August 27, 2008
For Immediate Release

This morning, Federal U.S. District Court Judge Robert Holmes Bell issued an injunction that will likely result in Michigan House Speaker Andy Dillon facing recall in the November election.

The Michigan Secretary of State had determined in May that the petition effort by Rose Bogaert and the Wayne County Taxpayers Association to recall Speaker Dillon for raising taxes had fallen 776 signatures short of the 8,724 signatures required. But 2,053 signatures were disqualified because the petition circulator was not a registered voter in the 17th House District represented by Dillon, as required by state law.

Judge Bell ruled that Michigan's laws restricting recall petition circulators' residency and registered voter status are unconstitutional violations of the First Amendment's guaranteed right to free speech.

Judge Bell further ordered the Michigan Secretary of State to re-count the 2,053 previously rejected signatures and, if at least 776 were otherwise valid, to place the question of recalling Speaker Dillon on the November election ballot.

"This is a huge win for the rights of Michigan citizens," stated Leon Drolet, Executive Director of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, who supported the recall effort. "Politicians are at-will employees of the citizens. Speaker Dillon raised taxes, then fought to deny citize's constitutional right to hold him accountable for his actions. This is a win for everyday citizens and taxpayers and a blow to Dillon and the Lansing political establishment."

# # # #

Back to home page