Politics & Government

Every Wednesday morning, we speak with Jack Lessenberry, Michigan Radio's Political Analyst, about what's going on in state politics. This morning, we talk about the resignation of Democratic State Representative Tim Melton to become a lobbyist, Governor Snyder's plans for reforming the state's personal property tax, and the possibility that the Highland Park school system could be taken over by a state-appointed emergency manager.

The state legislature is getting back to work after a two month summer recess.

Michigan Radio's Jennifer White talks with State House Speaker Jase Bolger to find out what lawmakers will be up to this fall.

The Michigan Court of Appeals says former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick does not get to keep the money from sales of his new book until he has paid his restitution to the city.

Kilpatrick argued, through his attorney, that the government could not take the profits from his book without violating his First Amendment rights. He said that would keep him from earning a living by telling his story.

A lower court judge ordered profits from the book put into an escrow account under a Michigan law. It does not allow felons to profit from talking or writing about their crimes if they still owe restitution. The state is also trying to collect $15,000 from Kilpatrick to reimburse taxpayers for his 14-month prison stay.

Kilpatrick was recently released from prison. A judge in Detrot found he'd hidden assets that could have gone toward paying his $860,000 debt to the city.

Kilpatrick has been living with his family in a Dallas suburb since his release from prison. He is also traveling the country promoting his book. He could appeal the court decision to the Michigan Supreme Court.

Two people will spend the next month in federal custody for throwing a pie in the face of U.S. Senator Carl Levin.  

The incident happened a year ago as Michigan Senator Carl Levin met with constituents at a restaurant in Big Rapids. Levin was unhurt.  The pie was supposed to be a protest of the senator’s foreign policy positions. 

23 year old Ahlen Mohsen threw the apple pie. 24 year old Max Kantar bought the pie. The two plead  guilty to federal charges.  

A federal judge in Grand Rapids sentenced the pair to 30 days in federal custody.

The Grand Rapids Press reports that during the sentencing U.S. District Judge Robert Holmes Bell said he needed to show that attacks on elected officials meeting with constituents cannot be tolerated.

Here's how Levin remembered the incident:

The former state House Education Committee chairman is resigning his office to become a national school reform lobbyist.

Democratic state Representative Tim Melton (D-Pontiac) will work for the Students First organization in California starting in early September.

Students First is an organization headed up by a nationally polarizing figure in education reform, Michelle Rhee.

"I’ll be helping other state’s throughout the country pass reforms similar to the ones we did in Michigan," said Melton. "The Students First organization is a national grassroots advocacy for school reform. We’re going to really try to move the United States and this country forward as far as what the rest of the world’s doing on education reform."

Melton says the job will allow him to build on the work he did with the controversial "Race To The Top" legislation he spearheaded in Michigan.  

He is the third state lawmaker in the past couple years to leave office early for a different job. Melton says term limits could make leaving early a trend for politicians.

"I’ve got two young kids and I guess not knowing what’s going to happen after your term is up, and if an opportunity arises that allows you to do the thing that you’re really passionate about—you know, school reform to me is something that is a major issue," said Melton.

Melton’s departure will leave the House with 46 Democrats, to the majority of 63 Republicans. He was known for frequently working with and voting with Republicans.

He had contemplated a run at a House seat in Congress, but says he has reached the end of his career as an elected official.

We hear this from MPRN's Rick Pluta:

The Michigan Court of Appeals has refused to hear the case of former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who is trying to shield book sale earnings from being seized as part of his restitution to the city.

Wayne County Judge David Groner established an escrow account to capture any profits from Kilpatrick's memoir, "Surrendered! The Rise, Fall and Revelation of Kwame Kilpatrick."

The set-aside money will go toward paying the city of Detroit's $860,000 restitution tab. And as Michigan Radio's Sarah Cwiek reported, the money will also go toward a bill of a little more than $15,000 from the state of Michigan to pay for Kilpatrick's prison time.