Bill Schuette, currently the Michigan Attorney General and front-runner in the Michigan 2018 Governor primary, recently tweeted:  “I am the only candidate for the Republican nomination with a plan to make Lansing and state government more accountable.  Taxpayers should get the most transparent government possible.”

Shortly after announcing his candidacy in 2017, Schuette wrote an op/ed in the Detroit News called Make Lansing Transparent in which he offered four ways that Michigan government could improve its last-in-the-nation grade of public integrity.   One was the typical call for 1) a part-time legislator, another was for 2) updating the FOIA, offering a rosy picture.     The other two were for candidates for state office providing 3) financial disclosures and 4) income tax returns to the public.

Yet, Schuette has shown that he has no compulsion to actually push for these aspects of transparency, in fact, he often seems to work against it.  As noted a year ago, Schuette put up roadblocks to make other Governor candidate Brian Calley's (currently Lieutenant Governor) push to get the part-time legislature measure in front of the voters.  Potentially politically-motivated Schuette raised objection to a less restrictive measure than was currently used back in 2014, likely doing so in order to stop the 2017 effort which was much better funded and organized.  

As for strengthening the FOIA, Schuette's past acts betray his campaign position.  His AG Opinion 7300 infamously advised Michigan public bodies that  "FOIA does not impose a specific time by which a public body must fulfill a request for public records that it has granted. Instead, the public body is guided by, but is not bound by, the “best efforts estimate” the public body must provide in its response…".   Effectively, Schuette wants the public to trust a public body to fulfill granted requests when they have enough manpower to work on it; this has enabled the Detroit PD to stonewall what would seem a modest request other PD's handled without problem by saying it would take them 3120 business days to compile.

If that interpretation by Schuette wasn't bad enough, Schuette and his minions at the Attorney General's Office have been sued for violating FOIA, after a watchdog group noticed that Schuette and his top staff had been conducting public business over private E-mail accounts, a similar problem to what Hillary Clinton had.  Despite the fact that there was tangible proof that these emails existed, Schuette’s department refused to comply with requests for other violations of this basic security and transparency protocol.  

While I have never asked the MI AG for public records myself, I have found that when I filed a lawsuit against the Michigan State Police for FOIA violations, Schuette's lawyers were rather ruthless and cavalier in defending the MSP.  Even when they were attacking the very tenets and civil rights that their boss spotlights in his FOIA Handbook.

Rounding out the hypocrisy is the recent revelations made by his competitor.  Schuette denied accusations he secretly runs a real estate empire with nearly $40 million worth of luxury properties in the Virgin Islands when confronted by Lt. Governor Brian Calley about the issue at a candidate forum on May 10, but records reveals that Schuette is not telling the truth.

Schuette told Jonathon Oosting of the Detroit News "I have no idea what he’s talking about” after Calley made the bombshell accusations at a Michigan Press Association gubernatorial forum featuring candidates from both parties.  Schuette also said that "all my assets are in a blind trust," calling Calley's claims "false" and "pathetic."

That's how a career swamp creature like Bill Schuette handles the truth.  West Michigan Politics has revealed multiple documents signed by Schuette along with his top aides.  Documents reveal Schuette's company, Vircom LLC, partnering with Doan Estates, an LLC run by Jeffrey Doan, son of deceased Dow Chemical executive Harry Doan. (Schuette has extensive ties to Dow.)  Another company with an unknown owner, Regency Development LLC of Delaware, is also a partner with Schuette and Doan.  

The records and revelations directly contradict Schuette's claim that he has placed all of his assets in a blind trust. One of his top campaign leaders, John Sellek, reiterated that promise just two months ago.  Schuette released his tax return, filed jointly with his wife Cynthia. They reported an adjusted gross income of $375,466.  Schuette did not report any income earned outside what is reported in his tax return. Schuette did not disclose any assets he may have. Spokesman John Sellek wrote in an email that Schuette has placed his assets in a blind trust “to avoid even an appearance of conflicts of interest.”

His fellow employees have also helped him with his real estate ventures.  Andrea Bitely revealed to Detroit outlets that she was on the clock when she and fellow employee Dulce Cardenas witnessed one of his real estate transactions.  This is recently breaking news, and may develop into an even bigger scandal showing deceit and foul play by the Attorney General.  Hypocrisy and ethical violations that should lead one to wonder whether he has the scruples to lead that organization, let alone the state that really needs a leader devoted to getting the state more transparent.

Whatever further investigation reveals, it seems rather clear that Bill "Shady" Schuette lacks the element of good moral character needed by the leader of Michigan in conducting communications and business outside of the public view, and lying about it.  

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Thanks for enlightening and exposing Schutte a bit.  Had no idea of his assets in the Virgin Islands.  He is definitely a long-time swamp politician with ties to the rich and mighty in Dow.  Why doesn't he just retire to the islands and let someone clean up Michigan's lack of transparency.

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