Bullet-riddled vehicle on I-475 in Flint near Stewart stalls traffic; Victim unresponsive
No comment from AG on prosecutor assignment for State Police's Kathy Funk warrant request
Bullet-riddled vehicle on I-475 in Flint near Stewart stalls traffic; Victim unresponsive
FLINT (CCN) — A bullet-riddled vehicle led to police blocking off I-475 from Stewart to Hamilton Tuesday (Jan. 18, 2022). Multiple witnesses reported to The Morning Gazette Radio Show that a gunshot victim was unresponsive when taken from the vehicle and transported to the hospital via an ambulance.
Other media had initial reports that it
FLINT (CCN) — A bullet-riddled vehicle led to police blocking off I-475 from Stewart to Hamilton Tuesday (Jan. 18, 2022). Multiple witnesses reported to The Morning Gazette Radio Show that a gunshot victim was unresponsive when taken from the vehicle and transported to the hospital via an ambulance.
Other media had initial reports that it was an accident under investigation but multiple witnesses told The Morning Gazette Radio Show that a lone driver in the vehicle crashed after his vehicle was riddled with bullets. All of them say the victim was a male who appeared to be in his 20's or early 30's.
The City of Flint had a record 68 homicides in 2021 to break an all-time record. The city had come close to breaking the record in 2020 during Sheldon Neeley's first full year as mayor with 61 (the record was 62 during Dayne Walling's first full year as mayor in 2011). Flint had five homicides during the first four days of 2022.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is a bullet-riddled vehicle after a shooting incident was reported by witnesses on I-475 in Flint.
Committee for School Board Integrity turns in recall signatures on Matthew Smith
No comment from AG on prosecutor assignment for State Police's Kathy Funk warrant request
Bullet-riddled vehicle on I-475 in Flint near Stewart stalls traffic; Victim unresponsive
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
DAVISON (CCN) — The Committee for School Board Integrity turned in more than 4,100 signatures on Tuesday (Jan. 18, 2022) in hopes of removing a Davison school board member. They needed 3,689 signatures of registered voters to move their recall attempt to the ballot later this year in May or August f
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
DAVISON (CCN) — The Committee for School Board Integrity turned in more than 4,100 signatures on Tuesday (Jan. 18, 2022) in hopes of removing a Davison school board member. They needed 3,689 signatures of registered voters to move their recall attempt to the ballot later this year in May or August for the possible ouster of Davison Board of Education Trustee Matthew Smith. The recall group led by Jenessa Phillips turned in petitions containing more than 4,100 signatures obtained during a 60-day window.
Smith has been under fire for months after facing criminal charges for a 1 am phone call to a political friend's campaign opponent in Houghton County. Smith entered a guilty plea last week in Genesee County 67th District Court. (Click Here to Read Related Stories) Smith was sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act (HYTA) where convictions are wiped away after serving jail terms or completing terms of probation. Judge William Crawford, who could have given Smith up to six months in jail, ordered 12 months of probation, a fine of $650, 240 hours of community service and a 1,000-word essay about bullying people.
Smith pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for malicious use of a telecommunications device.
Members of the recall group were outraged that Smith immediately issued a statement on Facebook and to WNEM TV 5 that he was "not convicted" after the court proceedings. They also pointed out that Judge Crawford sided with the victim's version that Smith threatened to kill her dogs, saying his previous lies hurt his credibility.
Judge Crawford said he was surprised that Smith was not charged with a four-year felony for lying to police after initially saying he never called victim Jennifer Kelly. Smith has maintained that he never threatened to kill Kelly's dogs, saying he is owns a dog and loves pets.
Although HYTA requires a formal plea of guilty, courts don't enter a judgment of conviction in Michigan State Police records which are sealed as soon as the court assigns an individual to HYTA status. A conviction is not required to be disclosed on an application for employment or education when an individual is given HYTA status. HYTA status can be taken away, however, if an individual sentenced under its terms fails to comply with any conditions ordered by the court.
