Dana's Dispatch: Fighting for Reproductive Rights, Safeguarding Natural Resources, Protecting Michigan Consumers & More!

--------------------------------------------------------------- Fair Michigan Justice Project partners with prosecutors, police to solve crimes against LGBTQ+ people We founded Fair Michigan to help address a wave of violent crime toward LGBTQ+ residents, particularly trans women of color, who face higher rates of mortality & violence. Our 100% conviction rate shows community engagement is the best path to justice. Contact us at 877-432-4764. The Fair Michigan Justice Project is working to solve a murder after a transgender woman was found shot to death in Detroit. Alanna Maguire, the president of the Fair Michigan Foundation, said hate crimes against LGBTQ+ people are rising. "We see, unfortunately, homicides, we see armed robberies, and those sorts of serious offenses where the victims are targeted because of their LGBTQ status, and unfortunately we know that hate crimes are rising both in Michigan and the country at large," Maguire said. Maguire, her wife Attorney General Dana Nessel, and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy started the Fair Michigan program in 2016 when six murders of transgender women were unsolved. Forming a specialized unit, with a special prosecutor and investigator and victim advocate dedicated to solving crimes against the LGBTQ community, would prove to be invaluable. It has a 100% conviction rate in more than 30 cases against this vulnerable population. "I think it's so important to have that vertical prosecution and that nexus with the community where you have a select individual where it's their job all day every day to engage with the community," Nessel said. "I just want people to know Fair Michigan is available. We're a phone call away; law enforcement will obviously be joining with us. We'll be in the community, we'll be in the precincts, and we are alive and well and back," Prosecutor Kam Towns said. "Feel free to reach out to us because we are here to help you." [READ MORE]( Amy Lange & Amber Ainsworth, Fox 2 Detroit (August 4, 2022) Fair Michigan Justice Project partners with prosecutors, police to solve crimes against LGBTQ+ people Retrieved from: [Fair Michigan Justice Project partners with prosecutors, police to solve crimes against LGBTQ+ people]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Republican AG Challenger Matt DePerno: ‘Let’s Not Count Those Votes Anymore’ Republican AG candidate Matt DePerno wants to disenfranchise hundreds of thousands of urban voters by “not counting” ballots not yet processed by midnight after the polls close. [READ MORE]( Dana Nessel, Dana Nessel on Facebook (August 5, 2022) Republican AG Challenger: ‘Let’s Not Count Those Votes Anymore’ Retrieved from: [Republican AG Challenger: ‘Let’s Not Count Those Votes Anymore’]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Michigan judge extends order preventing criminal charges under abortion ban Thanks again to my team for springing into action to help secure this temporary restraining order protecting MI abortion rights. MI women deserve certainty, & my department will continue to pursue all legal options to ensure reproductive healthcare remains available in our state. An Oakland County judge on Wednesday extended until Aug. 17 an emergency order barring prosecutors from criminally charging abortion providers under a 1931 state law that largely bans the procedure. An Aug. 17 hearing will focus on whether the state should implement a preliminary injunction, a more formal kind of order that would also prevent enforcement of the ban. Linus Banghard-Linn, a lawyer working for Nessel, suggested there's clear evidence Whitmer will win her case and relatively little harm for prosecutors if they are forced to wait longer until they could bring charges under this law. He also said that the fear of prosecution is just as potent as actual charges filed. "The balance of harms here is so lopsided," he said. "The threat of enforcement is the real problem here." Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Jacob James Cunningham issued the initial temporary order earlier this week while also calling Wednesday's hearing to discuss whether it should be extended. While he scheduled another hearing for Aug. 17, he foreshadowed either extending the order for an unknown length of time or through the General Election in November. [READ MORE]( Dave Boucher, Detroit Free Press (August 3, 2022) Michigan judge extends order preventing criminal charges under abortion ban Retrieved from: [Michigan judge extends order preventing criminal charges under abortion ban]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Attorneys general form task force to end foreign robocalls Robocalls aren't just a MI problem. Across the country, there are 33 million illegal robocalls daily, with $29.8 billion stolen in 2021 alone. State AGs will not tolerate these scammers. If the telecom industry won't police itself, the Task Force will. All 50 attorneys general in the United States have formed a task force geared toward putting an end to foreign robocalls. The Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force will investigate and bring companies responsible for most foreign robocalls to justice, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office. "Robocalls aren't just a Michigan problem. They are a nationwide problem. That is why I am proud to join my fellow Attorneys General,” says Nessel. “We will take this fight to anyone who helps these scammers and robocallers. If the telecom industry won't police itself, the Task Force will." We’re told the new Task Force has already filed to investigate 20 entities suspected of comprising most of the foreign robocalls entering the U.S., including gateway providers the state says are not doing enough to filter illegal calls. Nessel’s office says 33 million scam calls are sent to Americans