Dana's Dispatch: Preserving Reproductive Freedom, Prosecuting Fraud & Violent Crime, Protecting Northern Michiganders & More!

--------------------------------------------------------------- Attorney General Dana Nessel Accepts Nomination for Re-Election Feeling good as hell after a successful #MDP2022 Michiganders know that where Republicans divide, #DemsDeliver. I had a great time celebrating our hard work & accomplishments with you all this weekend. Now, we just have to #VoteBlueIn2022 to keep Michigan moving forward! [READ MORE]( Dana Nessel, Dana Nessel on Facebook (August 21, 2022) Attorney General Dana Nessel Accepts Nomination for Re-Election Retrieved from: [Attorney General Dana Nessel Accepts Nomination for Re-Election]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Deputy Attorney General Christina Grossi Argues on Behalf of Reproductive Freedom Michigan Deputy Attorney General Christina Grossi making an impassioned plea to allow women the ability to continue making their own decision about their bodies, their futures and their lives. [READ MORE]( Dana Nessel, Dana Nessel on Facebook (August 18, 2022) Deputy Attorney General Christina Grossi Argues on Behalf of Reproductive Freedom Retrieved from: [Deputy Attorney General Christina Grossi Argues on Behalf of Reproductive Freedom]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Judge Cunningham Grants Preliminary Injunction, Barring Enforcement of Abortion Ban I am incredibly proud of the work my team did to quickly resolve that uncertainty, make an impassioned plea on behalf of the Michiganders who are fearful & angry about this statute, & secure a preliminary injunction barring its enforcement. [READ MORE]( Dana Nessel, Dana Nessel on Twitter (August 19, 2022) Judge Cunningham Grants Preliminary Injunction, Barring Enforcement of Abortion Ban Retrieved from: [Judge Cunningham Grants Preliminary Injunction, Barring Enforcement of Abortion Ban]( --------------------------------------------------------------- The Democrat Apologizing for Nothing in a Must-Win Swing State No BS, I will always protect the health, safety, & wellbeing of this state's residents — no matter what the polling says. Photo courtesy of Jake May, The Flint Journal In instances when most Democrats wring their hands at the edges of the culture war, Nessel has attacked it at its center. “Hangers are for clothes,” not abortions, she declared in a 2018 general election ad. “If [Republicans] win, you may have to cross state lines just to legally have safe sex,” she says in a 2022 election video. “A drag queen for every school,” she joked amid amid homophobic accusations from the right of “grooming” by public school teachers in June. It was a remark that “was totally not poll-tested,” she conceded. “I’ve never been great at waiting to see what other people think about something before I develop an opinion,” she tells me, “and I’ve never been great at disguising my opinion.” “Authenticity” is a weird thing in politics. It’s a quality voters crave in candidates (see: Democratic Senate candidate John Fetterman’s Carhartt-clad exterior — never mind his Harvard degree), but also one that’s hard to explain and measure. Nessel’s plainspokenness passes that test, explains Amy Chapman, a Michigan-based Democratic strategist. “In an era when people try to craft themselves to what voters might want to see or hear, she is what she is,” Chapman says. “She’s strong in her beliefs — she’s not going to BS you.” Whatever her je ne sais quoi, it helped her come out of nowhere to win her race for attorney general in 2018. The stakes in her bid for reelection may be even higher than she could have imagined then, but as she readied for a showdown with one of the nation’s highest profile election deniers, she’s campaigning on the same thing she did four years ago: Herself. “I’m not saying that I’m not open to changing my views,” Nessel explains. But if she does, “I’m never going to change my position based on poll testing. People will either vote for me because they like that, or they will reject my bid for reelection because they dislike it.” [READ MORE]( Kara Voght, Rolling Stone (August 21, 2022) The Democrat Apologizing for Nothing in a Must-Win Swing State Retrieved from: [The Democrat Apologizing for Nothing in a Must-Win Swing State]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Nessel effort to help protect nursing home residents a great idea Nursing home employees are working every day to make life enjoyable for MI seniors. My department provides them guidelines to spot the warning signs of elder abuse, & now they can report any concerns directly to our team to evaluate for investigation via our new online portal. We like a new initiative rolled out recently by state Attorney General Dana Nessel and her crew, aimed at helping protect nursing home patients. What we have here is an online portal that will allow complaints to be filed on behalf of nursing home residents, especially in the area of financial exploitation. The new portal is now live and focuses on the tenth initiative in the state Elder Abuse Task Force’s second set of initiatives. Nursing home administrators will provide information directly to the department’s Health Care Fraud Division for follow-up and investigation. If concerned staff knows or has reason to believe that someone is using a nursing home resident’s assets or benefits for purposes other than the care, needs and wishes of the resident, a complaint may be filed online. The complaint system is accessed directly through the department’s website at www.michigan.gov/ag/complaints. Nursing home residents are among our most vulnerable citizens, very often completely dependent on others. Will this portal solve all of the problems in this area? Of course not. But it is a step in the right direction. [READ MORE]( Journal Editorial Board, Mining Journal (August 16, 2022) Nessel effort to help protect nursing home residents a great idea Retrieved from: [Nessel effort to help protect nursing home residents a great idea]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Oakland County woman who worked with children with autism without license