Dana's Dispatch: Safeguarding Public Health, Supporting Survivors, Protecting Seniors & More!

--------------------------------------------------------------- Attorney General Dana Nessel Visits Ottawa County Courthouse for Expungement Fair An estimated 1 million Michigan residents are eligible to expunge their criminal record! Time for a fresh start on life. Let us help you get there. #AGexpunge [READ MORE]( Michigan Department of Attorney General, Michigan Department of Attorney General on Facebook (April 29, 2022) Attorney General Dana Nessel Visits Ottawa County Courthouse for Expungement Fair Retrieved from: [Attorney General Dana Nessel Visits Ottawa County Courthouse for Expungement Fair]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Attorney General Dana Nessel Visits Muskegon County Driver’s License Restoration Fair A suspended license impacts a person’s ability to lead their best life, much in the same way a criminal record impacts those who have long-since paid their debt to society. I am proud to see months of hard work advocating for this criminal justice reform culminate with these Road to Restoration clinics. [READ MORE]( Michigan Department of Attorney General, Michigan Department of Attorney General on Facebook (April 28, 2022) Attorney General Dana Nessel Visits Muskegon County Driver’s License Restoration Fair Retrieved from: [Attorney General Dana Nessel Visits Muskegon County Driver’s License Restoration Fair]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Owner of Warren Asbestos Abatement Company Pleads Guilty This conviction is a testament to the thorough job done by our team and those at the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program in building this case and bringing charges. The owner of an asbestos abatement company that did subcontracted work for the Detroit Land Bank Authority pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in June. Last month, a judge ordered Kevin Woods, owner of BBEK Environmental, to stand trial on multiple felony charges stemming from a U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan investigation into the use of Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funds for demolitions. Monday, Woods pleaded guilty to one count of false pretenses $1,000 or more, a five-year felony. Woods will be ordered to pay $21,220.77 in restitution as part of the plea. The other charges will be dropped. His sentencing is set for June 2. [READ MORE]( B. Thompson, MI Headlines (April 26, 2022) Owner of Warren Asbestos Abatement Company Pleads Guilty Retrieved from: [Owner of Warren Asbestos Abatement Company Pleads Guilty]( --------------------------------------------------------------- State’s top law enforcement official says programs like LACASA’s needed everywhere As Crime Victims' Rights Week and Sexual Assault Awareness Month come to a close, LACASA remains vigilant in protecting survivors in Livingston County. Too often survivors feel isolated, but you are not alone, and we will fight to secure justice for you. Photo courtesy of The Livingston Post, The Livingston Post Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel found herself moved to tears after a tour of LACASA Center on a day established to show support for victims of sexual assault. “I kind of want to quit my day job and work here,” she said. Nessel requested to tour LACASA on International Denim Day, which began after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction because the justices felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans she had to have assisted her rapist by helping remove them, implying consent. The next day, the women serving in the Italian Parliament wore jeans to show solidarity with the victim, and International Denim Day developed from there, growing into the longest-running sexual violence prevention and education campaign in history. After her tour, LACASA President Bobette Schrandt presented Nessel with the organization’s Changemaker Award for her work on behalf of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, as well as on LGBTQ issues, and as a founder of the Fair Michigan Foundation, a nonprofit that investigates and prosecutes hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Fair Michigan Foundation has a 100% conviction rate on dozens of capital offenses it’s investigated and prosecuted surrounding gender-related sexual assault, child abuse, and homicides. As she presented Nessel with the Changemaker Award, Schrandt thanked her for choosing to visit and tour LACASA on International Denim Day. “We want to commemorate this historic occasion for LACASA by recognizing your tireless work on behalf of victims and survivors of child abuse and interpersonal violence,” Schrandt said. “Thank you for supporting small — but mighty — organizations like ours, and for pursing justice for abuse victims and survivors throughout Michigan.” [READ MORE]( Will Stuart, The Livingston Post (April 27, 2022) State’s top law enforcement official says programs like LACASA’s needed everywhere; sends message to Theis Retrieved from [State’s top law enforcement