COURTROOM SKIRMISH

Kathleen Ryan

If suing for breach of contract it would probably make sense to attach said contract in the complaint, right? It appears the political consulting firm, Winning Strategies – who is suing Oakland County Probate Judge Kathleen Ryan over allegations she failed to pay the political consulting firm $33,684 from her 2010 campaign – sure doesn’t think so. Not only were there zero alleged contracts attached, but Ryan’s lawyer, Daniel Schouman of Walled Lake, has alleged that Winning Strategies’ complaint failed to be filed within the statute of limitations, which expired in November 2016. The political consulting firm’s registration with the state Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) expired in February 2012 as well, Schouman said. Schouman made a motion to dismiss the case, stating Winning Strategies didn’t follow court rules. Owned by David Forsmark, who is not named a plaintiff, the Winning Strategies complaint alleges, in part, breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and promissory estoppel, and alleges Ryan made partial payments through February 2014, but didn’t pay for the full services, which included mailer/flyer design, printing, postage, purchase of voter lists, among other tasks.