Here is my Sunday column …
Now that the final 2012 election lineup in Macomb County of
about 280 candidates is official, it’s worth taking a closer look at
some of the more absurd political follies taking place as the campaigns
get underway.
about 280 candidates is official, it’s worth taking a closer look at
some of the more absurd political follies taking place as the campaigns
get underway.
First, we have former state representative Kim
Meltzer. In 2010, this ambitious Republican supposedly moved out of her
expansive Clinton Township colonial home in the Rivergate subdivision to
become a renter in a modest Macomb Township ranch. That allowed her to
run for an open seat in the state Senate.
Meltzer. In 2010, this ambitious Republican supposedly moved out of her
expansive Clinton Township colonial home in the Rivergate subdivision to
become a renter in a modest Macomb Township ranch. That allowed her to
run for an open seat in the state Senate.
At the time, Meltzer
chastised anyone who claimed she was moving for political reasons. “I
don’t have anything to hide. I’ve done nothing wrong,” she said.
chastised anyone who claimed she was moving for political reasons. “I
don’t have anything to hide. I’ve done nothing wrong,” she said.
Now,
after her Senate loss, Meltzer is back, running for Clinton Township
clerk. As it turns out, she and her husband never sold their previous
home on Leelanau Trail. She once again became a registered voter in
Clinton Township in July 2011. And the only vote she cast from the
rented Macomb Township home, which was in need of repairs and located
about 25 feet away from a busy stretch of Romeo Plank, was in the 2010
election.
after her Senate loss, Meltzer is back, running for Clinton Township
clerk. As it turns out, she and her husband never sold their previous
home on Leelanau Trail. She once again became a registered voter in
Clinton Township in July 2011. And the only vote she cast from the
rented Macomb Township home, which was in need of repairs and located
about 25 feet away from a busy stretch of Romeo Plank, was in the 2010
election.
Clinton Township voters may have a tough decision on
their hands: who is the more ethically challenged candidate for clerk –
Meltzer, or the gun-toting Democratic incumbent George Fitzgerald?
their hands: who is the more ethically challenged candidate for clerk –
Meltzer, or the gun-toting Democratic incumbent George Fitzgerald?
*****
Less
than 48 hours before the Tuesday candidate filing deadline, a message
appeared on the Facebook page of Phil DiMaria: “I need a best friend I
can have sex with.”
than 48 hours before the Tuesday candidate filing deadline, a message
appeared on the Facebook page of Phil DiMaria: “I need a best friend I
can have sex with.”
Is DiMaria the Anthony Wiener of Macomb County politics? Probably not.
He
immediately cried foul, suggesting that his Facebook account had been
hacked, possibly as a political dirty trick by his detractors.
immediately cried foul, suggesting that his Facebook account had been
hacked, possibly as a political dirty trick by his detractors.
An
Eastpointe Democrat and self-described “old-school” guy, DiMaria is a
longtime county commissioner and now a candidate in a crowded field for
the newly created 18th House District (Eastpointe and southeast St.
Clair Shores).
Eastpointe Democrat and self-described “old-school” guy, DiMaria is a
longtime county commissioner and now a candidate in a crowded field for
the newly created 18th House District (Eastpointe and southeast St.
Clair Shores).
DiMaria’s Facebook timeline indicates that he has rarely used his page since he joined FB in July 2009.
“I don’t even go on Facebook – very, very rarely. I don’t even post,” he said. “I can’t stand Facebook.”
After this incident, I suspect DiMaria “Likes” Facebook even less now.
*****
In
2008, when few candidates used Facebook as a campaign tool, Michael
Wrathell, a Republican, engaged in strange rants on an online web chat
site. Now, those of us in the media are blessed by Wrathell’s decision
to make another run at Democratic Prosecutor Eric Smith. He is Smith’s
lone challenger, which has to be an embarrassment to the Macomb GOP.
2008, when few candidates used Facebook as a campaign tool, Michael
Wrathell, a Republican, engaged in strange rants on an online web chat
site. Now, those of us in the media are blessed by Wrathell’s decision
to make another run at Democratic Prosecutor Eric Smith. He is Smith’s
lone challenger, which has to be an embarrassment to the Macomb GOP.
Wrathell
is an attorney of some kind, but he is also an artist and musician who
spends part of his time drawing bizarre pictures of Plutonians — his
whimsical view of how inhabitants on the former planet Pluto might look,
if ever discovered.
is an attorney of some kind, but he is also an artist and musician who
spends part of his time drawing bizarre pictures of Plutonians — his
whimsical view of how inhabitants on the former planet Pluto might look,
if ever discovered.