official says programs like LACASA’s needed everywhere; sends message to Theis]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Nessel calls out Theis over ‘groomers’ comment; says discussion needed to prevent child abuse Right now, in Senator Lana Theis’s district, child abuse prevention experts are teaching 1st graders how to protect themselves against abuse. Ironically, if Theis has her way, child abuse prevention education will have to end. On Wednesday, Attorney General Dana Nessel was given a tour of LACASA Center’s domestic violence shelter by President and CEO Bobette Schrandt, who presented Nessel with a Changemaker Award after noting her commitment to victim’s rights. The facility not only contains the organization’s offices, but also serves as a state-of-the-art domestic violence shelter for survivors of child abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault. The 20-bed crisis shelter has guest rooms, a fully equipped community kitchen, large dining area, a living room and multimedia den for women and their children. Nessel also noted LACASA’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program which allows assault victims to be examined without the need to go to an emergency room, which may require long waits and health insurance, both deterrents to timely reporting. When asked whether education could help break the cycle of child abuse, Nessel took the opportunity to comment on a recent controversy caused by state Sen. Lana Theis’ remarks on what should and should not be taught in classrooms. Noting that she was in Theis’ district, Nessel said, “If you can’t ever have communications about anything that is sexual in nature, what that means is you can’t talk about how to prevent being abused.” Nessel said that to completely stymie all discussion surrounding these topics would harm efforts to prevent child abuse. She then closed out her remarks with a statement to Theis. “Senator, if you’re listening to this, please let’s make sure that whatever we’re doing, we’re ensuring that children can be taught to protect themselves. That’s what we’re talking about. And if you really care about the health, safety, and wellbeing, both physically and emotionally of children, we have to give kids the proper education to protect themselves." [READ MORE]( Jon King, Michigan Advance (April 29, 2022) Nessel calls out Theis over ‘groomers’ comment; says discussion needed to prevent child abuse Retrieved from: [Nessel calls out Theis over ‘groomers’ comment; says discussion needed to prevent child abuse]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Attorney general warns of senior scams during Grand Haven talk Launching the Elder Abuse Task Force was one of my biggest priorities in taking office. The one thing that we all have in common is this: the good Lord willing, we will all be seniors one day. We all deserve to be treated with respect and dignity – no more, no less. Photo courtesy of Kayla Tucker, Grand Haven Tribune Michigan’s attorney general told a group of Grand Haven senior citizens Friday morning that they were the “most vulnerable” target of financial scams. “Seniors grew up during a time when this didn’t used to happen,” said Dana Nessel, who prioritizes elder abuse awareness and prevention. “They’re just more trusting than other generations.” Around 75 people gathered at Four Pointes Center for Successful Aging to listen to Nessel. She covered all types of scams that seniors should look out for: consumer scams, when companies price items way higher than they should be; the “grandparent scam,” when scammers use real personal information found through social media to pretend as if they are someone’s relative asking for money; home disaster and improvement scams; utility imposter scams; and Social Security scams. “If it sounds too good to be true, it is,” Nessel said. “If you were like me, you grew up in a time where it was rude to assume that somebody was trying to take advantage of you – but, unfortunately, it’s the day and age we live in. You have to protect yourself and be careful.” Since taking office, Nessel created the Elder Abuse Task Force. Some bills executed by the task force are still in process in the state Legislature. In her talk at the Grand Haven center, Nessel told seniors that “prisoners have more rights than wards under a guardianship,” and that her proposed laws work to give more rights to the wards as far as priority in choosing their guardian and property protection. Nessel told seniors they could call her office anytime with any scam-related questions. [READ MORE]( Kayla Tucker, Grand Haven Tribune (April 30, 2022) Attorney general warns of senior scams during Grand Haven talk Retrieved from: [Attorney general warns of senior scams during Grand Haven talk]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for being a part of Dana's re-election campaign! Sending emails is a crucial way to keep supporters like you updated on Dana's fight for justice and progress. Plus, this campaign is fueled by grassroots supporters like you! 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