Members of the recall group held a press conference in front of the Genesee County Court House where the Clerk's office is located after turning in their petitions and issued the following statement: "We are so proud of this community who stood and declared with a unified voice that Davison values do not align with the trail of moral debris Matthew Smith has left in his wake over the last two years. We want to sincerely thank everyone who signed and especially those who helped gather signatures. We always believed that if this community wanted an election we would have one. Now we will."
Among those who signed a recall petition were former Davison Mayor Frederick Rappuhn and current Mayor Tim Bishop as well as a former state legislator from the Davison area — Democrat Sheryl Kennedy.
Rappuhn, who provided drive-up service at his downtown home to allow residents to sign petitions without leaving their vehicles, issued a Facebook post, saying, "We are so proud of this community who stood and declared with a unified voice that Davison values do not align with the trail of moral debris Matthew Smith has left in his wake over the last two years. We want to sincerely thank everyone who signed and especially those who helped gather signatures. We always believed that if this community wanted an election we would have one. Now we will.
The job is not done, however. We will not rest until we have changed the tone in our community back to one of civility and decency. Integrity begins on the day Matthew Smith is replaced on the Board of Education." Rappuhn served on the Davison City Council for 24 years as was mayor of his city for four years.
Local Republicans have stood behind Smith and Genesee County Republican Party leaders elected the then 23-year-old Smith as their Chairman while the criminal charges ere hanging over this head.
Smith has called the crusade against him a "political hit job by Democrats" because he is a young conservative willing to speak out on issues. He opposed Critical Race Theory for Davison's school district and led a protest in Flint over the county's top health department official enacting a mask mandate for Genesee County students to begin the school year. The mask mandate expired in late December after several large gatherings to voice complaints about it before county commissioners.
Genesee County Clerk John Gleason's office will now verify the signatures to determine if enough are valid to force an election. Smith said he was notified on Wednesday (Jan. 19, 2022) that he was contacted by Gleason's Supervisor of Elections (Kathy Funk) to notify him that she would be verifying the signatures. State Police asked last month for a warrant to arrest Funk for alleged ballot tampering in Flint Township during the August 2020 primary election.
Many of Smith's supporters questioned if Gleason can be fair. He did respond to a request for a comment from The Daily Gazette.
Gleason released a controversial press release during Smith's campaign for Davison's county commissioner seat won by Gary Peppin in a close election in 2020. Smith blamed Gleason's actions for losing that race, alleging that Gleason pushed for criminal charges to be filed and accused him of alerted the media to the case in an 11th hour act to ruin his campaign.
Gleason and fellow Democrat Patrick Miller of Davison Township held a press conference late last year to announce there was an investigation into a Davison Township man for allegedly signed a recall petition against Smith using a fake name. The pair said the man recorded himself doing it and his video was presented on his wife's Facebook page where he bragged of signing with a phony name to force the whole ballot to be tossed out. The man was the husband of Morgan Jackson who ran against Miller when Miller won by a landslide against the Smith-backed candidate in last November's special election for the Davison clerk job.
Miller said at Gleason's press conference: "What is precipitating all of this today is it was brought to my attention that my opponent in the special election has not only condemned fraud, but vocally participated in it. She knew that her husband signed a recall petition with a fictitious name and went so far as to go on Facebook and bragged about it.”
Jackson did not respond to a request for a comment from The Daily Gazette at the time.
Gleason told media members that he feels Michigan Secretary of State Jacelyn Benson and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel should take action in the case. He said: " I think if we could get a little more effort out of the Secretary of State and the Attorney General to actually convict some of these marauders of our democracy, I think we would limit it. Pretty soon you have to say ‘enough' (and) there is just an insidious, and in this case apparent, assault on the democratic process. If you look what’s happened over the last few months, it’s been a concerted assault. It’s been organized and it’s been fairly concise... It’s already difficult to get the number of signatures needed to recall Matt Smith to begin with…it’s quite a difficult task, then to have them openly admitting to actually attacking the effort?”
Smith had agreed to appear on The Morning Gazette Radio Show on Tuesday if the group came up short on gathering sufficient signatures. He talked last week to WNEM TV 5 where he formerly worked as a freelance reporter for a short time a few years ago. Smith talked Tuesday (Jan. 18, 2022) to WJRT TV 12.
