Attorney General Mike Cox (R-Livonia)

by: lpackard

Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 16:37:51 PM EST

Biography:

When Mike Cox was sworn in as Michigan's Attorney General on January 1, 2003, he made a commitment to protect the people of Michigan. During his first three years in office, Attorney General Cox has fulfilled that commitment by building on the traditions of the past while redefining the office for the future. Cox has expanded the office's scope and reach to protect those in our state who cannot protect themselves. While these tough fiscal times may limit his budget, Cox has proven they will not constrain his office's activities. Armed with a new vision, Attorney General Cox and his staff are committed to ensuring a first-rate law office that efficiently and unfailingly works to protect the people of Michigan.

Through innovations in management, Cox has proven he can expand the scope of the Attorney General's office and improve on the tradition of protecting Michigan's consumers and Michigan's budget  From 2003-2005, Cox's Consumer Protection Division returned a record $900 million to the State's treasury. During that same period, Cox collected and recovered more than $12.5 million that went directly to Michigan consumers.  During the period of 2003-2005, he also prevented $1.64 billion dollars in utility rate increases that would have come directly out of the pockets of Michigan's consumers. In total, Cox's administration is collecting more money for the citizens of Michigan than any prior two-year period in the history of the Attorney General's office.

Within days of taking office, Attorney General Mike Cox created the Child Support Division - a first-of-its-kind state Attorney General program to collect child support from parents who have the ability to pay, but choose not to. By combining public awareness with targeted prosecutions, the division collected more than $26 million on behalf of more than 3,000 Michigan children as of June 2006.

Working in cooperation with local friends of the court and prosecutors across the state, Cox's program focuses on charging parents who have the ability to pay, but choose not to. This credible threat of prosecution results in payment of both past due child support and increases compliance with current child support payments to keep families out of crises. Cox's innovative efforts raised local and national awareness about the unpaid child support epidemic and its devastating consequences for Michigan's most vital resource, our children. Leading by example, Cox's influence has been felt across the State and in the Michigan Legislature, which passed much-needed reforms to the state's child support laws. In 2004, Cox was honored to receive the Golden Hearts Award from the Association for Children for Enforcement of Support, the nation's largest child support organization.

Cox has revived the Attorney General's role as the State's chief law enforcement officer and the Criminal Division to seek justice for victims in every part of the State and to prosecute criminals no matter when their crimes were committed.

In 2003, Cox formed the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) to uncover public corruption and solve cold case homicides. With thousands of cases under their belt, this elite staff of prosecutors and investigators solve complex cases and provide unparalleled expertise, training, and assistance as they work with local law enforcement. For decades, one of the nation's most prolific serial killers escaped justice. In 2004, Cox's OSI successfully prosecuted Coral Watts for a 1979 Michigan murder and sent him to prison for life. The division solved the 18-year-old Missing Hunters case and in 2005, they sent the former Oakland Intermediate School District Superintendent to jail for misconduct in office. To date, Cox's OSI has conducted more than 50 public corruption investigations.

Attorney General Cox is also leading a statewide, bipartisan effort to reform Michigan's criminal justice system by streamlining the preliminary examination process to put more cops back on the street where they belong. From Detroit to Marquette, Cox has brought modern law enforcement techniques and much-needed resources to advocate for victims in every corner of the State.

Born in 1961, Mike Cox graduated from Detroit's Catholic Central High School and entered the Marines. After graduating from the University of Michigan Law School in 1989, he went on to work in the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office in Detroit. Cox prosecuted organized crime cases ranging from public corruption to drug and gang-related homicides. In addition to hundreds of bench trials, he tried more than 125 jury trials, with a conviction rate in excess of 90 percent. In 2000, Cox was appointed Director of the Wayne County Prosecutor's Homicide Unit, which prosecuted approximately two-thirds of all homicides in Michigan.

