Tagged: Oakland County

2012 just may go down as the year of election fraud in Michigan.  After scandals involving Jase Bolger and Thad McCotter, now it's the case of the two John Scotts.

The elder Scott is the Republican commissioner of Oakland County. He says this summer he heard about another John Scott, this one a 22-year-old Eastern Michigan University college student,  who was gathering signatures to get on the ballot as an independent. 

Voters in Oakland Co. will see two John Scott's on their ballot this November; one an incumbant Republican, the other an Independent.

The race for Oakland Co. Commissioner in District 5 is between John Scott (R), Alexandria Riley (D), and John Scott (I).

The Oakland County prosecutor's office says it plans to charge John Scott (I) with election fraud over alleged petition-gathering irregularities.

Chief assistant prosecutor Paul Walton says a misdemeanor election fraud warrant would be issued today in Waterford District Court against the independent candidate for commissioner.

John Scott (I) is a 22-year-old Eastern Michigan University college student from West Bloomfield Township.

The incumbent John Scott (R) says his namesake opponent is trying to confuse the election process.

From the Detroit Free Press:

Commissioner Scott said several of his strong supporters had signed the petitions. When he called them to find out more, he learned John Scott was listed as the circulator on some of the petitions, but the people who signed them said a woman had solicited the signature.

Such tactics constitute misdemeanor election fraud, which carries a 93-day maximum jail sentence, said Oakland County chief assistant prosecutor Paul Walton. The warrant will be issued in Waterford District Court today.

Back in July, the incumbent Republican Oakland County Commissioner promised to challenge his namesakes petition gathering tactics.

From the Oakland Press:

Commissioner Scott is seeking a sixth two-year term in a newly drawn district representing parts of Waterford and West Bloomfield townships.

The commissioner says the other Scott’s filing “is just to confuse the election process."

“Naturally we’ll challenge this,” the commissioner said. “It’s fraudulent because there’s friends of mine signing petitions thinking it’s me.”

Back in July, John Scott (I) said he wasn't aware of the issue, “I didn’t really know who was running at first. I just wanted to get my name on the ballot.”

Scott (I) declined to speak with the Detroit Free Press about the issue.

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson was involved in a serious auto accident on August 9 when a VW Passat turned in front of his Chrysler 300:

Patterson and his driver were not wearing seat belts at the time.

Today, Patterson issued the following statement regarding the civil infraction issued by Auburn Hills Police today for not wearing a seatbelt when he was among victims of a crash caused by a VW Passat that turned in front of his Chrysler 300:

Not wearing a seatbelt was a mistake," Patterson said. "I accept my responsibility and paid the $65 fine this afternoon."

After spending five weeks in the hospital, Patterson was released last Friday and it recuperating at home.

Oakland County officials announced this afternoon that County Executive L. Brooks Patterson was discharged today from McLaren Oakland Hospital.

Patterson has spent five weeks in the hospital after he was severely injured in a crash in early August.

From the Oakland Co. press release:

L. Brooks Patterson, County Executive of Oakland County, has been hospitalized since he was involved in a car crash on August 1o.

He had surgery to repair broken bones and a gash on his scalp. The Oakland Tribune reported Patterson suffered from two broken wrists, broken ribs, a broken femur, and the injury on his head.

He's been moved to a hospital rehabilitation unit at McLaren Oakland Hospital and is in good spirits, reports the Associated Press.

Patterson and his driver, Jim Cram, were not wearing seatbelts in the crash.

Two people in the other vehicle were also injured in the crash. The driver of that vehicle has been charged.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard says releasing more than 200 prisoners from the overcrowded  County Jail could have been avoided,  if judges had used alternative sentencing.

He  tells The Detroit News he sent a letter to judges earlier this month, notifying them of the "jail emergency and asking for cooperation to help avoid it."

Michigan law requires sentence reductions if prisoners don't pose a high risk.

Bouchard says beds are being used by inmates who don't need to be in jail, and could have been punished differently, avoiding the problem.

Some officials from Oakland County are trying to turn up the heat on Lansing to pay for a special election.

That election was called to replace Congressman Thaddeus McCotter, who resigned last month.

Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley called for the September 5th special election to fill out just the few remaining weeks of McCotter’s term. State officials maintain it’s required by law.

But that leaves local governments in suburban Detroit’s 11th district to pick up the tab.