News from
THE MICHIGAN DEMOCRATIC PARTY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      
Contact: Liz Kerr
517-371-5410
April 25, 2008

Dillon Seeks Contempt of Court Order against Illegal Petitioners

Recall petitioners defy court order barring them from

hiring out-of-district signature gatherers 

LANSING — State House Speaker Andy Dillon (D-Redford Twp.) today filed a motion asking the Wayne County Circuit Court to hold the group “Taxpayers to Recall Andy Dillon” in contempt for continuing to violate a court order issued last week. A hearing has been set for May 5. 

On April 18, the Wayne County Circuit Court issued a temporary restraining order barring the group from using people outside the 17th House District to circulate petitions to recall Dillon. State election law requires anyone circulating a recall petition to be registered to vote within the district of the lawmaker targeted for recall. 

Despite the court order, Taxpayers to Recall Andy Dillon and its signature firm, National Ballot Access, have continued to violate state election law and recruit people from outside the House District, including in nearby Detroit, to circulate recall petitions. The complaint specifically names Rose Bogaert of Taxpayers to Recall Andy Dillon and Andrea Pauline Verougstraete of National Ballot Access. 

“The courts have already ordered Ms. Bogaert and Ms. Verougstraete to stop their illegal tactics, and they chose to ignore the court order,” said Mary Ellen Gurewitz, Dillon’s attorney. “They should be punished and appropriately.” 

Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer said the continued use of illegal petition gathers from outside Dillon’s district shows that the recall effort is lacking in local support.  

“These mercenaries have already lied to voters to get signatures — now they’re breaking the law to pursue their extremist agenda,” Michigan Democratic Party Chairman Mark Brewer said. “They continue to break election law because they can’t find any legal way to successfully push their radical agenda.” 

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