Cox was elected Attorney General in November 2002 and sworn into office on January 1, 2003. He and his wife, Laura, a former federal agent and current Wayne County Commissioner, have four children.
(from state website)

Past Election Results

by: lpackard

Mon Jan 23, 2006 at 11:21:52 AM EST

Bernstein: "No more no to health care reform"

by: Bootsy

Thu Apr 08, 2010 at 07:19:21 AM EDT

Immediately after Obama signed the historic health care reform bill providing coverage for thirty-two million Americans, Michigan's Mike Cox joined twelve other Attorneys General in a lawsuit to block the new law in the courts.
A careful review of the U.S. Constitution and long-standing Constitutional precedents reveals there is no legal basis to join the Florida lawsuit. I object to Mike Cox's obstruction of real progress for working families.
Sign my petition today to urge Mike Cox and the other Attorneys General to drop their lawsuit against the historic health care reform bill and put the people ahead of politics. Enough is enough!

I'm a nurse and paramedic. The people of this country need and deserve health care. Health care in this country is going to cost everyone more later, if we don't do something to get the uninsured medical coverage now. He's wasting our tax dollars blocking something we have to have now.

I am unemployed and will lose COBRA in the next few months. I have no idea when or if I will find a job that provides health insurance. I have pre-existing conditions and cannot afford to purchase an individual policy. To try to exempt Michigan from Health Insurance Reform is to deprive many thousands of people from adequate health care. You may even be responsible for the deaths of some of us if we cannot get the care we need. Do not play politics with my life.

This lawsuit is ludicrous and totally wastes the financial resources of our State. The middle class citizens of Michigan will benefit from the health care bill, it is not fair to expect them to pay for grandstanding by this office purely for your political purposes.

As a social work student, I have worked with many who have been victim to the pharmaceutical and insurance companies. This plan will give many the opportunity to receive the health care they need. It will also save Americans money. Your lawsuit only serves to prove to all those who have no faith in our government that you are a bunch of in-fighting children. Let the lawsuit go. You don't want to be remembered as the people who denied millions health care.

"Where's the Crime?" I Ask, Where's the Prosecutor?

by: DW Law Student

Thu Mar 11, 2010 at 10:24:51 AM EST

As the election approaches, both parties and indeed candidates within each party will trot out their grand plans and message calendars.  One week the issue will be crime, the next the environment, and so on.  As a law student, however, I wanted to go deeper than what the candidates presented to me in neat, sound-byte-ready packages.  I did what any law student with free Lexis access and 90 minutes to fill would do: I ran a search on each (democratic) candidate for attorney general, in an attempt to build a hypothesis about legal philosophies.

I started with Farmington Hills attorney Richard Bernstein.  With heavily publicized legal fights (and some victories) in cases ranging from suing the University of Michigan to accommodate the disabled in the Big House to requiring a local municipality to make traffic roundabouts safer and accessible to the blind, he seems to have the "advocate" part pretty well covered.  His interpretation of his role as an attorney is classic Frank Kelley, using his position and skills to unabashedly pursue justice for those members of society often left without an advocate.  (Frank Kelley was Michigan, and the country's, longest serving attorney general whose trademark was consumer advocacy.)  

Then I got to David Leyton, Genesee County Prosecutor.  Nothing very remarkable jumped out at me initially, most of it being standard-issue articles about the prosecutor going after drug dealers and sex offenders.  No problem there.  My attention was, however, immediately drawn to a press clipping from December 6, 2006, in the Flint Journal, entitled "Leyton: Baring is No Crime."  Having just finished studying the traffic stop in Criminal Procedure, the provocative title piqued my interest.

The story was about a woman stopped at 2AM in a remote part of Genesee county for running a stop sign.  Once pulled over, the officer ran a warrant check on her male passenger, who happened to be her relative, and upon discovering an outstanding bench warrant, took the man into custody.   He then returned to her vehicle, asking for "two reasons" why he shouldn't arrest the man.  The woman then exposed her breasts to the officer, and her relative was not arrested.  

An internal police department investigation found that "the woman made it clear what she was about to do, asking if she would get arrested for indecent exposure. Afterward, the officer allegedly told the woman the incident would be the two's 'little secret.'"  (Flint Journal, December 6, 2006.)

When asked about the incident for the Flint Journal article, Leyton's reply was "where's the crime?"  You read that right.  Leyton's comment about the incident was that he did not see any misconduct or crime committed.