When I wrote about Wrathell’s Pluto obsession
in 2008 he demanded a retraction. That conversation resulted in the
funniest newspaper correction I have ever written: “A column by Chad
Selweski in the Sunday edition of The Macomb Daily wrongly implied that
Michael Wrathell, Republican candidate for county prosecutor, believes
there is life on Pluto. The attorney/artist draws pictures of imaginary
Plutonians but he said that he realizes the temperatures on the former
planet would not support life forms.”
in 2008 he demanded a retraction. That conversation resulted in the
funniest newspaper correction I have ever written: “A column by Chad
Selweski in the Sunday edition of The Macomb Daily wrongly implied that
Michael Wrathell, Republican candidate for county prosecutor, believes
there is life on Pluto. The attorney/artist draws pictures of imaginary
Plutonians but he said that he realizes the temperatures on the former
planet would not support life forms.”
*****
It happens every
election cycle – a mysterious candidate suddenly emerges at the 11th
hour who has had no involvement in politics and has a horrible voting
record that indicates very little interest in politics.
election cycle – a mysterious candidate suddenly emerges at the 11th
hour who has had no involvement in politics and has a horrible voting
record that indicates very little interest in politics.
This year,
its Darcy Jakubowski of Chesterfield Township, who (ironically) is
running for county clerk — the overseer of elections across the county.
its Darcy Jakubowski of Chesterfield Township, who (ironically) is
running for county clerk — the overseer of elections across the county.
Election records show that Jakubowski missed 70 percent of the elections held in her community since 1998.
Jakubowski,
who is running in the Democratic primary against incumbent Carmella
Sabaugh, has especially failed to show up for primary elections
– in 2008, 2006, 2002 and 1998.
who is running in the Democratic primary against incumbent Carmella
Sabaugh, has especially failed to show up for primary elections
– in 2008, 2006, 2002 and 1998.
A poor voting record typically
wounds a candidate for any office. We’ll see if this wound, suffered by a
candidate seeking to become the county’s top elections official, proves
fatal.
wounds a candidate for any office. We’ll see if this wound, suffered by a
candidate seeking to become the county’s top elections official, proves
fatal.
*****
In reference to my column last Sunday about
“ringers” – fake candidates who are filed for office by insiders to
confound the competition, it’s worth taking a look at the race for
county public works commissioner.
“ringers” – fake candidates who are filed for office by insiders to
confound the competition, it’s worth taking a look at the race for
county public works commissioner.
In the final hours before the
Tuesday filing deadline, three Republicans stepped up to run against the
20-year Democratic incumbent, Tony Marrocco. When the withdrawal
deadline hit on Friday, all three Republicans had miraculously – and
illogically — withdrawn from the race, giving Marrocco a free ride in
the fall if he can manage another Democratic primary victory.
Tuesday filing deadline, three Republicans stepped up to run against the
20-year Democratic incumbent, Tony Marrocco. When the withdrawal
deadline hit on Friday, all three Republicans had miraculously – and
illogically — withdrawn from the race, giving Marrocco a free ride in
the fall if he can manage another Democratic primary victory.
*****
In addition to the largely invisible candidates who have no business
entering the political arena, we also have the perennial candidates who
don’t know when to call it quits.
entering the political arena, we also have the perennial candidates who
don’t know when to call it quits.
On the 2012 ballot, those would
include Republican Kristi Dean, who is making her fourth consecutive run
for sheriff; Larry Rocca, launching another bid for countywide office
after losing several elections over the past two decades; Robert Murphy
of Romeo, who is running for state House again though he’s never come
close to winning any of the many elections he has entered; and Hawke
Fracassa of Warren, the foul-mouthed candidate from Warren who has
switched from the Dems to the Republican Party in yet another run – this
time for county commissioner.
include Republican Kristi Dean, who is making her fourth consecutive run
for sheriff; Larry Rocca, launching another bid for countywide office
after losing several elections over the past two decades; Robert Murphy
of Romeo, who is running for state House again though he’s never come
close to winning any of the many elections he has entered; and Hawke
Fracassa of Warren, the foul-mouthed candidate from Warren who has
switched from the Dems to the Republican Party in yet another run – this
time for county commissioner.
These are the types of candidates who make veteran incumbents cackle with joy.
*****
And, finally, we have Mike Aiello, a candidate for the Clinton Township
board who sent an email the other day complaining that The Macomb
Daily’s list of candidates on Wednesday misspelled his name. Yet, his
email misspelled his place of origin as “MaComb County.”
board who sent an email the other day complaining that The Macomb
Daily’s list of candidates on Wednesday misspelled his name. Yet, his
email misspelled his place of origin as “MaComb County.”
I’m not sure how a candidate for public office can not know how to spell his own county.
But,
hey, maybe Aiello — certainly no Anglo-Saxon — has premeditated big
wins for Scottish candidates all across MaComb County in November.
hey, maybe Aiello — certainly no Anglo-Saxon — has premeditated big
wins for Scottish candidates all across MaComb County in November.