Smith again denied "being convicted" and said he "never made a threatening phone call to kill (Jennifer Kelly's) dog." He refuted the judge's comment about questioning why he wasn't charged for lying to police by contending that his police report to Davison authorities that "someone must have spoofed his phone" was because ne never admitted to threatening to kill a dog. "I just didn't do it," he said.
After Smith was featured on WJRT TV 12 with a reaction to the signature goal being met, the recall committee issued the following statement: "Matthew Smith has spoken, and as usual he makes no sense. The fact that you can have "Matthew Smith pled guilty (this means IN COURT, by the way) to a threatening phone call in the body of a news story and Matthew saying 'I never made any threats' in the same story is another mind-blowing example of the confusion he has created during his two year tap dance over the facts. Matthew Smith shows no remorse, and his lies and spin are insulting to the voters in this district and disrespectful to his victim, Jennifer Kelly. How can you apologize to a victim, while simultaneously saying she is lying about everything? Over 4,000 voters who signed the petition see this clearly. We can only hope his probation officer does as well. Bring on the election.
After Smith was featured on WJRT TV 12with a reaction to the signature goal being met, the recall committee issued the following statement: "Matthew Smith has spoken, and as usual he makes no sense. The fact that you can have "Matthew Smith pled guilty (this means IN COURT, by the way) to a threatening phone call in the body of a news story and Matthew saying 'I never made any threats' in the same story is another mind-blowing example of the confusion he has created during his two year tap dance over the facts. Matthew Smith shows no remorse, and his lies and spin are insulting to the voters in this district and disrespectful to his victim, Jennifer Kelly. How can you apologize to a victim, while simultaneously saying she is lying about everything? Over 4,000 voters who signed the petition see this clearly. We can only hope his probation officer does as well. Bring on the election.
No comment from AG on prosecutor assignment for State Police's Kathy Funk warrant request
No comment from AG on prosecutor assignment for State Police's Kathy Funk warrant request
No comment from AG on prosecutor assignment for State Police's Kathy Funk warrant request
(CCN) — Genesee County Chief Prosecutor John Potbury referred all questions to the State Attorney General's Office on what county prosecutor will be handling the warrant request by State Police on former Flint Township Clerk Kathy Funk. A.G. Dana Nessel's office has not yet responded to an e-mail request about the case.
Potbury's boss (G
(CCN) — Genesee County Chief Prosecutor John Potbury referred all questions to the State Attorney General's Office on what county prosecutor will be handling the warrant request by State Police on former Flint Township Clerk Kathy Funk. A.G. Dana Nessel's office has not yet responded to an e-mail request about the case.
Potbury's boss (Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton) recused his office because he said there was a conflict now that Funk is a county employee. Funk's attorney, Jack Beltzer, has not yet issued a comment about the case.
The warrant request first reported by The Daily Gazette and The Morning Gazette Radio Show came after a 17-month investigation into alleged vote tampering during the August 2020 primary. Funk was re-elected by a narrow margin over fellow Democrat Manya Triplett in the primary. (Click to See Related Stories Here)
Triplett was appointed to the Fenton Township Board of Trustees after Funk resigned late last year as Fenton Township Clerk to take a job as Supervisor of Elections for Genesee County Clerk John Gleason.
Gleason has not responded to a request for comment from The Daily Gazette although initially denying via text that she had been hired after Metro Flint News/Talk Radio reported how Funk said she had taken the job.
Gleason told View Newspapers that he had no hand in hiring Funk. He said it was done by the county's human resources department. Multiple county commissioners have said, however, that Gleason is in charge of all hiring for his office and claim they have no involvement.
Matthew Smith, a Davison Board of Education Trustee facing a recall, told The Daily Gazette today (Jan. 19, 2022) that Funk called him to say she was verifying signatures turned in by the group hoping to force a recall election. (See Related Story at left if reading on a laptop or PC, or scroll above to read it if you are reading on an mobile device)
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is former Flint Township Clerk Kathy Funk.