Given the opportunity to elaborate on his statement, Leyton remarked that if the officer

"provoked the exposure incident, it could be deemed wrongful conduct in office, a misdemeanor-level offense that he said would best be handled under local ordinance or with departmental discipline. He says now that his "where's the crime?" quote - which came out as a blanket statement - was meant to rule out extortion, a more serious charge that entails a threat of injury to the victim or close family member.  (Flint Journal, December 10, 2006).

I understand that a prosecutor has good reasons to defer to law enforcement officers in many situations.  Even the United States Supreme Court has held in numerous cases that the courts will defer to officers in certain circumstances, given the unique nature of a roadside traffic stop.  Traffic stops, as the Supreme Court has recognized, are characterized by unequal power relationships and the possibility of abuse of authority.  However, allegations of sexual harassment are conspicuously absent from the kinds of judgments permissibly left to internal police department procedures.  

The interesting twist to this case, however, comes in the fact that the State Police official investigation and the internal police investigation arrived at different conclusions, the latter absolving the officer of misconduct (but still finding that if a wanted man was arrested and then released there is willful neglect of the officer's duty) and the former siding with the victim.  Leyton conceded that if the wanted man was actually arrested and then released again, there would have been an offense committed.  Yet, if this were true, at least a cursory investigation would be warranted, right?

My comprehension of the role of prosecutor does not conform with Mr. Leyton's.  Prosecutors work for the people, not for the police or the municipality.  If there was even the remotest possibility of misconduct, Leyton should have championed the rights of the victim, not deferred to township politics.  Leyton's choice to side with the police on this is disturbing to me as a citizen and as a motorist.  At the end of the day, this is the kind of encounter I hope is rare on our roads today, but if and when it does happen, to whom should a citizen turn for assistance?  These situations will not usually have witnesses.  The Opinion page from December 10, 2007 in the Flint Journal puts it best:

"What kind of persuasive evidence can a woman be expected to produce to prove her claim - especially if instead of a level playing field, she faces a morass of local politics, conflicts and allegiances?"

Recap of Statewide Democratic candidates forum in Ypsilanti yesterday

by: Eclectablog

Sun Feb 07, 2010 at 20:19:33 PM EST

From L-R, Rebekah Warren, Alma Wheeler-Smith, Jocelyn Benson, Richard Bernstein, Pam Byrnes, Pastor Jerry Hatter

Full recap after the jump.

Republicans recieve anti-Cox postcard... from Republican

by: SiegristRocks

Fri Nov 06, 2009 at 06:23:15 AM EST

New Driver's License Policy Leaves the Most Vulnerable Stranded

by: liberalmomma

Sun Jan 27, 2008 at 22:38:01 PM EST

There seems to be no limit to how low Republicans will sink to pander to the fears many conservative Michiganders feel towards immigration. As many of you already know, Attorney General Mike Cox (who has aspirations of running for governor) has recently released an opinion that people who are not citizens or legal permanent residents of the United States are not eligible for Michigan driver's licenses.

Terri Lynn Land (who apparently also dreams of occupying the governor's mansion) has followed suit by denying even legal immigrants without green cards driver's licenses. Among them were immigrants who were intimately familiar with political persecution and disenfranchisement - refugees.

RIP, James S. Collins (Jackson)

by: LiberalLucy

Thu Aug 30, 2007 at 22:35:50 PM EDT

From the Free Press:

Sgt. James S. Collins, 35, a native of Rochester Hills, died in Kirkuk. He was assigned to the 303rd Military Police Company, U.S. Army Reserve in Jackson.

Major Annmarie Daneker, a spokeswoman for the Army Reserve 88th Regional Readiness Command, said she did not have details on the incident that lead to Collins’ death.

Collins, who lived in Jackson with his wife and son, worked for the Army Reserve full-time in Jackson as a light wheeled vehicle mechanic — the same job he was assigned to do in Iraq, Daneker said.

“I was crushed,” said Mark Curtiss, one of Collins’ neighbors in Jackson. “He’s over there fighting for us and we’re back here doing our daily thing. It was sad.”

Collins joined the 303rd in December 2005 and was deployed to Iraq with about 170 other soldiers from the company in September 2006. Their main mission, Daneker said, was to provide security to convoys.

Collins becomes the 155th member of the U.S. Armed Forces with known Michigan ties to lose their life in the Iraq War.

