April 11, 2011
LANSING
- Michigan
Attorney
General
Bill Schuette marked his first 100 days in office by reviewing his office's
accomplishments, particularly in the areas of public safety and public
integrity. Schuette, who took office January 1st, has made the
protection of public safety his number one priority. The Attorney General also
pledges to defend the Constitution and make Michigan a place where job creators
can thrive.
"Last fall, Michigan citizens sent a new team to Lansing to
ensure state government is working for them and doing it in the most efficient
way possible," said Schuette. "I am proud to say that with the help of the
hard-working people of the Attorney General's office, we have hit the ground
running and will continue to do so."
Schuette highlighted the following key issues:
·
Fighting early release of dangerous criminals:
Schuette has led the fight against the early release of dangerous criminals from
state prisons. His office implemented a policy of supporting county prosecutors
in court to fight decisions by the state parole board to release prisoners that
are a threat to families.
· 41
Public Corruption Charges:
Upon taking office, Schuette announced the creation of the Public Integrity Unit
(PIU). The PIU is the result of a reorganization of existing office staff to
place a greater emphasis on prosecuting public corruption. Since then, 41
criminal charges have been filed against individuals holding public positions,
including state and local government officials.
· Obamacare:
Attorney General Schuette's lawsuit against President Obama's health care law
was upheld in the U.S. District Court in Florida, where a judge ruled that the
so-called "individual mandate" portion of the law, which requires citizens to
buy health insurance or face a fine, is unconstitutional. The case continues on
a track toward the U.S. Supreme Court.
· Tightening
The Medical Marijuana Law:
Schuette has made it a priority to assist county prosecutors
seeking to stop those committing criminal activity under a law that was meant to
help those with debilitating diseases. This has included filing amicus briefs
in court in cases involving driving a car after smoking marijuana and the
legality of so-called marijuana dispensaries.
· Saving
$60 Million On Healthcare:
The Attorney General's office opposed a request by Blue Cross Blue Shield to
raise health insurance rates on those who buy their own insurance, resulting in
$60 million in savings after the proposed increase was slashed by up to 60%.
· Great
Lakes Protection:
With the support of Michigan sportsmen's groups and leading environmental
organizations, Schuette renewed Michigan's lawsuit against the federal
government seeking to protect the Great Lakes from an invasion of Asian carp.
The AG's lawsuit calls for cutting the length of a study on separating the
Mississippi River basin from the Great Lakes basin from five years to 18-months,
and asking that shipping locks in Chicago canals be closed in the interim. Schuette
also settled a lawsuit against the Environmental Protection Agency that resulted
in stricter regulations for ocean-going ships that dump water into the Great
Lakes containing invasive species.
· Consumer
Protection:
The Attorney General's office continued its tradition of protecting Michigan
consumers in many ways, including the creation of an online database where any
citizen can research a charity before making a contribution with their
hard-earned money. (www.michigan.gov/AGCharitySearch)
Schuette also brought statewide attention to the "Grandparents Scam" currently
being used to trick grandparents into wiring thousands of dollars to people who
claim to be grandchildren in distress but are instead criminals looking to steal
from our most vulnerable.
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