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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

More Freman Hendrix and Detroit Charter Commission Shenanigans?


Greektown Casino Representative Freman Hendrix submitted his letter of resignation earlier this month from the Detroit Charter Commission because it would be a conflict of interest to serve the Greektown Casino AND the people of the city of Detroit simultaneously. Now he has called a special meeting of the Detroit Charter Commission for TODAY, August 31, 2010 to vote on his own replacement. If there are gaming laws and conflicts of interest that prevent Freman Hendrix from serving on the Detroit Charter Commission, is it appropriate for him to vote on his replacement? He cannot have it both ways! Either he is IN or he is OUT.

Freman Hendrix has already stated he is a member of the Greektown Casino. He says he is currently the "eyes and ears of Detroit" on the Casino Board.

Commissioner Ken Coleman, an expert in public policy and diligent educator of the citizens, recently posted on Facebook, 'DETROIT CHARTER FACT: "The [Charter] commission may fill a vacancy in its membership."'

So I ask my fellow citizens some very important questions:

  1. If Freman Hendrix is a voting member of the Charter Commission, how is there a vacancy to fill?
  2. If Freman Hendrix submitted a letter of resignation why is he allowed to vote, as a Charter Commissioner, in a special election to replace himself?
  3. Does the Michigan Gaming Control Board, who oversees Freman Hendrix's appointment to the Greektown Casino Board of Directors, approve of Freman Hendrix voting on his "replacement" to serve on the Detroit Charter Commission?
  4. Is this legal?
  5. Is this ethical?

Detroit STAND UP!!!

This is OUR city and if WE don't police it, who will? Contact your Michigan Gaming Control Board Members. Contact your Detroit Charter Commissioners. Contact information is listed below.

Ask them if they approve of Freman Hendrix voting on his own replacement and his continued participation and influence on the Detroit Charter Commission as the commission prepares to rewrite the Constitution of the City of Detroit. Ask them if this is legal and/or ethical. Share the responses you get.

What is the Michigan Gaming Control Board?

http://www.michigan.gov/mgcb

The Michigan Gaming Control Board licenses and regulates the Detroit commercial casinos and their suppliers. The Board also oversees the Michigan Native American casinos.

Michigan Gaming Control Board

3062 West Grand Blvd., L-700

Detroit, MI 48202-6062

Telephone: (313) 456-4100

Fax: (313) 456-4200

Michigan Gaming Control Board Members

MGCB Executive Director Richard Kalm, (313) 456-4100

Appointed on May 10, 2007. Kalm has an extensive background in law enforcement, previously serving as chief of staff for the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office. Prior to becoming chief of staff, he served as deputy sheriff, lieutenant, sergeant, corporal, captain and division commander. Kalm received an associate degree in law enforcement and a bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University. He is also a graduate of the Michigan Leadership Academy and the F.B.I. National Academy in Quantico, Virginia. He is a member of the Southeastern Michigan Chiefs of Police, the Association of Public Safety Communications Officers, the Michigan Antiterrorism Task Force, and the Detroit Chamber of Commerce Tourism Action Group.

Jim Plakas, (313) 456-4100

Appointed by Governor Jennifer Granholm to the Michigan Gaming Control Board. He succeeds Mr. Damian Kassab, who resigned in December of 2009. Jim Plakas’ term will expire on December 31, 2012. Jim Plakas was the mayor of Garden City for 10 years and a member of the Garden City Council for 17 years. He retired from Ford Motor Company where he was a design engineer. Mr. Plakas was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives from District 16 in 2000. Mr. Plakas is a Korean War Veteran and served in the U.S. Army. He received a mechanical engineering degree from Lawrence Technological University. Mr. Plakas currently resides in Garden City with his wife.

Judge Benjamin Friedman, (313) 456-4100

Appointed by Gov. Granholm to replace Roman Gribbs when his term expired. Judge Friedman's term began February 6, 2004, and runs through December 31, 2011. Judge Friedman, a partner of Friedman & Lichterman, P.C., was a judge for the 45B District Court, and resides in Huntington Woods.

Barbara Rom, (313) 456-4100

Appointed to a term expiring December 31, 2011. Rom is a partner of the Detroit Pepper Hamilton, LLP law firm, past-president of the Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association and has been actively involved with numerous groups and committees working on a wide range of legal issues and community service matters. Crain's Detroit Business selected Rom as one of "Detroit's Most Influential Women." She resides in Bloomfield Hills.

Michael J. Watza, (313) 456-4100

Appointed to a term expiring December 31, 2010, is from Northville, MI. Mr. Watza is a partner of Kitch, Druthas, Wagner, Valitutti and Sherwood. He succeeds the Honorable Michael L. Stacey whose term has expired.