Remember April 19th 1995

by: PayBackTime

Thu Aug 23, 2007 at 17:25:06 PM EDT

  Here is some of the facts and truth which you good citizens have not yet been told.
  Now before you or some other person decides that this article should not be published. Consider the fact that I like all other citizens of the United States have a Constitutional Right to Freedom of Press and Freedom of Speech.

  This information is not classified top secret or will it destroy National
  Security.

  In fact to the contrary it will give the greatest aid to our National Security by exposing these Treasonous Murders for everyone to see.

  And that is a good thing no matter how you look at it.

  So what if it makes those Treasonous Murders nervous and uneasy even mad. Who cares about them. They deserve a lot worse.

  There are some of these Treasonous Murders who have gone on other blogs using fictitious names such as John Gault (from some novel I'm told) and try to spread lies and try to dispel the truth or even try to discredit me.
  Well I am just an elected spokes person for a group of witnesses to the truth and we are all tired of the Government and those Treasonous Murders who call themselves Michigan Militia who keep trying to cover up the truth about who these people are that form the Michigan Militia and have perpetrated the Treasonous act of Blowing up the Mura Federal Building in Oklahoma City Oklahoma on April 19 1995. 

  And for future reference there are SIX other direct Witnesses to these Treasonous murdering people when they took their VOTE to blow up the Mura Federal Building in Oklahoma City Oklahoma.

  Now for some of the facts that you do not know yet.

  The Michigan Militia still runs Jackson County Michigan and fills and or controls every Judge position there.

  I originally reported all of this and more to Agent LaPinski of the Jackson Michigan FBI Office in October 1994.
  In fact I wore and or carried a wire for Agent LaPinski several times to a variety of Michigan Militia meetings with individuals and to their
  group meetings as well.

  Timothy David Corts is Member of Michigan Militia since 1994 and was personally sponsored to his higher level post by his best friend
  Timothy McViegh.
  Tim Corts helped Tim McViegh plan and execute the April 19th 1995 bombing of the Mura Federal Building in Oklahoma City Oklahoma.
  Tim Corts gave refuge to Timothy McViegh by letting Timothy McViegh stay at his house at 614 East Ganson St. in Jackson Michigan from October 1994 thru the middle of January 1995.
  Tim Corts currently lives on Olcott Lake in Jackson Michigan and he currently works for (SMI). Synchronous Manufacturing Inc. on Page Ave.
  in Michigan Center in Jackson County Michigan.  SMI is part of Thorrez Industries in Jackson Michigan.
  Complete 1994 & 1995 Michigan Militia Membership Roster to be published soon. Check your local news stand and or Blogs.
  I originally reported the Michigan Militia's plans to Agent LaPinski of the Jackson Michigan FBI Office in October 1994.

  That right folks.

  The government knew about the attack long in advance of it taking place.

  I know this for a fact as that I volunteered to wear a wire for Agent LaPinski of the FBI starting in October of 1994.
  The City Councilmen you'll find listed below who was a Member was my brother Clark Edward Thulin so as you see I have had first hand knowledge from inside their ranks as that they did try to recruit me as well.

  Why have they attempted to cover these facts up?

  Why blame one man when so many were and are in fact responsible?

* Was it because 7 Jackson Michigan Judges were Members?
* Was it because the Jackson Michigan Sheriff was a Member?
* Was it because 13 Jackson Michigan Sheriff Deputies were Members?
* Was it because 6 Jackson Michigan City Police were Members?
* Was it because 1 Jackson Michigan City Councilmen was a Member?
* Was it because the Jackson Michigan Prosecutor was a Member?
* Was it because a few local Jackson Michigan Bail Bondsman were
  Member's?
* Was it because they all voted to go ahead with the
bombing?
* Was it because those responsible are considered to
high and mighty and above the Law to be convicted?
* Was it because they did not want the embarrassment?
* Was it ALL of the ABOVE.

The Michigan Attorney General has had this information and Sworn Statements from the other persons who witnessed these Treasonous Murders in their crimes as well and so has the U.S Attorneies Office and the F.B.I. and I am told Homeland Security as well.