daily, citing data from the National Consumer Law Center and Electronic Privacy Information Center. Nearly $30 billion were believed to have been stolen from victims last year, the state adds. [READ MORE]( Fox 17, Fox 17 (August 2, 2022) Attorneys general form task force to end foreign robocalls Retrieved from: [Attorneys general form task force to end foreign robocalls]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Macomb County developers fined $350,000 over destroyed wetlands We depend on our wetlands to filter our drinking water and provide habitat for our wildlife, and it remains our priority to protect them. Anyone who thinks they can get away with destroying these resources for their own personal gain should think again. Photo courtesy of Getty Images, Crains Business Detroit Local real estate developers who illegally destroyed natural resources in Macomb County were sentenced Tuesday to pay a $350,000 fine, according to a release from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office. A complaint was filed in January on behalf of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, Water Resources Division alleging that developers MJC Land Investments LLC, MJC Providence Estates LLC, Michael A. Chirco, Michele J. Chirco and Mario Izzi mechanically cleared, graded and filled 8.97 acres of wetlands, a direct violation of Part 303 of the Wetlands Protection portion of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. After the developers and related parties continued to not bring the impacted property into compliance, Nessel filed suit on behalf of EGLE, prompting more serious negotiations, according to the release. According to the release, EGLE alleged the impact property was identified in 2004 as a potential conservation for its natural resources and critical ecosystem. EGLE also alleged that in 2019, before acquiring the property, the real estate developers had a study conducted that identified two-thirds of the parcel as wetlands. "Wetlands are often referred to as the kidneys of the Great Lakes for the work they do filtering pollutants and protecting water quality," EGLE director Liesl Clark said in the release. "They provide ecological services and flood control for Michigan residents, and this ruling affirms that individuals cannot simply destroy them without repercussions." [READ MORE]( Amelia Benavides-Colon, Crains Business Detroit (August 2, 2022) Macomb County developers fined $350,000 over destroyed wetlands Retrieved from: [Macomb County developers fined $350,000 over destroyed wetlands]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Nessel raises awareness for $4.9B in unpaid child support in Michigan In Michigan, unpaid child support continues to be a major socio-economic problem with more than $4.9 billion in support owed to Michigan children. Custodial parents who are owed significant back child support can file a complaint with my office at: . August is Child Support Awareness Month. To mark the occasion, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel took to social media Wednesday explaining the dire need for child support within the state. Nessel says children within the state are owed $4.9 billion in unpaid support. Custodial parents are encouraged to file a complaint with Nessel’s office if they believe they are owed substantial amounts in child support. [READ MORE]( Fox 17, Fox 17 (August 3, 2022) Nessel raises awareness for $4.9B in unpaid child support in Michigan Retrieved from: [Nessel raises awareness for $4.9B in unpaid child support in Michigan]( --------------------------------------------------------------- ‘It provided hope’: Michigan advocates look ahead after abortion rights vote in Kansas Kansas primary voters proved the right to manage one’s own body & reproductive care without interference from government is one that transcends party affiliation. We're confident that MI voters will also turn out in droves & cross party lines to pass Reproductive Freedom for All this fall. Photo courtesy of Lily O’Shea Becker, Kansas Reflector After the U.S. Supreme Court in June struck down Roe v. Wade, Mary Wehrman called the reproductive rights group Kansans for Constitutional Freedom. She was enraged. A resident of Pittsburg, Kan., a small city near the Missouri border, Wehrman wanted to volunteer with the organization fighting a proposed amendment to the state’s constitution that would allow state lawmakers — many of whom have increasingly been immersed in right-wing extremism — to restrict or ban abortion. 55.4% of Crawford County voters rejected the anti-abortion amendment in Tuesday’s primary election. More than half a million Kansans – 538,775 people, to be exact — voted against the amendment, while 376,040 voters backed it, according to unofficial election results. Many of them — about one in five who cast primary ballots — came to the polls Tuesday solely for the amendment, voting on that alone and not for any of the candidates running in the election. This resounding win for abortion rights in Kansas has resonated across a country grappling with the fallout from the end of Roe, with the sounds of victory making their way to Michigan — where residents are poised to vote in November on the “Reproductive Freedom for All” ballot initiative that would enshrine the right to abortion in the state constitution. The Michigan initiative, for which organizers submitted a record-breaking 753,759 signatures to get it on the ballot, has yet to be certified by the Bureau of Elections. That certification, which entails approving the submitted signatures and allows the initiative to go on November’s ballot, is expected to take place at the end of August. “The result of the Kansas primary confirms that voters are energized and motivated to fight back to protect their rights and health,” Nessel continued. “They do not want to go backwards. We are confident that, like in Kansas, Michigan voters will come out in droves and cross party lines to support the Reproductive Freedom for All ballot initiative in November.” [READ MORE]( Anna Gustafson, Michigan Advance (August 7, 2022) ‘It provided hope’: Michigan advocates look ahead after abortion rights vote in Kansas Retrieved from: [‘It provided hope’: Michigan advocates look ahead after abortion rights vote in Kansas]( --------------------------------------------------------------- AG Nessel Asks EPA to Consider National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Greenhouse Gasses MI's average yearly temperature has increased 2–3 °F since 1900. This is the greatest global health threat of the 21st Century. Adopting National Ambient Air Quality Standards for greenhouse gases is vital if we are going to lessen the effects of climate change. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 7 state and territorial Attorneys General in a letter to Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan encouraging the EPA to consider establishing National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for greenhouse gasses to address the climate crisis. The letter follows in the wake of West Virginia v. EPA, the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision limiting the EPA’s ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants. If the EPA were to adopt NAAQS for greenhouse gases, each state would be required to develop a comprehensive climate action plan specifically designed for that state. The Attorneys General, led by Oregon AG Ellen Rosenblum, emphasized in their letter why it makes good sense for the EPA to consider NAAQS. The letter says, in part: “The NAAQS provisions of the Clean Air Act are very clear: If a pollutant is a threat to public health and welfare, and if that pollutant comes from ‘numerous or diverse’ sources (like greenhouse gases), EPA is supposed to identify a concentration of that pollutant in the ‘ambient air’ that must not be exceeded. States are then responsible for ensuring that they do not exceed that level. EPA has used NAAQS successfully to fight pollutants like ozone, lead and particulate matter.” "Michigan's average yearly temperature has increased by two to three degrees Fahrenheit since 1900, an undeniable result of greenhouse gases trapping heat in the atmosphere," Nessel said. "Adopting National Ambient Air Quality Standards for greenhouse gases is vital if we are going to lessen the effects of climate change, the greatest global health threat of the 21st Century. So I'm proud to join my colleagues in asking the EPA to address this critical public health issue." [READ MORE]( Michigan Department of Attorney General, Michigan Department of Attorney General (August 5, 2022) AG Nessel Asks EPA to Consider National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Greenhouse Gasses Retrieved from: [AG Nessel Asks EPA to Consider National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Greenhouse Gasses]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Payment Apps and Scams Consumer Alert My department has received multiple reports recently regarding scammers who are exploiting mobile payment apps to take advantage of MI consumers. More information & the link to report a scammer are available on our Department's website. Have the words “I will Venmo you” or “Google Pay me” ever come out of your mouth? Mobile technology and peer-to-peer (P2P) apps like Venmo and Google Pay are changing how people exchange money - and words like cashless and contactless have entered our world. P2P apps, or mobile payment apps, allow you to settle a bill with vendors or other individuals without having to dig into your pocket and withdraw cash or credit card. P2P payment services are apps that require both parties to have an active user account and each account must be tied to a bank or credit card account. Once created, the pay app allows users to send money to other users by searching for their phone number, email address, or username. The money is instantly transferred electronically, and the transactions are usually free. It is important to know about privacy settings on any app. When you download apps, they often ask for permission to access your personal information like contacts, location, and your camera. They may need this information to make the app work, but they also may share this information with third-party companies or use it for internal marketing purposes. With P2P apps, your personal data acts as its own currency. As consumers grow more comfortable using P2P apps in their daily lives, scammers have adapted their tactics to take advantage of the quick and often anonymous access to cash that they provide. Their ease and convenience make them appealing to consumers, but their general lack of user protections is precisely what makes these services attractive to fraudsters. If you think you are a victim of a scam involving peer-to-peer payment apps you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission. For concerns about P2P services, contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. [READ MORE]( Michigan Department of Attorney General, Michigan Department of Attorney General (August 5, 2022) Payment Apps and Scams Consumer Alert Retrieved from: [Payment Apps and Scams Consumer Alert]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 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! [Will you chip in today to join Dana in the fight for a better tomorrow?]( [CHIP IN TO RE-ELECT DANA NESSEL >>]( KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DANA: Any donor history information in this email reflects what we have on file for this specific email address. If you have donated with a different email address, with a check, or with a spouse – thank you so much. We have that on file and cannot thank you enough for your support. Paid for by Friends of Dana Nessel Friends of Dana Nessel P.O. Box 11141 Lansing, MI 48901 United States This email was sent to: {EMAIL}. [unsubscribe](