Dana's Dispatch: Upholding Election Security, Prosecuting Corporate Polluters, Defending Reproductive Freedom & More!

--------------------------------------------------------------- Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is The People’s Lawyer As the People's Lawyer, I've always stood up for our state's most vulnerable: Taken on price-gouging, enforced equal pay for equal work laws, aggressively prosecuted rape & sexual assault cases, defended a woman's right to choose. Visit [dananessel.com]( for more information. [READ MORE]( Dana Nessel, Dana Nessel on Facebook (September 22, 2022) Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is The People’s Lawyer Retrieved from: [Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is The People’s Lawyer]( --------------------------------------------------------------- AG Dana Nessel Speaks to Concerns Over Election Safety, Security It's just over a month until the Nov. 8 election & early voting has already begun! My team has all hands on deck, ensuring that voters remain safe while casting their ballots. See [( for more info, or visit [( to ask me any questions you may have. [READ MORE]( Dana Nessel, Dana Nessel on Facebook (September 29, 2022) AG Dana Nessel Speaks to Concerns Over Election Safety, Security Retrieved from: [AG Dana Nessel Speaks to Concerns Over Election Safety, Security]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Why experts say the fall of abortion rights is a key sign of a troubled democracy First it was life-saving medical care, now it's emergency contraception. My opponent & others like him are doubling down on their anti-choice positions despite the widespread support voters are showing for reproductive rights. It's dangerous, & we must fight back. #VoteBlueIn2022 Republican nominee for Michigan AG, Matt DePerno, demands that supporters applaud Trump & the fall of Roe. In the legislative havoc the fall of Roe has wreaked in the country – a place where children who have been raped now no longer have access to abortion in their home state and where voters in even the most conservative states are overwhelmingly rallying for abortion access – abortion has remained tenuously legal in Michigan. The state has so far avoided implementing its 1931 law allowing felony manslaughter charges against abortion providers as lawsuits challenging the law from Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Planned Parenthood move through the courts. And in November’s election, Michigan voters will have the chance to enshrine the right to abortion in the state Constitution with Proposal 3. However, while Republican voters nationwide do not appear to back any widespread abortion ban and 61% of Michigan voters support keeping abortion legal, Michigan GOP lawmakers and candidates are, like Republican officials across the country, pushing for an end to legal abortion in the state. Republican election deniers like Michigan Secretary of State nominee Kristina Karamo called abortion “child sacrifice” – a term deeply entrenched in the QAnon conspiracy theory to which Karamo is connected. GOP Attorney General nominee Matthew DePerno said he would uphold the 1931 law and said Plan B should be banned immediately after asking what Plan B is. And GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon proclaimed she opposes abortion, including in cases of incest, rape and to protect the health of the mother. Now notoriously, Dixon was asked if a 14-year-old raped by her uncle should be forced to have the baby. Her answer? Yes. At the same time that Michigan GOP candidates – and lawmakers, including Rep. Steve Carra (R-Three Rivers), who in June introduced a bill to jail abortion providers for up to 10 years – are pushing to ban abortion, they’re also backing voter suppression bills in an effort that mirrors a national Republican agenda, those interviewed by the Advance said. Following Trump’s loss in 2020 and Republicans consequently promoting the lie that he won, Michigan GOP lawmakers repeatedly introduced voter suppression legislation, which has been vetoed by Whitmer. The rise of this political landscape is not only emblematic of a dramatic erosion of abortion rights but of a troubled democracy in Michigan and the country in which increasingly right-wing lawmakers and candidates are intentionally attacking both abortion and voting rights, as well as undermining trust in the country’s elections system, in an anti-democratic effort to corral and maintain power for Republicans and, more specifically, for a white Christian patriarchy, political experts, civil rights leaders, lawmakers and academics told the Advance. “We don’t necessarily always include reproductive freedom in that package of democracy,” Anu Kumar, the head of Ipas, a global nonprofit that supports abortion access, told the news publication Foreign Policy. “But we should, because this is a place where authoritarian regimes often go, if