McCarthy's Red List, Bush's Brown List, Cox's Blue List

by: Michael Motta

Thu Jun 21, 2007 at 21:31:56 PM EDT

Richard Bernstein for Attorney General in 2010?

by: ScottyUrb

Tue May 15, 2007 at 10:08:43 AM EDT

From his official biography on the WSU website:

Governor Richard Bernstein works as a trial attorney, who represents victims of personal injury or disability discrimination. He also is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Governor Bernstein graduated summa cum laude from the University of Michigan, and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He went on to earn a Juris Doctor degree from the Northwestern University School of Law.

He now practices law in Michigan State and Federal courts, and is a member of the Michigan Trial Lawyers Association, American Trial Lawyers Association, and American Bar Association.

Public service is an important part of Governor Bernstein's life. He created and hosts the CBS-Detroit television segment called "Making a Difference," which highlights exemplary community service programs. In addition, he is a contributing editorial columnist to the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press.

Democratic groups protest Alberto Gonzales at Detroit Economic Club

by: SiegristRocks

Thu May 03, 2007 at 16:17:20 PM EDT

Next Tuesday, May 8, a number of state and local organizations are organizing to protest the Detroit Economic Club's decision to invite controversial Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to speak to their members at the Dearborn Inn Marriott:

20301 Oakwood Blvd
Dearborn, MI 48124
(313) 271-2700

In an answer to Gonzales horrible human rights record, and immoral interpretation of the Constitution, the group will begin the demonstration at 11:30 a.m. on Tues. May 8.

Under Gonzales' leadership the Justice Department and the FBI have been accused of improperly and illegally using the USA PATRIOT Act to uncover personal information about U.S. citizens. His role in the dismissal of eight U.S. attorneys has led several members of Congress to call for his resignation. He is also involved in the decision to allow foreign combatants in U.S. custody to be deported to nations that allow torture, in order to extract further information from them.
 

Stupid Freep story "Pumps up" my anger

by: Jon K

Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 11:55:01 AM EDT

The freep story starts out well, with a fact; the AG office is doing something stupid.  But two facts in a row is way too much to handle:

But it's Democrats who are exercised over Attorney General Mike Cox's plans for a gym, noting that the state faces a $686-million budget shortfall and that Cox plans to let go of 21 full-time secretarial and clerical workers, effective April 20.

Here's the kicker though:

Brewer, clearly relishing his scoop, lambasted Cox for planning to spend "tens of thousands of dollars to build a personal gym on the floor near" Cox's office.

Here's my own "scoop" for the free press: private citizens have tips, journalists have scoops.  When a citizen has a tip, a good thing to do would be to do a bit of research on that tip and write a story, that way you can get a scoop and then maybe people would buy your paper.  When journalists write stories about citizens getting "scoops", it makes me not want to buy your paper.

If the editors decided that the AG buying a gym was a story, they should have had a writer research it a bit and write a story on it.  When you just take a press release and rehash it, you're a fool.  And the more snarkery in your story, the more foolish you look.  If you start writing stories, I might start buying your paper.

Tuesday Coffee Talk/Open Thread

by: LiberalLucy

Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 09:12:29 AM EDT

Mike Cox backs losing horse

by: Eric B.

Tue Apr 03, 2007 at 13:31:00 PM EDT

Michigan's own Atty General Mike Cox had signed onto the case ... on the EPA's side (bottom paragraph).

Perhaps you're thinking, "Hmmmm, Michigan, automakers ... kind of linked."  And, you'd be right.  However...

Should Mark Brewer be re-elected MDP chair?

by: David Boyle

Wed Feb 21, 2007 at 18:27:47 PM EST

1. The China Syndrome

  I'm not saying that teh Mark went overboard on China-bashing or anything, but one just has to be careful. Michigan may does not have as huge an Asian population as, say, some West Coast states. Still, if one continues in giving an impression that Those People Over There Across the Blue Pacific are the EVUL ENEMY OF MICHIGAN®, there could be backlash in various ways.
  Of course, the Vincent Chin case was a low point in Michigan race relations, see, e.g., the Wikipedia on that 1982 murder of a Chinese man in Detroit by angry auto workers who thought Chin was Japanese (not that that'd have been an excuse...). One doesn't want to revisit that type of incident, or even to scare off or needlessly annoy the various Asians here, including those at universities, who could help make Michigan's cities cool as per the Governor's "Cool Cities" initiative. As in, help make the cities cool, instead of leaving for other states.
  So, no nuclear confrontations with Asians or others needed. Word to the wise. ...Obama is popular because he can get attention without the "pit bull" thing, and maybe that's a good example to follow in many instances.