Detroit Charter Commission E-mail Addresses

FREMAN HENDRIX, Chair

HendrixF@detroitmi.gov

JENICE MITCHELL FORD, Vice Chair

MitchellFordJ@detroitmi.gov

TEOLA P. HUNTER

HunterT@detroitmi.gov

JOHN JOHNSON

JohnsonJ2@detroitmi.gov

KEN COLEMAN

ColemanK2@detroitmi.gov

ROSE MARY C. ROBINSON

RobinsonRM@detroitmi.gov

CARA J. BLOUNT

BlountC@detroitmi.gov

REGGIE REG DAVIS

DavisRR@detroitmi.gov

KEN HARRIS

HarrisK@detroitmi.gov

Detroit Charter Commission Executive Director

Gregory Hicks

HicksG@detroitmi.gov

Detroit Charter Commission Legal Counsel

Lamont Satchel

Satchel@detroitmi.gov

Yours for Detroit's sake,

Ken R. Whittaker

Detroit IQ Contributor

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Charter Commission Chair Hendrix Resigns

Charter Commission Chair Hendrix Resigns after appointment to the Greektown Casino Board of Directors; Commission seeks qualified replacement.

Freman Hendrix, Chair of the 2009 Detroit Charter Revision Commission, has tendered his letter of resignation, effective September 14, 2010, to Commission Vice Chair Jenice Mitchell Ford. Hendrix, a 30- year veteran of public service, has served the people of Detroit starting as a city assessor and climbing up the ranks to serve as Deputy Mayor in the Archer Administration. Hendrix also ran against former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and later won a seat on the 2009 Charter Revision Commission. Mr. Hendrix’s knowledge of the workings of city government is vast and his knowledge base has served the Commission well.

Hendrix’s letter of resignation indicates, “I strongly believe that the work being done by the Commission is critical to the future of the city of Detroit. However, the Michigan Gaming Control Board has deemed my status as an elected official to be a conflict of interest with my appointment to the Greektown Casino Board of Directors.”

According to the rules of the Commission, Vice Chair Jenice Mitchell Ford will assume the role of Chair. Ford, like Hendrix, has guided the work of the Commission and has publicly endorsed the open and transparent process of the Commission. To date, the Commission has held better than 20 public meetings within geographically diverse areas of Detroit. Each meeting has attracted a cross section of Detroit residents and stakeholders who have voiced their concerns and have made recommendations to the Commission. In assuming the Chair of the Commission, Jenice Mitchell Ford, an attorney with the Detroit based, national law firm of Foley & Lardner LLP, has recommitted the Commission to work with the broad range of stakeholders in Detroit ranging from community block clubs, labor unions, business owners, sororities and fraternities, civic associations, philanthropic foundations and former elected and appointed officials. Chairperson Ford indicates, “The Commission welcomes recommendations on how to craft the best Charter from all metro-Detroiters who, like members of the Commission, want Detroit to be the best Detroit it can be. In this vein, we continue to hold meetings twice a month where we discuss with Detroit stakeholders the best way to put our arms around this challenge. Over the past 8 months, we have had a host of subject matter expert speakers present information on the Charter to educate Detroiters on both the limitations and possibilities presented by a Charter revision. We understand that the Charter revision process is an intense data driven process that will take cooperation, perseverance and time. I invite Detroiters who live and work in our area to join us and make their voice heard.”

With the resignation of Hendrix from the Charter Commission, the Commission, under its rules, has 30 days from the departure of the previous Commissioner to fill the vacancy. Mr. Hendrix’s resignation is effective September 14, 2010 and therefore the Commission has until October 14, 2010 to replace Mr. Hendrix. To be eligible to replace Commissioner Hendrix, the candidate must be a qualified voter of the City of Detroit (city resident and age of majority) and cannot be a current employee of the city of Detroit.

Any qualified candidate can submit information for consideration by the full Commission. The vote of the Commission is final in determining its replacements. To be considered, please submit the following information by 5:00 P.M., Tuesday, August 24, 2010.

(a) A letter of interest addressed to the Commission’s Personnel Committee;
(b) An affidavit indicating your eligibility; and
(c) Your resume and three letters of reference.

The above information can be mailed or delivered to:

2009 Detroit Charter Revision Commission
ATTN: Personnel Committee, C. Blount
Cadillac Tower Building
65 Cadillac Square, Suite 3210
Detroit, Michigan 48226

If you have any questions in connection with this public announcement, please contact Mr. Gregory Hicks at 313.628.2516.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Dr. Laura Schlessinger's n-word rant, Part I

Read Dr. Laura's apology here:


These are my opening comments from my radio program today:


I talk every day about doing the right thing. And yesterday, I did the wrong thing.


I didn't intend to hurt people, but I did. And that makes it the wrong thing to have done.


I was attempting to make a philosophical point, and I articulated the "n" word all the way out - more than one time. And that was wrong. I'll say it again - that was wrong.


I ended up, I'm sure, with many of you losing the point I was trying to make, because you were shocked by the fact that I said the word. I, myself, realized I had made a horrible mistake, and was so upset I could not finish the show. I pulled myself off the air at the end of the hour. I had to finish the hour, because 20 minutes of dead air doesn't work. I am very sorry. And it just won't happen again.


