Dana's Dispatch: a message for Hamtramck, Wisconsin Line 5 ruling, GOP candidate signature fraud, & more!

[logo]( AG Nessel asks the City of Hamtramck to tear down the wall of divisiveness they’ve created and raise the flag of equality   [[ratio]  ]( Video courtesy of Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General   Job Court program launches in Genesee County, giving alleged criminals opportunities for employment A new program aimed at reducing recidivism in Genesee County has officially been launched. Video courtesy of Mid-Michigan NOW Recidivism is when a convicted criminal continues to commit crimes after release, finding themselves back in the justice system. The new program, called Job Court, allows for Michiganders accused of low-level, non violent offenses to find employment. Attorney General Dana Nessel was joined by Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson on Tuesday for the official launch announcement in the county. The Genesee program will help match 150 participants, chosen by the Prosecutor, with a participating employer and case worker. Eligible participants are screened for eligibility on a case-by-case basis by considering factors like suitability for employment, past criminal history, and potential impact on public safety. [READ MORE]( Mid-Michigan NOW (June 20, 2023) Job Court program launches in Genesee County, giving alleged criminals opportunities for employment Retrieved from: [Job Court program launches in Genesee County, giving alleged criminals opportunities for employment](   Eight current and former Alger Correctional Facility employees charged in 2019 inmate death Eight current and former employees of the Alger Correctional Facility are facing felony charges in connection to the 2019 in-custody death of a former inmate, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced Tuesday. The charges allege that former inmate Jonathan Lancaster ceased eating and drinking while incarcerated at the facility. Lancaster was placed in restraints in an observation cell, where he remained for three days before his death. Nessel alleges that Lancaster received no medical attention until after his death, despite losing over 50 pounds over the course of fifteen days and the facility’s operators having knowledge of his deteriorating condition. Those facing charges are four registered nurses who attended to Lancaster in his final days, two corrections officers present at the time of his death, the facility’s former Acting Warden, and the facility’s former Assistant Deputy. “This death was a preventable tragedy that played out over days and under the defendants’ supervision,” said Nessel. “These are serious, and numerous, charges that reflect the broad culpability the defendants shoulder in the death of Johnathan Lancaster. The eight defendants had a responsibility for the care and well-being of those in their custody, and my office will continue to rigorously pursue accountability when that is not met.” [READ MORE]( Tor Thorne, WJMN (June 20, 2023) Eight current and former Alger Correctional Facility employees charged in 2019 inmate death Retrieved from: [Eight current and former Alger Correctional Facility employees charged in 2019 inmate death](   Nessel applauds Wisconsin Line 5 ruling, says Michigan’s fight to close the pipeline will continue Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is hailing a judge’s ruling last week against Line 5 in Wisconsin and says it will further her efforts to shut down the controversial pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac. A federal judge in Wisconsin issued a ruling Friday that Canadian energy company Enbridge must shut down its Line 5 pipeline within three years and pay more than $5 million in profits to the Chippewa Indians Bad River Band. “I applaud the Wisconsin Court’s finding that Line 5 is an impermissible trespass on the Bad River Reservation, as well as the Court’s decision to impose a deadline by which that trespass must be abated,” said Nessel in a statement Tuesday. “In particular, the Court recognized that recent erosion of the banks of the Bad River creates a threat to the integrity of the pipeline. As I noted in a recent amicus brief in that case, a release of oil from the pipeline at that location would cause grave harm to Lake Superior. For these reasons, this decision is a victory for all who share my concern about protecting the Great Lakes and all that they mean to our way of life in Michigan.” In his ruling, Judge William Conley reaffirmed his September 2022 decision upholding the tribe’s claim that Enbridge has been trespassing on its land since June 2013, when an agreement expired that gave the energy company an easement for 12 miles of pipeline that passes through tribal land. Nessel, who filed an amicus brief in support of the tribe’s claim, said while the ruling is good news towards efforts to get the pipeline shut down, there is still much work that remains to be done. “I will continue to advance my lawsuit to stop a similar trespass on the bottomlands of Lake Michigan and Lake Huron in the Straits of Mackinac,” she said. [READ MORE]( Jon King, Michigan