faces felony charges People who impersonate credentialed medical staff in order to treat children create the potential for great harm. I will not tolerate those who put children at risk and will prosecute those that do to the fullest extent of the law. A woman accused of posing as a board-certified therapist at the Oxford Recovery Center in Brighton has been arraigned on felony charges. Kimberly Casey Coden-Diskin, 34, was arraigned in Livingston County on sixteen counts of unauthorized practice of a health profession and two counts of identity theft. According to Michigan’s attorney general, Coden-Diskin started working at the recovery center in 2018. During her employment, she represented herself as a Board-Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA) even though she did not have the required certification. She was also never licensed by the State of Michigan. Coden-Diskin was working with children diagnosed with autism and parents of those children. She did not have a certification or license while working with them. She is accused of using the BACB certification number of another state-certified individual to fraudulently manufacture a BACB. The Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division (HCFD) handled this case. The HCFD is the federally certified Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for Michigan. Coden-Diskin is expected back in court on Aug. 23 for a probable cause conference and again on Aug. 30 for a preliminary examination. [READ MORE]( Kayla Clarke, Click on Detroit (August 17, 2022) Oakland County woman who worked with children with autism without license faces felony charges Retrieved from: [Oakland County woman who worked with children with autism without license faces felony charges]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Oakland County Woman Charged With Auto Insurance Fraud, Accused Of Forging Title To Conceal Lien People who commit insurance fraud have a potential impact on all drivers in Michigan. My department is committed to pursuing these cases and holding accountable those who defraud the system. An Oakland County woman is charged after reporting her car stolen and filing a false insurance claim, receiving more than 42,000. According to the Michigan Attorney General’s office, prosecutors charged 32-year-old Brittany Brown, of Clarkston, with false pretenses of $20,000 or more but less than $50,000, forgery of licenses/plates, and insurance fraud. Prosecutors say Brown reported her vehicle stolen in 2020 and filed a claim with State Farm. Officials say she falsely stated there was no lien on her vehicle and that she installed wheelchair equipment on it. Brown also knowingly submitted a forged title to State Farm, concealing the lien. Officials say she received more than $42,000 from State Farm. A probable cause conference is scheduled for Aug. 26 and a preliminary examination is scheduled for Aug. 31. [READ MORE]( DeJanay Booth, CBS Detroit (August 17, 2022) Oakland County Woman Charged With Auto Insurance Fraud, Accused Of Forging Title To Conceal Lien Retrieved from: [Oakland County Woman Charged With Auto Insurance Fraud, Accused Of Forging Title To Conceal Lie]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Man sentenced for murder, armed robbery in case targeting LGBTQ+ in Michigan I am proud to partner with Prosecutor Kym Worthy and Fair Michigan to deliver justice (with a 100% conviction rate) for vulnerable populations targeted in bias-motivated crimes. Hate crimes threaten entire communities and must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. An Indianapolis man has been sentenced to decades in prison in felony cases related to targeting members of Michigan’s LGBTQ+ community, the state’s Attorney General said Wednesday. Diabolique Paris Johnson, 35, of Indianapolis, IN, was sentenced in Wayne County Circuit Court. He was first charged in 2021 for two incidents in which he robbed Michigan men, one escalating to murder. Investigators say Johnson used dating apps to select his victims. On Sept. 1, 2020, Johnson committed an armed robbery of a 26-year-old Detroit man at a hotel in Dearborn, during which he took the man’s personal property. On Sept. 5, only days later, Johnson killed a 39-year-old man in Detroit during an armed robbery. For the killing, Johnson was sentenced to 25-to-45 years on the charge of second degree murder, as well as two years to be served consecutively for felony firearm. For the robbery at the Dearborn hotel, he was sentenced to 15-to-30 years for armed robbery, which will run concurrent to the murder sentence. The Department of the Attorney General made the announcement along with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office and Fair Michigan Justice Project (FMJP), an organization that assists Michigan law enforcement officers and prosecutors in solving serious crimes against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons. “It is important to continue to acknowledge that crimes against the LBGTQ community are ignored and are not thoroughly investigated,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “This is no longer the case in Wayne County thanks to our partnership formed in 2016 with Fair Michigan Justice Project.” [READ MORE]( Jake Draugelis, WILX (August 17, 2022) Man sentenced for murder, armed robbery in case targeting LGBTQ+ in Michigan Retrieved from: [Man sentenced for murder, armed robbery in case targeting LGBTQ+ in Michigan]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Nessel hears northern Michigan concerns about childcare, mental health and more My office was grateful to sit down with United Way of Northwest Michigan for #NationalNonprofitDay to hear about their work protecting children's health & safety in the rural counties of Northern Michigan. We appreciate the opportunity to lend our support to all of MI's many, unique communities. Photo courtesy of Ken Coleman, Michigan Advance During a one-hour listening session in Traverse City, Attorney General Dana Nessel heard about a variety of issues and concerns from the United Way of Northwest Michigan (UWNM). Seth Johnson, UWNM president, said it was important