This “week in review”, Michigan Radio’s Weekend Edition host Rina Miller and political analyst Jack Lessenberry discuss proposed gun laws in Michigan, who might replace former Supreme Court Justice Diane Hathaway, and the new hiring rules for emergency financial managers in the state.
There are thee gun bills moving through the legislature.
Lessenberry says, “One, probably the least controversial, would bring Michigan gun control law into conformity with federal law. But then there is one that is almost directly opposite to that which affirms that federal gun control law doesn’t apply to any guns or ammunition manufactured in Michigan. . . The final bill would remove certain information about gun control from freedom of information act requests.”
Diane Hathaway officially resigned this week from the Michigan Supreme Court. She is expected to be in a federal courtroom next week to face a bank fraud charge. Miller wondered who is expected to replace her.
“The main names you are hearing are Coleen O’Brien who was a republican candidate for the Supreme Court last November. She finished dead last among all the major party candidates,” Lessenberry says.
Lessenberry also says Kirsten Frank Kelly who is a republican justice is also a consideration.
Miller and Lessenberry also discuss how The Treasury Department is inserting language in future contracts that says emergency financial manager appointees cannot engage in other employment, unless approved. This comes after Flint’s emergency manager resigned after it was discovered he had a second full time job as the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department security director.