Our Editor blasts racist slur by county official; His comments ignored by commissioners
Complaint about alleged election problems in 2020 Flint Twp race goes to Attorney General
Complaint about alleged election problems in 2020 Flint Twp race goes to Attorney General
(CCN) — Mike Killbreath has been known for a decade of often needing blood pressure pills while hosting a popular morning radio show that often targets politicians. Killbreath, who is also Executive Editor at The Daily Gazette in addition to hosting The Morning Gazette Radio Show, now vows to pressure the Genesee County Board of Commissio
(CCN) — Mike Killbreath has been known for a decade of often needing blood pressure pills while hosting a popular morning radio show that often targets politicians. Killbreath, who is also Executive Editor at The Daily Gazette in addition to hosting The Morning Gazette Radio Show, now vows to pressure the Genesee County Board of Commissioners into stopping funding for a local official's office.
Killbreath's blood was boiling today. He used his radio show forum and spoke during Wednesday's (Jan. 5, 2022) meeting of Commissioners to blast Genesee County Clerk / Register of Deeds John Gleason who has been accused of making a racial slur. (See Related Story in Today's Metro Section)
Killbreath has demanded that Gleason resign the count-wide position he was first elected to in 2012. Gleason is a former County Commissioner and he spent 10 years in Lansing as a state legislator. He resigned from the State Senate midway through his second term to take the Genesee County Clerk / Register of Deeds position after winning the 2012 election.
"Your Corporation Counsel, Mr. Leyton, can tell you what steps can be taken as far as a censure or any kind of disciplinary action, but what you do control is the funding for his office," Killbreath told Commissioners. "Take a stand against racism and stop all funding for his office until John Gleason resigns. I'm sure you will hear from his employees who want their paychecks and from citizens who need to use the Clerk's office or the Register of Deeds office... I've already received more than 100 texts, e-mails, messages on Messenger and phone calls in the last 24 hours from people in this community who have had enough of John Gleason. He needs to go away. I'm not alone in declaring that there's no place for racism in my community."
Killbreath told Commissioners that his county tax dollars should not be used to pay anyone who makes racial slurs. Metro Flint News/Talk Radio first reported yesterday in its 11:30 am CCN News Break that community activist Arthur Woodson made an allegation that Gleason used a racial slur against him while meeting with four white men. He provided names of the four who back up his story and also has a witness to his phone call to confront Gleason about it.
Woodson, a Flint community activist, also spoke at Wednesday's meeting, telling Commissioners: "Gleason used the N word about me... That tells you his true feelings."
Gleason was in the audience Wednesday after conducting the opening of the meeting when 4th District Commissioner Dominque Clemons was elected as the board's new chairman. He sat silent in the audience after remarks by Killbreath and two others who took subsequent shots at him during the public comment portion of the meeting. Gleason also ignored an opportunity to react to accusations about using the racial slur when The Daily Gazette reached out to him before publishing's yesterday's story. (See Related Story in Today's Metro Section)
Part of Woodson's Facebook Live rant about Gleason was aired earlier today on The Morning Gazette Radio Show. He he repeated his reasons about coming forward to Commissioners, saying he initially accepted Gleason's apology about using the racial slur but erupted with anger when hearing Gleason talk about his past support for minorities while making remarks at Tuesday's (Jan. 4, 2022) meeting of the Genesee County Road Commissioners. Gleason was there to swear in the new chairman (Timothy Elkins of Davison Township) and Woodson said he "went on and on about all he has done for minorities, including appointing the first black woman ever to the Road Commission." Woodson said Gleason "used his public support for blacks" to win elections, but added: "I know his true feelings."
Audio of Woodson's remarks to Commissioners and Killbreath's speech to them will be aired on Thursday's Morning Gazette Radio Show. You can listen live by Clicking Here.
The racial slur story came just one day after last week's blockbuster story by The Daily Gazette about a warrant request being confirmed by State Police for fixing an election in Flint Township against Gleason's newly-hired Supervisor of Elections — Kathy Funk.