to connect with Nessel, who requested the meeting. The nonprofit covers seven counties: Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Leelanau and Kalkaska. “We were really excited to chat with the AG about how things are going in northern Michigan and what opportunities there are to start addressing these critical issues,” said Johnson. Topics ranged from resistance to childhood COVID-19 vaccinations, early childhood education, affordable housing and childcare, dental care for children, the need to increase mental health services for youth, and efforts to curb maternal smoking during pregnancy. A 2016 Michigan League for Public Policy study, “Right Start 2016: Annual Report on Maternal and Child Health,” found the rate of expectant mothers in Michigan who reported smoking while pregnant increased by 18% between 2008 and 2014. The rate of births to Latina mothers smoking while pregnant increased the most — rising by over 46%. The rate increased by 16% for Black mothers, and 17.5% for white mothers. Preterm births statewide also increased by 20% over the same period. Moreover, Charlevoix County had a 30% maternal smoking rate. Emmet County’s rate was 26%. Conversely, in the southern part of the state, Kent County had the lowest in Michigan at roughly 12%. UWNM officials said on Wednesday that the concern about the issue remains. “One of the things that I look to do when I’m here is look for the special challenges that our folks in the northern counties face, our less populous counties and more rural areas of the state that I don’t always get to see, being a down-stater,” said Nessel, who hails from Southeast Michigan. [READ MORE]( Ken Coleman, Michigan Advance (August 18, 2022) Nessel hears northern Michigan concerns about childcare, mental health and more Retrieved from: [Nessel hears northern Michigan concerns about childcare, mental health and more]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Michigan AG Dana Nessel visits Marquette Police Department The Marquette Police Department was the first department in the UP — and among the first in the state — to undergo training and adopt new standards of effectiveness, transparency, and trust as a part of becoming an Accredited Agency. A shining example for other departments across the state! Photo courtesy of Stephen DeLadurantaye, Upper Michigan Source Michigan’s Attorney General, Dana Nessel, visited an Upper Michigan police department Friday. The Marquette Police Department was one of the first departments in Michigan to become an Accredited Agency, meaning they adopted law enforcement standards to increase effectiveness, transparency, and trust. The Attorney General visited the department for a tour and a presentation about the accreditation process. The MPD says its goal is to always improve. “That’s what we’re shooting for,” said Ryan Grim, Marquette Police Department Chief of Police. “We’re trying to make sure the public understands we’re here to help them. We’re going to do the best we can to constantly improve. The accreditation process is big in that goal.” The Attorney General says she is proud of the MPD. “I just want to thank you guys for everything that you guys have done for your sake, and for being such a great example for all cities in the state,” said Nessel. “It’s just absolutely amazing. I’m just really proud of everything you guys have done. It’s really great to be here.” During her visit, Nessel presented Above and Beyond Awards to Sgt. Michael Roth, Corporal Tim Forslund, and Patrolman Nick Calzetta for their courageous efforts during a domestic assault incident. [READ MORE]( Stephen DeLadurantaye, Upper Michigan Source (August 19, 2022) Michigan AG Dana Nessel visits Marquette Police Department Retrieved from: [Michigan AG Dana Nessel visits Marquette Police Department]( --------------------------------------------------------------- White supremacist group leader sentenced for terrorizing Dexter family I refuse to allow domestic terrorists to incite violence against our residents and communities. I am proud to work alongside law enforcement agencies at the local, state and federal levels to safeguard the public from these serious threats and gratified to see justice served. The leader of a national white supremacist group that advocates for violence against the government has been resentenced for terrorizing a Dexter family, according to the Michigan Attorney General's Office. Justen Watkins "used intimidation tactics at a family’s home and posted messages to other The Base members targeting the home," according to a press release from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office. Nessel said in 2020 that Watkins and Alfred Gorman terrorized a Dexter family, sharing their home address with The Base members and trying to intimidate the couple. This prison term will run concurrently with a May sentence from Tuscola County, where Watkins was sentenced to at least 32 months for conspiring to train for a civil disorder. The Tuscola County sentence is connected to members of The Base, including Watkins, assessing abandoned Michigan jail facilities as potential paramilitary firearms training areas, according to Nessel's office. Assistant Attorney General Sunita Doddamani said in 2020 Watkins ran a "hate camp" for members of The Base so they could prepare to overthrow the government. FBI agents seized 15 guns from the Bad Axe property where the camp was held and found extremist propaganda in the home. The Base, a literal English translation of "Al-Qaeda," is a white supremacy group that advocates for violence and criminal acts against the country. The group says they are training for a race war to establish white ethnonationalist rule in parts of the country, including the Upper Peninsula. [READ MORE]( Kara Berg, Detroit News (August 19, 2022) White supremacist group leader sentenced for terrorizing Dexter family, AG's office says Retrieved from: [White supremacist group leader sentenced for terrorizing Dexter family, AG's office say]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 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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