Absolute Moral Authority

Elections official: State rep’s failure to file finance reports created problem

LANSING — A state elections official testified today that the failure by Detroit Representative George Cushingberry to file his campaign finance reports on time in 2004 prevented his office from doing its job.

Analyst Peter Allegrina said delays in required campaign finance reports prevent the bureau from informing voters about a candidate’s sources of campaign funding.

Allegrina said if the reports are not filed the bureau also is not able to determine whether a candidate received campaign contributions exceeding limits under state law.

Cushingberry, a Democrat, is on trial in Ingham County Circuit Court. He’s charged with failing to file campaign finance reports in 2004, when he was elected to the legislature, and signing two affidavits that falsely stated he had filed the reports.

The most serious charges are felonies carrying penalties up to five years in prison and/or $1,000 fine.

If Cushingberry is found guilty it also could affect his ability to serve in the state legislature.

House members can expel a lawmaker who has been found guilty of a felony that constitutes a breach of public trust.

This version of the story leaves out some of the more interesting facts.

Cushingberry is the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

He didn’t file ANY of the required disclosure statements in the year of his first election. He ignored over two dozen Election Bureau notices. He has failed to pay the fines resulting from not filing or filing late.

Democrat House members knew about the impending trial. So,what did they do about it? They made him chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. A man who neglected to file financial disclosure statements to a criminal level — let’s put him in charge of the committee that controls the state’s purse strings. It makes so much sense now that I think of it.

Not.

The Michigan constitution states that anyone convicted of a felony that amounts to a breach of public trust is disqualified from serving in the legislature. How much do you want to bet that House Democrats will fight tooth and nail to keep Cushingberry if he is convicted?

But, that’s business as usual in the Michigan Democrat Party. Cronyism and payoffs are just a normal part of a days work for the party of Granholm and the UAW.

The party of iPods and tax increases. What will they think of next?

Cushingberry for Attorney General wouldn’t surprise me one bit.

Posted by: mesablue at 08:22 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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