Gleason has not yet responded to a request for comment on Woodson's accusation of using the N word or about State Police asking for a warrant to arrest his newest employee hired to oversee elections throughout the county.
Gleason is already facing potential felony charges for an incident last year. He was accused of pressuring office personnel to illegally backdate a marriage license for a ceremony he performed in Shiawassee County. A warrant request was made after an investigation by Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, who has had an on-going political feud with Gleason, recused his office from considering it, and the State Attorney General assigned the case to Tuscola County Prosecutor Mark Reene.
Reene has not responded to multiple requests by The Daily Gazette and The Morning Gazette Radio Show to comment on when his office may issue a decision on the fate of Gleason.
The alleged racial slur by Gleason first surfaced in 2020 during an interview with Ryan LoRee on The Morning Gazette Radio Show. LoRee accused Gleason of showing up at his house with a "union thug" during the height of the COVID shutdown to try to pressure LoRee not to go public with accusations about Gleason using the "N" word during a meeting with LoRee and others. LoRee also had a tape recording of a phone call where Gleason used a homophobic slur against Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Gleason apologized for his comment about Nessel, but denied at the time making a racial slur that Woodson now alleges that the former state senator admitted and apologized for to him.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is embattled Genesee County Clerk / Register of Deeds John Gleason.
Complaint about alleged election problems in 2020 Flint Twp race goes to Attorney General
Complaint about alleged election problems in 2020 Flint Twp race goes to Attorney General
Complaint about alleged election problems in 2020 Flint Twp race goes to Attorney General
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
FLINT TWP. (CCN) — The Daily Gazette has obtained a letter by a public official about alleged election irregularities in Flint Township's 2020 primary ran by its former Clerk — Kathy Funk.
The letter was sent to the State Election Bureau and to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. It's dated as Dec.
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
FLINT TWP. (CCN) — The Daily Gazette has obtained a letter by a public official about alleged election irregularities in Flint Township's 2020 primary ran by its former Clerk — Kathy Funk.
The letter was sent to the State Election Bureau and to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. It's dated as Dec. 30, 2021 which is the same day as a story was published by The Daily Gazette quoting multiple anonymous sources about the State Police requesting a warrant to arrest Funk for allegedly tampering with ballots in the 2020 primary. Funk ran the election when she defeated challenger Manya Triplett by a slim margin to win re-election. (See Related Story in Today's Metro Section)
Triplett was subsequently appointed to replace Funk by the Fenton Township Board of Trustees after Funk stepped down to become the new Supervisor of Elections for Genesee County Clerk John Gleason.
The author of the letter asked to remain anonymous, writing in an e-mail to The Morning Gazette Radio Show: "I am forwarding this to you but I am requesting that my name and e-mail address remain anonymous for now. It may come out later if they charge anyone. It might go to trial and I would probably be called. But I would like to lay low for now." A telephone conversation to arrange an appearance on The Morning Gazette Radio Show was declined by the author who said the "motivation" for writing was the Thursday Dec. 30, 2021 story by The Daily Gazette about the warrant request by State Police.
The letter outlined several alleged inappropriate actions by Funk and detailed other concerns as part of a formal complaint. The letter was directed to the State Election Bureau and State Attorney General's office. It is presented below:
"To whom it may concern at (your office):
The purpose of my letter is to file a formal complaint and request (your office) to investigate the irregularities that occurred in the Flint Township August 2020 Primary. The reason for the delay is due to the investigation conducted by the Michigan State Police, District 3, Flint Township Command Post. They had difficulty contacting the Clerk, Kathy Funk, who originally filed the report.
I was told by MSP that (your office) was made aware of this investigation. The Clerk filed a complaint stating she thought someone broke into the room where the ballots were being stored the weekend after the August 2020 Primary. She claims that the security seal on one bag of absentee ballots was damaged and deemed the ballots invalid to be used in a potential recount of the Clerk’s race in the August 2020 Primary.
Coincidentally, the Clerk was made aware of a potential recount request a few days earlier by the Township Attorney. I am including the case number, # 35-4891-20, from the MSP investigation. It has been forwarded to the Genesee County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. We are waiting to hear what action they will take, if any. I want to bring a few other irregularities to your attention.