not first, then pretty quickly afterward.” [READ MORE]( Anna Gustafson, Michigan Advance (September 25, 2022) Why experts say the fall of abortion rights is a key sign of a troubled democracy Retrieved from: [Why experts say the fall of abortion rights is a key sign of a troubled democracy]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Detroit Free Press Endorses Whitmer, Benson, Nessel Over Republican Challengers I'm proud of the work my office has done on behalf of MI residents: Bolstering consumer protections, upholding MI's free & fair election results, taking on corporate polluters, & defending reproductive freedom. Thank you Detroit Free Press for the endorsement! GOP lawmakers who resisted pressure to unseat Biden electors in 2020 have been chased into retirement or defeated by primary opponents embraced by Trump. Republican election officials who made sure every Michigan vote was counted in 2020 have been displaced by party loyalists ready to denounce any Democratic candidate’s victory as proof of pervasive electoral fraud. Separately and collectively, Dixon, DePerno and Karamo pose an unprecedented threat to Michigan’s long tradition of free and fair elections. They are neither qualified to hold statewide office in Michigan nor worthy of the once formidable party they and their fellow conspiracy-theorists brought to the brink of ruin. In this year's election, though, neither Tudor Dixon nor her running mates boast qualifications remotely comparable to those of the Democratic incumbents they hope to replace: Attorney General DANA NESSEL has made good on her 2018 pledge to direct more of her office’s resources to consumer protection and environmental enforcement, and staved off enforcement of a constitutionally suspect 1931 law that would have abruptly criminalized abortion in Michigan, and successfully parried frivolous lawsuits challenging Michigan’s 2020 election results. Michigan has survived political inexperience, inept leadership and bad policy choices before. What makes Dixon and Co. uniquely dangerous are their persistent efforts to undermine the democratic institutions Michigan voters have historically relied on to expel toxic leaders and correct course when their state loses its bearings. Democracy is in a fight for its life, but so is Michigan's Republican Party. The only option for those who seek to restore its credibility is to renounce the demagogues whose fictions are driving it ever deeper into the political wilderness. [READ MORE]( Detroit Free Press Editorial Board, Detroit Free Press (October 2, 2022) Editorial: Michigan Republicans are riding stolen election lies to political oblivion Retrieved from: [Editorial: Michigan Republicans are riding stolen election lies to political oblivion]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Dana Nessel sues former West Michigan company over PFAS, other pollution I’ve filed a slew of lawsuits forcing corporate polluters to clean up poisonous PFAS chemicals from our drinking water. My opponent believes the real threat to Michiganders’ health & safety is Plan B. Vote like your life depends on it. Because it does. Photo courtesy of J. Carl Ganter, Circle of Blue Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is suing the out-of-state owners of a formerly Michigan-based furniture hardware company, alleging it contaminated the state’s soil and groundwater with PFAS and other chemicals. Nessel wants the court to order the company to investigate and address the contamination, and pay damages and fines for tainting soil and groundwater with volatile organic compounds, PFAS and metals. Both PFAS and the volatile organic compound TCE, or Trichloroethylene, are used in metal finishing processes. PFAS keeps mist at bay during metal plating, while TCE is a metal degreaser. “Michigan residents deserve to be safe from environmental contamination in their communities,” Nessel said in a statement Thursday. “Companies that do business in Michigan, pull up stakes and leave their communities with contaminated air and water will pay the price.” The suit states that the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy has sent multiple violation notices and other correspondence to FKI in response to the contamination since 2018, but “defendant has refused to take the actions specifically and repeatedly requested by EGLE to investigate and address the risks.” FKI is the latest in a host of companies sued by the state for their alleged role in Michigan’s PFAS contamination crisis. In 2020, Nessel announced a sweeping lawsuit against 17 companies, including 3M and DuPont, alleging the PFAS manufacturers knew for decades their products posed health risks, but “intentionally hid” those concerns from the public. While cases wend their way through the courts, environmentalists are hoping the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recent proposal to classify two PFAS compounds as hazardous substances