2. Down with DLC

  Certain posters on this wonderful site have wondered if Chairman B is too down with the DLC and its rather corporate brand of politics. I'm not sure of that, especially since Brewer seems to be pro-union. However, it still pays to seem innovative rather than a creature of habit or stagnation. What's up with the webmaster situation at the MDP, for example? That "electronics" thing is hopefully not too new-fangled for some folks to deal with.
  ...Meta-comment: Michigan needs to retool and rebuild itself; despite some successes (and many of these are due, bluntly, to the charisma problems of Dickie DeVos vs. the stunning performances of Jennifer G), the MDP might have to do some of that revamping, too. If more had been done, maybe we'd have recaptured the Mich Senate, actually...

3. Ticket Selection

  By the way, I see that the Secretary of State and Attorney General candidates are still selected at the party convention (last I checked), not through an election as in other states.
  Is that a good idea? ...Do Dems hold the Sec. of State and AG positions currently? Hmmmm. (Not that I have anything against the sort of "labor unity ticket" that suggested Amos Williams and Carmella Sabaugh--I voted for both of them--, but a competitive primary might have produced even more competitive candidates, at least hypothetically.)
  Maybe there's something to that "democratic inclusion of all Democratic voters" after all. It might even let us WIN MORE ELECTIONS, which presumably people care about. . .
  Would Brewer favor this sort of move towards more democracy, e.g., giving the registered Democrat voting public more of a voice about their candidates? Or not?

  That's it for now; I could say much more, but don't want this to go too long. --Ash Wednesday, regardless of your faith or lack of it, is not the worst time for reflection. What kind of leadership do we want for this party? What kinds of ideals do we want carried out? Where should we be going?
  Enjoy your evening, and hope to see you all in Detroit at this weekend's MDP convention!

I'm sure Mike Cox will surrender himself to the proper authorities

by: jmgear

Mon Jan 15, 2007 at 22:30:52 PM EST

After reading this piece, I'm changing my name to N-O-B-O-D-Y.

http://freep.com/app...

Cox to run McCain's Michigan Campaign in 2008

by: nirmal

Thu Dec 14, 2006 at 13:18:26 PM EST

According to the Detroit Free Press, John McCain has selected Mike Cox to manage his Michigan operations in 2008:

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox was named Thursday to head U.S. Sen. John McCain's presidential exploratory committee in the state and its law enforcement committee nationally.

Cox, re-elected to a second four-year term in November, becomes the highest profile Michigan Republican to join the McCain team to date.

Does this mean that Mike Cox also supports sending more Michigan soldiers to Iraq?  It wouldn't be the only thing they have in common.

UPDATE (1:22 PM):  Images courtesy of Pohlitics.

Williams Flat?

by: BillShoemaker

Fri Oct 27, 2006 at 11:44:47 AM EDT

Maybe I am wrong, but picking on his wife and pointing out the cell phone follies wont help us  win votes.

Also, when is this guy going to go up in TV?

Maybe we made a mistake, at least Bowen had a plan and money to back it up.

Sorry, maybe I am just over-reacting, but I was sure we were going to be able to take this ass down, but now I am not sure.

Why Proposal 2 + Mike Cox are Bad Policies.

by: quaker21

Thu Oct 19, 2006 at 11:06:51 AM EDT

The debate pros and cons are readily available from two organized groups, found in Matt's Proposal 2 library.

But what we fail to discuss is 2004's Proposal 2 -- hereafter called the gay marriage amendment -- and the role of the State's Attorney General: Mike Cox.

As I'll outline below the fold, Mike Cox is dangerous for Michigan and any social legislation.  He has supported Proposal 2, and worked to revoke municipal and educational domestic partnerships after the passage of the gay marriage amendment.

This ballot initiative isn't simply about "ending discrimination," as proponents repeatedly claim.  We can learn the lessons from 2004 -- the gay marriage amendment -- and say no to sloppy, divisive legislation, and more: refuse to put in on the desk of an Attorney General who would not only uphold it, but most likely strengthen it.