1. There was a lack of communication between the Flint Township Clerk and the Township Election Commission. The Clerk did not get approval for all hired election workers, their wages, or the location of the absentee ballot counting boards, after being asked several times to provide this information in writing to the Election Commission.
2. The Election Commission public meeting was conducted in the Clerk’s office at her computer. An electronic meeting notice was not posted on the Township website according to the amended OMA or Township policy, only a physical copy of the agenda was placed on the public notice board outside the building, nor was it listed where regular meetings are usually posted on our website. One member of our Election Commission attended the meeting by phone, the other in person. The public was not able to attend as the clerk held the meeting in her office.
3. The day before the August 2020 Primary, the Clerk decided to move and set up the location of the counting boards from the Township Offices to Randall Elementary School without the approval or knowledge of the Election Commission. Up until that afternoon, when asked about the counting board location, her response was she didn’t know what was going to happen. Yet, this had to be planned in advance for authorization to use the facility, though the Clerk did not go through the normal channels to reserve the room. The person who usually reserves school facilities/rooms for outside use called the Township Offices on the day of the primary, confused and asking questions.
4. The Clerk was asked by an Election Commissioner how all the absentee ballots were transported from the Township to the school. The Clerk stated that (name omitted), a township employee who normally assists on elections, transported them. The Commissioner questioned this person to confirm but he stated he didn’t transport them.
5. During the summer leading up to the Primary Election, the Clerk moved the storage location of the returned absentee ballots to her office from the election clerical office. They used to be stored in locked metal, expandable bins, but instead were stored on open shelves, unsecured. The Clerk and her husband had complete access to returned absentee ballots at any point in time. They spent hours in her office with the doors locked, windows covered, after work hours, in the evenings and weekends, even late Sunday evenings when no one was around. There were even signs hung on the doors denying access to unauthorized people, yet her husband had continued access to her office where returned ballots were stored.
6. There is a question as to whether or not the new Election Commission was ever sworn in.
7. The Clerk’s opponent in the August 2020 primary filed a FOIA request and was denied to review the spoiled absentee ballots with no reason given, even before this incident occurred. A call was made to the State Election Bureau’s Office and she was told she could review these ballots but not touch or handle them. The Clerk did not allow them to be reviewed.
8. The Clerk continues to accuse a Flint Township Detective and a Trustee, serving as Deputy Supervisor, of being under investigation showing people a picture she acquired from video surveillance tapes. The Detective and Trustee were assisting MSP to preserve the recorded tapes, but the Clerk continues to tell people that they were under investigation for breaking in, which is not the case, only a deflection of the actual incident, please see the report from MSP.
9. Irregularities started with this Clerk when she first ran for office in 2016, when she used her parent's address to establish residency in Flint Township. She lived with her husband, Douglas Funk, and their son for several years in Flushing. She changed her address on her driver's license a few months before she filed to run for office in Flint Township. She won and served as Flint Township Clerk beginning November 20, 2016, while they had a PRE (Primary Residential Exemption) on the marital home she shared with her husband in the City of Flushing during the period of November 2016 through May 2018. The City of Flushing assessing documents establish her Flushing home as her primary residence, making her ineligible to be Clerk in Flint Township. At some point, these issues need to be addressed instead of being swept under the rug. Please look into this complaint and help correct the irregularities.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
XXXXX (Name Withheld by request) XXXXXX
As an update, Flint Township Clerk Kathy Funk, resigned effective November 22, 2021. She is now employed by Genesee County as the Election Coordinator in the County Clerk’s Office.
Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton recused his office on Monday (Jan. 3, 2022) from considering the warrant request by State Police to arrest Funk for ballot tampering. She could face up to four years in prison, if convicted. The case will now be assigned to another County Prosecutor by Attorney General Nessel.
Defense attorney Jack Beltzer confirmed that he is representing Funk but chose not to comment on the case at this time.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel who received a formal complaint about former Flint Township Clerk Kathy Funk.
