Zoom in to the Real Attorney General Dana Nessel

[XLFD]

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel was the featured speaker at a Midland public forum on the topic of government transparency in October 2019, a mere half year ago.  Nessel was frank regarding her disappointment with Michigan's lack of transparency on a government level, which, according to a 2015 study by the Center for Public Integrity and Global Integrity, ranked Michigan the lowest among all other states in the nation in terms of transparency under open records laws.  They have done nothing since to lose that ignominious title.

 

"I am a big fan of government transparency.  That commitment to transparency is why I am here today -- I believe in it, and I also believe in promoting it. So do many others, but unfortunately, at this point, not enough.  When our government keeps its residents from knowing what happens behind closed doors, that is when democracies die.  Without FOIA (the Freedom of Information Act) and OMA (the Open Meetings Act) -- I don't mean to be overly dramatic -- I feel like that's the end of the America that we know and love."

Nessel responded to a question concerned about troubled major cities that had bad records of transparency:  "You have every right to be concerned about what your government is doing -- I'm concerned about what the government is doing, and that's why I'm here today.  We don't have actors in some critical offices that are promoting transparency. My office is as transparent as we possibly can be, and I'm committed to doing that for the rest of the time that I have in office."

In that same month, she spoke in Alpena and Wayne State University delivering the same message.  Nessel said she is limited in what she can do with transparency reform.  “All I can do is go around the state and scream and yell about it.”

March 2020, COVID-19 hysteria makes Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issue two executive orders dealing with FOIA and OMA, both inarguably make state and local government less transparent as they extend response deadlines dramatically and effectively shut the door to public meetings on citizens without internet/smartphone access.  Not a peep out of AG Dana Nessel has been heard.  

Now that some of these on-line public meetings have taken place, AG Nessel has finally made herself yell and scream again-- by threatening to criminally prosecute those citizens who exercise their First Amendment rights at these supposedly open meetings.  

The Kalamazoo City Commission using a Zoom platform called "KZoom" was besieged by an array of anonymous public commenters at a recent meeting who effectively trolled the session, reportedly using pranks, profanity, pornography, and racial slurs for their amusement.  The council was not amused at the antics and words of these 'Zoombombers' so they cut off comments.  

Earlier in April, the Grosse Ile Township Board of Trustees cut a Zoom meeting short after its public comment period was derailed by racist and sexual remarks.  "Should I avoid Chinese people?" the first public commenter asked, he was cut off.  The second man mentioned Asian massage parlors, and he was cut him off too.  After the third offered his name as "Dan Dickhead," they ended public comment and called the meeting to a close.

Grand Rapids met virtually on April 7th for a meeting of the whole/work session but allowed for no public comment period, which is a violation of the OMA and even Whitmer's OMA-lite.  Nessel has not made any comment regarding that transgression, though an underling has said without threatening to back it up:  “This body met. It met as a public meeting and it should have ensured that every element of a public meeting was adhered to, including public comment."

In each of these meetings, the public bodies did not follow the OMA, and while one could criticize the public for pranks and breaches of protocol, they did not violate the law like the public officials did in muting their voices.  Why is Attorney General Dana Nessel, self-professed champion of the OMA in 2019, wanting to take away your rights to speak and be heard at these virtual meetings?  To appease her lawbreaking peers that she isn't charging, while making you out to be the bad seeds for expressing yourself in a manner that some may deem inappropriate or insensitive.

Nessel took notice early April after a reporter inquired about a Detroit activist news conference on water access amid the pandemic was interrupted by racial slurs and pornographic posts.  "Such conduct could result in criminal charges, including prosecution under Michigan statutes prohibiting the malicious use of electronics communication and fraudulent access of a computer network."

She was joined by Federal attorney Matthew Schneider who added from a prepared statement:  “You think Zoombombing is funny? Let’s see how funny it is after you get arrested.  If you interfere with a teleconference or public meeting in Michigan, you could have federal, state, or local law enforcement knocking at your door.”

Nessel will not only use state statutes that are ill-equipped to handle Constitutionally-protected expressions at public meetings, she'll have her federal counterparts threaten you with sending the FBI to your door to enforce state law.  Wow, what a public conversation starter, NOT.

At the first virtual meeting of the Ludington City Council, City Manager Mitch Foster noted the two statutes AG Nessel wants to use to imprison you for your speech, MCR 750.540 and MCL 752.797.

If you read those statutes, the first one issues criminal penalties for three other sections of law, neither of which can reasonably be said to have been broken by using the public comment period in unproductive, profane, or pranking ways.  The second one would also be misapplied to what has gone on at these virtual meetings, and potentially have you facing a felony.  

What happens if one goes to one of these virtual meetings and says the police chief is not doing their job?  What if one gives a pseudonym that somebody objects to?  What if one refers to "Chinese virus", "illegal aliens" or some other politically-sensitive term deemed inappropriate by an official?  What if one is cut off in the midst of criticizing the public policy of their local city hall because some official objects to a metaphor or tone of voice?

Will transparency-loving Dana Nessel and her threat-filled fed friends come knocking on the door with a warrant for two felonies, felonies that would never have existed if the conduct was performed at an in-person meeting?  These electronic public meetings should be avoided and protested against, just like the deceitful and duplicitous attorney general who has failed to live up to her own rhetoric.

[Willy]

She and Whitmer are Obama clones. They are part of the new Democrat Communist Party. If they could tear up the Constitution and take your freedom they would in a heartbeat.  As is the current case in Michigan right now. She backs Whitmer in all of this elimination of our freedom.  She is also and open borders advocate. I tried to find information backing up some of my claims but being Democrats all the negative anti American ideals she holds have been removed from most of the internet. During her election speech Nessel, who is a lesbian, kissed her wife while on camera. In my travels I have found that militant gays are far more bent on revenge than fairness. They feel they were discriminated against, so much of their time is consumed with getting even, especially with men. She does not and will not properly represent straight people especially those with penises.

[Willy]

Nessel approves of arresting protesters for not following social distancing. This is what we would expect from Communists Russia or China but not here in America. She and her ilk will happily ignore the Constitution and take away our freedoms. This is dangerous thinking.

[Willy]

Using Michigan citizens tax dollars, Nessal filed a lawsuit trying to stop Trump from building the border wall. She wants open borders. Think twice before voting for her when she runs for reelection.

[Willy]

Even after the courts ruled Obama care unconstituional Nessel stepped in and is fighting the ruling. So much for her defending the Consitution.

[Willy]

Nessel wants police to enforce Covid19 martial law. From Russia with love. She's dangerous

[XLFD]

I'm getting the impression that you're not fond of the Nesselmeister, Willy, but you have valid reasons so more power to you.

If we didn't have the governor and AG so spiritually intertwined with their leftist ideologies, all of those ambiguous, arbitrary and capricious executive orders coming from Lansing might have some semblance of credibility in mitigating the virus issue.  Instead they cripple the FOIA and OMA, sneak in a contract with Democratic operatives to do contact tracing without following the rules, and remain deaf to the voices of the public and blind to the words of the Constitutions of the state and country.  People are dying because they can't get life-sustaining medical care claimed 'elective', abortions are allowed to continue unabated and these two losers look at us smugly, threaten us with imprisonment for doing yardwork or riding a motorcycle and think they are doing something special for our health and safety.

[Willy]

It's amazing that Nessel will not follow the law when she doesn't agree with it but she will have you arrested for not following the idiotic social distancing regulations.

[Willy]

She speaks like she represents the Kremlin. "we allow you to stay open because it's our decison, not yours"  "We are in control and you will do as you are told or else". Thanks for those words Chairwoman Mao.