More Recall Petitions of Bledsoe Denied by Wayne County Election Commission

The Wayne County Election Commission found two recall petitions filed against Rep. Tim Bledsoe to be insufficiently clear early Monday during clarity hearings in downtown Detroit. 

The ruling means both petitions are denied and the petitioner, John Hauler of Grosse Pointe Woods, is not authorized to begin his campaign against Bledsoe. 

This is the second clarity hearing concerning a petition against Bledsoe by Hauler. The as well, finding that the language used was not clear. Bledsoe's attorney, Mary Ellen Gurewitz, argued that the language used to describe House bill 4362 did not match the language used to describe the bill by the Michigan legislature. Bledsoe's no vote on the bill was listed by Hauler as the reason he sought recall in . 

Gurewitz argued Monday that both of the new petitions were not clear—similar to the argument made in the first clarity hearing on the first petition.

Hauler, who was not present during Monday's hearing, refiled two more recall petitions against Bledsoe immediately following the first clarity hearing Aug. 30. 

One petition sought the recall based on Bledsoe's vote on the same bill named in the first petition but used far less description, other than his no vote. The other petition used Bledsoe's vote on the Local Government and School District Fiscal Accountability Act of 2011.

Hauler's attorney, Stu Sandler, said Monday his client would be filing recall petitions yet again against Bledsoe. Sandler said the election commission is not performing its duties properly, explaining he believes the commission is voting with partisanship rather than reviewing the information in a nonpartisan manner. 

"This was a ridiculous hearing," Sandler said.

The language used in the petition regarding Bledsoe's vote on the schools issue was approved by the same election commission —earlier this month, Sandler said. He does not represent the petitioner in that case and was not sure of what was argued in the Colbeck case as compared to what was argued in Bledsoe's case. 

Bledsoe is pleased with the commission's decision and believes it was the right outcome. 

"I hope this is the last of it," Bledsoe said. "There are important issues in Lansing and this is an unfortunate distraction."

Sandler, however, said Hauler would file another petition against Bledsoe within the next few days. Should the commission rule in Bledsoe's favor again, Sandler said his client might consider taking action in court regarding the matter. 

Bledsoe said the recall efforts are being made at the Lansing level in a larger political strategy and he believes his is the motivation in his particular case.