County Commissioners elect Dominque Clemons as new board chairman
Complaint about alleged election problems in 2020 Flint Twp race goes to Attorney General
County Commissioners elect Dominque Clemons as new board chairman
FLINT (CCN) — First-term Democrat Dominque Clemons has been elected as Chairman of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners.
He was elected by his peers in a 5-to-2 vote on Wednesday (Jan. 5, 2022). Republicans Shaun Shumaker of Fenton and Meredith Davis of Flushing were the two Commissioners who opposed him. They voted for Shumaker. Five
FLINT (CCN) — First-term Democrat Dominque Clemons has been elected as Chairman of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners.
He was elected by his peers in a 5-to-2 vote on Wednesday (Jan. 5, 2022). Republicans Shaun Shumaker of Fenton and Meredith Davis of Flushing were the two Commissioners who opposed him. They voted for Shumaker. Five Democrats, including Clemons, voted for Clemons. Democrat Debra Newman was not at the meeting.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is 4th District Commissioner Dominque Clemons who was elected on Wednesday (Jan. 5, 2022) as the new county board chairman.
Former State Senator Dave Robertson denies accusations of trying to get Smith to step down
Former State Senator Dave Robertson denies accusations of trying to get Smith to step down
Former State Senator Dave Robertson denies accusations of trying to get Smith to step down
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
GRAND BLANC (CCN) — Multiple reports about a long-time local leader in Republican circles has denied accusations that he has been trying to get Matthew Smith to step down as the Genesee County Republican Party chairman.
Smith confirmed that the party has a monthly meeting scheduled for 7 pm tonight.
Mul
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
GRAND BLANC (CCN) — Multiple reports about a long-time local leader in Republican circles has denied accusations that he has been trying to get Matthew Smith to step down as the Genesee County Republican Party chairman.
Smith confirmed that the party has a monthly meeting scheduled for 7 pm tonight.
Multiple sources say Robertson has asked them to help pressure Smith to step down "because his criminal case is bad for the party's reputation."
The Daily Gazette learned about the alleged ouster attempt after telephone calls from one board member who asked to remain anonymous, one former board member who said she talked with a board member, two others who say they would like to replace Smith as Chairman and business people who say former State Sentator Dave Robertson reached out to them for help.
Robertson, reached at his offices in Grand Blanc Township where he now serves as the Clerk, denied he has been involved in trying to get Smith ousted. "I know nothing about that," Robertson said. "I haven't spoken to anybody on that and I'm not on the county (party's) executive committee."
Smith confirmed that Robertson would have no vote on such an ouster attempt.
Robertson was elected to his current Grand Blanc Township post after serving as a State Senator from 2011 until 2019. He previously served as a member of the State House of Representatives and as a Genesee County Commissioner.
Smith is awaiting sentencing on Jan. 11 in Genesee County 67th District Court after pleading guilty to malicious use of telecommunication services. He faces up to six months in jail but agreed to plead guilty in exchange for being sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Offender Act for violent crimes by criminals under age 23. The Oakland County Prosecutor's office agreed not to challenge the sentence if Judge William Crawford gives Smith probation and can wipe the charge off Smith's record if he gets in no further trouble during the probation period. (Click Here to See Related Stories) Smith, now 24, was 23 at the time of the incident where he admitted making a 1 am phone call to Kelly after denying he did it for months.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is former State Senator Dave Robertson of Grand Blanc.
Victim in Matthew Smith case appears at press conference by recall group
Former State Senator Dave Robertson denies accusations of trying to get Smith to step down
Former State Senator Dave Robertson denies accusations of trying to get Smith to step down
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
DAVISON (CCN) — The victim in a high profile criminal case against the Chairman of the Genesee County Republican Party revealed on Thursday (Jan. 6, 2022) that she has written a letter to the judge who is expected to sentence Smith on Jan. 11 in Genesee County 67th District Court.
Jennifer Kelly said
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
DAVISON (CCN) — The victim in a high profile criminal case against the Chairman of the Genesee County Republican Party revealed on Thursday (Jan. 6, 2022) that she has written a letter to the judge who is expected to sentence Smith on Jan. 11 in Genesee County 67th District Court.
