Lansing, MI – Today, the Great Lakes Education Project (GLEP) filed an official complaint with the Michigan Department of State alleging that Todd Courser’s campaign for State Representative violated state law.
On July 10, 2014, Todd Courser’s campaign sent a blast email that both supported the nomination and solicited financial contributions for two other State Representative candidates (Gary Glenn & Cindy Gamrat). It is a clear violation of the state’s Campaign Finance Act to provide a contribution or independent expenditure from one candidate committee to another candidate committee.
“How can the voters of Lapeer County consider electing someone like Mr. Courser to make state laws when he can’t even follow existing laws?” said Gary Naeyaert, Executive Director of GLEP.
The complaint, pursuant to MCL 169.215 and the administrative rules of the Michigan Department of State, dates back to a precedent from 2001, in which it was determined that a “hyperlink” from an Internet website constituted a contribution or expenditure pursuant to Section 44(2) of the Campaign Finance Act.
Those found guilty of this misdemeanor are punishable by a fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 90 days.
“We look forward to an exhaustive review by the Secretary of State’s Election Division, and we’re confident they will come to the same conclusion, which is that the Committee to Elect Todd Courser is in clear violation of the law,” Naeyaert concluded.
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Click here to download the complaint.