Advance (June 21, 2023) Nessel applauds Wisconsin Line 5 ruling, says Michigan’s fight to close the pipeline will continue Retrieved from: [Nessel applauds Wisconsin Line 5 ruling, says Michigan’s fight to close the pipeline will continue](   Nessel brings charges in 2022 signature fraud scandal, says investigation continues Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced felony charges against three campaign circulators Thursday morning in connection with a scandal that upended the 2022 gubernatorial race, leaving five Republican candidates off the August primary ballot. Photo courtesy of Michigan Advance Shawn Wilmoth, Jamie Wilmoth-Goodin, and Willie Reed are accused of conducting a criminal enterprise to defraud eight political campaigns, including five GOP gubernatorial candidates: Perry Johnson, James Craig, Donna Brandenburg, Michael Brown and Michael Markey. The other campaigns were for judicial candidates Tricia Dare, John Cahalan and John Michael Malone. Wilmoth and Reed were also charged with theft from the campaign of Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley, who did make the August 2022 primary ballot, but lost to Tudor Dixon. Dixon went on to be defeated in the November general election by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Wilmoth and Wilmoth-Goodin, who reside in Michigan, were apprehended by the Warren Police Department and were set to be arraigned at 1 p.m. Thursday, Nessel said. United States marshals are currently working to locate Reed, who will be extradited to Michigan when he is apprehended. “We believe that these defendants absolutely knew that they were submitting forgeries to these campaigns,” Nessel said at a press conference Thursday morning in her Lansing office. “The defendants presented these businesses as providing legitimate signature gathering services for political campaigns. In reality, the defendants through their companies knowingly and falsely misrepresented their ability and ultimately their efforts to deliver nominating petition signatures, for nine Michigan campaigns who paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for petitions with guaranteed valid voter signatures,” Nessel said. [READ MORE]( Kyle Davidson, WNEM (June 22, 2023) Nessel brings charges in 2022 signature fraud scandal, says investigation continues Retrieved from: [Nessel brings charges in 2022 signature fraud scandal, says investigation continues](   AG Nessel charges owner of abandoned Lake Michigan barge A Traverse City man has been charged for abandoning an industrial barge off the coast of Leelanau County, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced on Thursday. The charges against Donald Balcom include a felony for the release of hazardous substances into "waters of the State," and misdemeanors for trespass, marine safety violations, and placement of fill material (the barge) on Great Lakes submerged lands without a permit, the AG's Office said in a statement. "The Great Lakes are treasured natural resources that are central to our way of life in Michigan," Nessel said. "They are not a dumping ground or a junkyard for abandoned vessels," Nessel said. "I will always take action to protect the Great Lakes from the threat of pollution, and to preserve them for future generations." Nessel alleged that Balcom first abandoned the barge in 2020 on Lake Michigan near Greilickville. Nessel also alleged the barge released oil into Lake Michigan. [READ MORE]( UpNorthLive Newsroom, WPBN/WGTU (June 22, 2023) AG Nessel charges owner of abandoned Lake Michigan barge Retrieved from: [AG Nessel charges owner of abandoned Lake Michigan barge](   State AG joins coalition pushing for stronger reproductive health data privacy protections Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined a coalition of 24 states supporting stronger protections for reproductive health data privacy. The Biden Administration is considering adding amendments to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)Privacy Rule, which governs the disclosure of protected health information, Nessel's office said Wednesday. “The proposed amendments to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)Privacy Rule will protect patients and prevent their health information from being weaponized in states where harsh abortion laws still exist,” Nessel said. “I’m proud to join my colleagues in supporting these added protections to help ensure that a patient’s private health information remains private.” Nessel's office said, if implemented, it would make it illegal to share a patient's reproductive data if it's being sought for certain criminal, civil, or administrative investigations. [READ MORE]( News Channel 3, (June 22, 2023) State AG joins coalition pushing for stronger reproductive health data privacy protections Retrieved from: [State AG joins coalition pushing for stronger reproductive health data privacy protections](   KEEP IN TOUCH WITH DANA: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Web Site]( 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 If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please [unsubscribe](.