Jennifer Kelly said she didn't agree to Oakland County Assistant Prosecutor Brandon Barlog giving Matthew Smith of Davison a plea deal unless he admitted threatening her dog. Smith pleaded guilty to a charge of malicious use of telecommunication services but told Judge William Crawford under oath that he "made an annoying telephone call at 1 am." (Click Here to See Related Stories)
Kelly made her statements during a press conference held via Zoom by the Committee for School Board Integrity. Multiple media members attended to hear her comments.
Kelly is the Houghton County Clerk and she said she wants Smith "held accountable" for what he did. "That's why I wrote a letter to the judge," she said. Kelly added that she will ask for the sentencing date to be re-scheduled because she wants to attend and may be unable to make it back to the upper peninsula on Jan. 11 for a 5:30 pm county board meeting.
Smith has called the case a "political hit job" by Democrats led by former State Senator John Gleason who is now Genesee County Clerk. Gleason and Kelly are Democrats.
Smith faces up to six months in jail but agreed to plead guilty in exchange for being sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Offender Act for violent crimes by criminals under age 23. The Oakland County Prosecutor's office agreed not to challenge the sentence if Judge William Crawford gives Smith probation and can wipe the charge off Smith's record if he gets in no further trouble during the probation period. Smith, now 24, was 23 at the time of the incident where he admitted making a 1 am phone call to Kelly after denying he did it for months.
The Committee for School Board Integrity press conference was hosted by Kevin Usealman who is a former ABC TV 12 news staff member. He's now a real estate agent.
The recall group is aiming to remove Smith from the Davison school board. Smith, a former TV 5 news staff member, was censured at the last school board meeting after his guilty plea. Davison's city police chief had to step in to restore order after screaming erupted between Smith and the recall group members. Smith was stripped of all committee assignments, barred from running for school board President and the resolution approved by a 4-to-2 vote condemned his actions.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is Houghton County Clerk Jennifer Kelly who is the alleged victim in the high-profile criminal case against Genesee County Republican Party Chairman Matthew Smith.
Grand Blanc school board President James Avery comes up one short of becoming Commissiner
Former State Senator Dave Robertson denies accusations of trying to get Smith to step down
Grand Blanc school board President James Avery comes up one short of becoming Commissiner
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
GRAND BLANC (CCN) — Grand Blanc Board of Education President James Avery came up one vote short on Wednesday (Jan. 5, 2022) of becoming the newest member of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners.
Avery as one of seven applicants for the position vacated at mid-term by Grand Blanc Democrat Mark Y
BY MIKE KILLBREATH
CCN Executive Editor
GRAND BLANC (CCN) — Grand Blanc Board of Education President James Avery came up one vote short on Wednesday (Jan. 5, 2022) of becoming the newest member of the Genesee County Board of Commissioners.
Avery as one of seven applicants for the position vacated at mid-term by Grand Blanc Democrat Mark Young on Dec. 31.
Commissioner Shaun Shumaker of Fenton complained that the appointment process was "rushed" because others on the board had already pre-determined their pick for the vacant post. He also complained that Commissioner Debra Newman was absent from the meeting and urged the board to delay the vote.
It was 4-to-3 for Avery over Linda Hoff on five founds of voting with no commissioners changing their votes each round. Genesee County Corporation Counsel David Leyton told Commissioner they had 30 days to fill the position, or an election would be required.
The Commissioners voted to reschedule the vote for a 9 am meeting on Jan. 12.
The others who sent in applications for the position included two township officials — Joel Feick who is a current Grand Blanc Township Trustee and former Atlas Township Supervisor Shirley Katuman-Jones who has also served in the past on the Genesee County Road Commission. Angeline Carr, Susan Gervers and Terri Chambers were the others who applied.
Hoff has spent 11 years of involvement with the League of Women Voters. She has a long history of community involvement.
Avery works for the Genesee Group's Teen quest program in Flint.
PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured above this story is James Avery who fell one vote short of being appointed as a Genesee County Commissioner.