May - 2020

CHAMELEON TELL

While Michigan media outlets have heard little from GOP U.S. Senate hopeful John James, other than a rather bewildering (pontifical) op-ed piece recently in The Detroit News, Politico gave readers a bit more insight into what could be the candidate’s new approach in his attempt to unseat incumbent Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township) come November. In an audio recording obtained by Politico from a private video conference with black community leaders in early May, James did an

CHAMELEON TELL

NOT AN HONOR LIST

Ignoring all the subterfuge surrounding James’candidacy, Congressional Quarterly Roll Call came out just before press time with its list of the 10 most vulnerable U.S. Senators and Peters made the list. Although Roll Call, considered a true insider since 1945, ranks the senate race as leans Democratic, the D.C. information institution points out that James has outperformed Peters in quarterly fundraising in a contest that Republicans have targeted. At the end of the March rep

BAR SET HIGH

HIGH JUMP

Stevens isn’t the only one who needs a Ford F-150 for her fundraising efforts. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Rochester, Rochester Hills, northern Oakland, Livingston and Ingham counties) has had the kind of fundraising that should scare away competition. According to FEC reports, from January 2019 through March 31 of this year, she has raised $4.528 million, including $1.1 million for the first quarter of this year, leaving her with cash-on-hand of $3.7 million after expenditures. R

GO BIG OR GO HOME

APPLAUSE IS CONTAGIOUS

The saying some are born leaders, some leaders are made, and some rise to leadership could not be more true, especially in the case of Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter (D), who has only been in the position for 18 months, since the August 2019 death of longtime executive L. Brooks Patterson. While many Democrats and Republicans alike viewed Coulter as a placeholder until the 2020 election, the COVID-19 pandemic has not only provided a true test of leadership, Coulter is

DIRTY POLITICS

Notably absent from the county coronavirus readiness team? County Treasurer Andy Meisner (D), running for the county executive spot seemingly forever – certainly since Coulter was just a lowly Ferndale mayor toying with the idea of running for state representative for Ferndale, Huntington Woods and Oak Park. But give someone a bite of the apple, and the taste stays with them forever. In what is forecast as the marquee primary race in Oakland County, Meisner v. Coulter promise

READY FOR THE JOB

While the Democratic primary for Oakland County exec sounds like it will be a doozy, the Republicans have decided they are not rolling over and playing dead. After owning the top job – let’s be real, they controlled most of the county for decades – many Oakland County Republicans are not ceding control – other than sacrosanct Sheriff Michael Bouchard – to the Dems just because they had a good roll of the dice in 2018. While off the record many acknowledge it will likely be al

TIT FOR TAT

Democratic candidate for Oakland County Prosecutor, and former Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Karen McDonald, who is challenging Prosecutor Jessica Cooper for the Democratic nomination in August, has been sending out slews of emails asserting that Cooper wouldn’t let prosecutors work from home after the governor ordered the state shutdown, has put in $150,000 of her own money into her campaign, and that Cooper isn’t wisely tackling crime. Yet an investigation into many o

TIT FOR TAT

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