A photo that emerged from the high-octane, pro-Trump rally in Sterling Heights just days before Tuesday’s election has now become a national symbol of Trump backers in general, and Macomb County in particular.
The image of a rabid Trump supporter, shot by a Getty Images photographer, has made the rounds in newspapers across America and is now the leading pic for an NBC News online report about the election outcome and America’s cultural divisions.
The man in the photo is not a typical white, working-class Trump supporter. He is Pete Lucido of Shelby Township, a well-to-do divorce attorney and a GOP state representative who serves the folks of the 36th state House district in northwest Macomb.
Macomb County Democrats have engaged in some snarky comments about the photo, suggesting it appears like the image of someone at a fascist rally. That same gathering featured outrageous comments and a crotch-grabbing by Detroit rocker/racist Ted Nugent. One of Lucido’s Macomb colleagues in the state House, Democrat Henry Yanez, has posted the NBC report on Facebook and expressed dismay at what it represents for a county that has tried to shake a bigoted image for decades.
Lucido
But maybe the bigger question is: How did Lucido, who previously donated thousands of dollars to Democratic candidates and was openly pro-union, become such a rambunctious Trump fan?
So, let’s take a look a closer look at Pete Lucido:
- In his initial run for office, for state House in 2014, Lucido ran as a “Families First” Republican. But then it was revealed that he had failed to vote in every local school election since 1998, a 16-year track record. When he tried to explain his way out of this mess, he only dug himself a deeper hole, as county records showed he had also missed votes for president and governor.
- In that 2014 race, after setting a record for spending in a Michigan House primary election at $304,000, largely due to an astounding infusion of $185,000 from his own bank account, he scheduled a fall fundraiser seeking up to $1,000 from each attendee though he faced a hapless perennial Democratic candidate.
- In this year’s campaign for re-election, Lucido threw himself a phony birthday bash and, again, sought campaign donations of up to $1,000. The fundraising party, festooned with a patriotic theme, was held on July 17, which is not his birthday.
- In October of this year, when one of Lucido’s Republican colleagues seeking House election, Steve Marino of Harrison Township, scheduled a fundraiser, the event blew up in Marino’s face. The media revealed that the host, Dr. Jennifer Franklin, had been indicted by the feds as a key figure in a $6 million opioid drug ring. Marino cancelled the waterfront party on Lake St. Clair and he defended his actions by telling reporters that he was in the dark about the doctor’s history. He insisted that Lucido arranged the event, which was slated to charge between $100 and $250 for attendees.
All the shopping carts at the most popular grocery store in Lucido’s 36th District featured a placard for his law firm that mirrored the Lucido campaign logo.
In 2014, the Lucido campaign repeatedly used an advertising logo that mirrored the ad campaign of his law firm. The cross-purposes raised a lot of eyebrows in political circles.
- Again in that 2014 campaign, mysterious letters that urged boycotts of pro-Lucido businesses became so suspect that it appeared that the candidate may have generated them on his own in a curious plot to generate a sympathy vote. At least three businesses were supposedly targeted by the boycott letter, which Lucido publicized, though one of the targets said he was not even aware of the letters and none of his customers had indicated receiving the correspondence or raised questions about it.
- Also in that 2014 election, the debonair attorney trumpeted his endorsement by Dan Haggerty, the bushy-bearded actor who played the character of Grizzly Adams 40 years ago. The announcement was made at a campaign event and photos of the two were provided to the press.
- As Lucido was cruising toward re-election in recent months, his longshot Democratic opponent, in a strangely polite manner, filed complaints with state and federal authorities alleging that Lucido had engaged in financial irregularities. Diane Young, a certified financial adviser, made several detailed claims, including assertions that Lucido failed to comply with transparency requirements for investment advisers and that he was illegally running a nonprofit financial group out of his state representative office.
Say what you will about Peter Lucido.
I only know Pete Lucido to be an honest man that many have come to respect as the voice of the people in Lansing. Pete Lucido is a good friend to many.
Are you bashing Pete for cheering on a political candidate? The sitting president of the United States used his time and all of his assets including Air Force One and the Secret Service to campaign for Hillary Clinton at the taxpayers expense. Pete Lucido went to a campaign rally and cheered for his favorite candidate. So what?
Go and find something that is truly newsworthy.
You are correct Mr Berz, it is acceptable as long as a Democrat is doing it. Chad has never written anything newsworthy without his liberal slant to it. I’d like to see a real “impartial” article or anything worth reading come out of him. He likely still has his panties in a bunch after Lucido beat Grot, Grot being the only republican this liberal has verbally & publicly supported. Just another sore loser, 8 years ago, there were no republicans screaming, yelling and protesting in the streets. We took the hand we were dealt and lived with it, as it is supposed to be, like the results or not.
You don’t want me to ‘say what I will’ about this heinous Trumpanzee.
Go fuck yourself
Judge Viviano was pictured sitting in front of him….Strange politics in Macomb, off to the shower.