will spark more progress on cleanups at contaminated sites. [READ MORE]( Kelly House, Bridge Magazine (September 28, 2022) Dana Nessel sues former west Michigan company over PFAS, other pollution Retrieved from: [Dana Nessel sues former west Michigan company over PFAS, other pollution]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Macomb Township woman accused of stealing over $100,000 from vulnerable adult Taking advantage of those in their time of greatest need is deplorable. My Elder Abuse Task Force is committed to protecting our most vulnerable and will prosecute those who exploit them to the fullest extent of the law. Lisa Ludy, 52, who operated Community Guardian Care Inc., was charged Monday in 41A District Court in Shelby Township with one count of racketeering and four total embezzlement counts: one count between $50,000 and $100,000, one count between $20,000 and $50,000 and two counts between $1,000 and $20,000 for her alleged actions from 2016 to 2019, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. She is also charged with four counts of failure to file tax returns. Nessel said Ludy in 2016 gained approval in Macomb County Probate Court to have Community Guardian Care appointed as a guardian and conservator for the victim. Over four years, Ludy stole the victim’s retirement, Social Security income, inheritance and the proceeds from the sale of victim’s home after putting it on the market. Ludy used the victim’s bank accounts to pay personal bills and funnel money to her family’s companies: Career Health Studies, Career Health Training Corporation and Applewood Adult Foster Care Home, Nessel said. Ludy concealed the money she took from the victim and failed to file income taxes from 2016 through 2019, she added. Ludy in 2020 received a $20,800 Paycheck Protection Program loan through the federal Small Business Administration as a sole proprietorship business, according to the SBA. The loan’s status currently is “ongoing,” the SBA website says. A probable cause conference is scheduled for Oct. 4 and a preliminary exam is scheduled for Oct. 11 in front of Judge Douglas Shepherd in 41A District Court. [READ MORE]( Jameson Cook, Macomb Daily (September 27, 2022) Macomb Township woman accused of stealing over $100,000 from vulnerable adult Retrieved from: [Macomb Township woman accused of stealing over $100,000 from vulnerable adult]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Matthew DePerno: What to know about Michigan GOP attorney general candidate What to know about Matt DePerno? He's an ethically-challenged attorney with a poor grasp on the truth. Don’t believe me? Read what Bridge magazine has to say about his record. DePerno skyrocketed to fame in conservative circles in the aftermath of the 2020 election, alleging voting machines were compromised because unofficial results were skewed toward President Joe Biden before they were corrected. DePerno’s biggest claim to fame has been his efforts to find evidence that fraud cost Trump the election. His work on an unsuccessful lawsuit challenging 2020 results in Antrim County put him on the front lines of Trump’s attempt to overturn the election, and litigation involving that effort continues. DePerno raised nearly $400,000 for an “Election Fraud Defense Fund” in 2020, and critics have urged him to disclose what he did with that money. DePerno has also referred to his opponent, incumbent Attorney General Dana Nessel, who is gay, as a “groomer,” which has drawn condemnation. DePerno is a leading advocate for a “forensic audit” of the 2020 election. He has claimed he wants to prosecute Nessel as well as fellow Democratic incumbents Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson for "for all the damage they have done" in office. DePerno has also said he supports and would enforce the state’s 1931 ban on abortion. He’s also suggested banning Plan B, an emergency contraceptive that can prevent pregnancy if taken within three days of having unprotected sex. The contraceptive prevents ovulation and does not induce an abortion.​ On his website he states he would declare critical race theory unconstitutional, calling it “a Marxist agenda.” DePerno’s legal career has been marked by some discord. He was fired from one law firm, fought over client records after leaving a second firm and was accused of assaulting a client amid a fee dispute, according to court documents and transcripts reviewed by Bridge Michigan. [READ MORE]( Lauren Gibbons, Bridge Magazine (September 26, 2022) Matthew DePerno: What to know about Michigan GOP attorney general candidate Retrieved from: [Matthew DePerno: What to know about Michigan GOP attorney general candidate]( --------------------------------------------------------------- AG Nessel Joins Multi-State Coalition in Protecting the Right to Interstate Travel to Seek Abortions It is unlawful for states to intrude upon their residents' right to interstate travel, whether to obtain abortion services or otherwise. I am proud to join my colleagues in supporting this preliminary injunction, protecting access to reproductive healthcare for all Americans. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a multistate coalition of 21 attorneys general, led by California, in submitting an amicus brief in Fund Texas Choice v. Paxton to protect the right of individuals to travel out of Texas to obtain an abortion. The multistate amicus brief was submitted in support of a motion for preliminary injunction filed by reproductive rights advocates seeking to halt enforcement of several Texas anti-abortion laws. In the amicus brief, the coalition argues that Texas residents as well as coalition state residents temporarily in Texas for school, work, or vacation, have the right to travel to pro-reproductive rights states to access legal abortions. “The Texas anti-abortion laws are meant to deny women critical reproductive healthcare in their own state," Nessel said. "Anti-abortion laws also create barriers to leaving the state to obtain legal abortion services elsewhere by imposing criminal and civil liability on those who travel to other states to provide abortion services. Swift action is needed to assist states in protecting the right to interstate travel and to preserve at the state level what the Supreme Court took away at the federal level when it overturned Roe v. Wade. I proudly stand with my colleagues in supporting this preliminary injunction." The coalition states argue that while Texas may regulate abortion within its borders, intruding on the right to interstate travel, including for abortion, is unlawful. As states that are committed to protecting access to reproductive healthcare, coalition states have a profound interest in preserving the right to travel for the millions of individuals living in states with restrictive abortion laws and for whom travel to seek abortions is critical. Texas’s anti-abortion laws—and Texas lawmakers’ threats to use those laws to restrict travel outside their state borders—pose a substantial threat to the liberty and safety of those individuals who may need to exit Texas to seek time-sensitive reproductive care. [READ MORE]( Michigan Department of Attorney General, Michigan Department of Attorney General Press (September 28, 2022) AG Nessel Joins Multi-State Coalition in Protecting the Right to Interstate Travel to Seek Abortions Retrieved from: [AG Nessel Joins Multi-State Coalition in Protecting the Right to Interstate Travel to Seek Abortions]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Will Michigan candidates accept the results of the 2022 election? Here's what they said Gretchen Whitmer, Jocelyn Benson⁩ and I are all committed to accepting the results of the election. You know, just as every Michigan Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General always have. Our opponents? Not so much. In 2020, many candidates throughout the state, as well as then-President Donald Trump, refused to accept the results of the election and made baseless claims that the election was stolen. Will that happen again in 2022? It depends on the candidate. In a statement, Whitmer said that she is "committed to protecting voter rights and ensuring the will of the people is respected in Michigan by accepting the results of this election." That wasn't the same for Dixon, who wouldn't commit to accepting the results through a spokesperson. Sara Broadwater, the communications director for Dixon's campaign, said in part "there's no reason to believe they (Whitmer and Benson) are serious about secure elections." Both Nessel and Benson said they would accept the results of the election. "We unequivocally support the will of eligible Michigan voters and, as Attorney General, Dana Nessel will do everything in her power to ensure that voters are safe and their voices are heard on Election Day," a Nessel campaign spokesperson said. "She will always stand by and respect the will of the voters, regardless of the outcome of any election, and expects every candidate, and elected official to do the same," Liz Boyd said in a statement on behalf of Benson. Multiple emails to both DePerno and Karamo's campaigns were not returned. DePerno reportedly worked to get access to voting tabulator machines in Michigan after the 2020 election, which has been reported extensively by The Detroit News, and a special prosecutor has been appointed to investigate whether DePerno and others should be charged for their attempts to gain access to the voting machines. [READ MORE]( Max White, WXYZ Detroit (September 27, 2022) Will Michigan candidates accept the results of the 2022 election? Here's what they said Retrieved from: [Will Michigan candidates accept the results of the 2022 election? Here's what they said]( --------------------------------------------------------------- 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](