I received some letters, and what touched me is that, even though many of you were upset, you still showed friendship for all the years we've been together on the air, and for that, trust me, I am very grateful. Here's an example:


I'd like to thank this woman for sending me this letter. I was so very touched, and truthfully, it helped me make it through the night. So I'm going to read this letter:


Dear Dr. Laura:
I have been a listener for at least 20 years. I have bought and read several of your books. I have always held you in high regard, and have encouraged others to listen to you as well. I have to say, after today's call with the African-American woman with the Caucasian husband who called seeking how to handle "racist" comments, I am a bit dismayed. I believe that African-Americans using the n-word is disdainful, as well as Caucasians or any other race for that matter. I agree that the argument some African-Americans use that it is ok for them to use it and not others, is ridiculous. But, I have to say, when I heard you saying the word repeatedly, it struck a negative chord with me.


I don't believe you are a racist, and I don't believe, as an African-American woman, that I am hypersensitive. I have to say after the call, I found it difficult to continue to listen to the rest of the show. I have not made the decision to stop listening to your show, but I felt compelled to respond because I found it offensive.


Sincerely {and she gives her name}


One last note -The caller in question (her name is Jade), called for help from me, and didn't get it, because we got embroiled in the "n" word, and I'm really sorry about that, because I'm here for only one reason and that's to be helpful, so I hope Jade or somebody who knows her is listening, and hope she will call me back and I will try my best to be helpful, which is what she wanted from me in the first place and what she did not get.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Body Found In Detroit Street

Body Found In Detroit Street

By Metro News

( Detroit, MI) -- Detroit Police are investigating the discovery of a dead body Monday morning. Investigators have not released many details, however the body was found in the area of Seven Mile Road and Westbrook. It's not known how the victim died and police are looking over a minivan found near the scene.

Monday, August 9, 2010

1,100 missing in China as Asian flood misery rises

By DAVID WIVELL,
Associated Press Writer David Wivell, Associated Press Writer

ZHOUQU, China – Rescuers lifted muddy bodies into trucks, and aid convoys choked the road into the remote Chinese town where hundreds died and more than 1,100 were missing Monday from landslides caused by heavy rain that has flooded swaths of Asia and spread misery to millions.

In Pakistan, the United Nations said the government's estimate of 13.8 million people affected by the country's worst-ever floods exceeded the combined total of three recent megadisasters — the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Rescuers in mountainous Indian-controlled Kashmir raced to rescue dozens of stranded foreign trekkers and find 500 people still missing in flash floods that have killed 140.

In China, the death toll jumped to 337 late Monday after Sunday's landslides in the northwestern province of Gansu — the deadliest incident so far in the country's worst flooding in a decade. A debris-blocked swollen river burst, swamping entire mountain villages in the county seat of Zhouqu and ripping homes from their foundations.

"There were some, but very few, survivors. Most of them are dead, crushed into the earth," said survivor Guo Wentao. Associated Press Television News showed the bodies of his younger brother and sister, wrapped in quilts, being carried away on a stretcher as crying relatives followed.

The government said 1,148 were missing Monday night. About 45,000 were evacuated. It was not known how many of the missing were in danger or simply out of contact as workers rushed to restore communications in the area, where one-third of residents are ethnic Tibetan.

More rain is expected in the region over the next three days, the China Meteorological Administration said. On Monday evening, clouds were building ominously over the mountains where the mud started flowing.

"We were dumbfounded by the enormity of the flood situation when we got to the scene," said Chen Junfeng, a disinfection specialist whose army battalion was the first on the scene Sunday.

Click image to see photos of China flooding aftermath

Asian flood
AP

Photos showed wrapped bodies tied to sticks or placed on planks and left on the shattered streets for pickup. APTN footage showed workers lifting an empty coffin. In many parts of rural China, coffins are bought as insurance for old age.

"We're saving you!" Premier Wen Jiabao shouted into the wreckage, as shown on state broadcaster China Central Television. "Is a child still down there? Take good care of the child!"
Hoping to prevent further disasters, demolitions experts set off charges to clear debris blocking the Bailong River upstream from the ravaged Zhouqu. The blockage had formed a 2-mile (3-kilometer)-long artificial lake on the river that overflowed before dawn Sunday, sending deadly torrents crashing down onto the town.

Flooding in China has killed more than 1,100 people this year and caused tens of billions of dollars in damage across 28 provinces and regions.

In Pakistan, two weeks of flooding have killed 1,500.

"It looks like the number of people affected in this crisis is higher than the Haiti earthquake, the tsunami or the Pakistan earthquake, and if the toll is as high as the one given by the government, it's higher than the three of them combined," Maurizio Giuliano, spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told The Associated Press.

The U.N. estimates that 13.8 million people have been affected by the Pakistan flooding — over 2 million more than the other disasters combined. The figures include people who need short-term or long-term aid.

Rescue workers have been unable to reach up to 600,000 people marooned in the northwestern Swat Valley, where many residents were still trying to recover from an intense battle between the army and the Taliban last spring, Giuliano said.

"The magnitude of the tragedy is so immense that it is hard to assess," said Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during a visit to the central Pakistani city of Multan.
Heavy rains continued. Rising national anger has been directed at an already unpopular government that has deployed thousands of soldiers for aid but has been overwhelmed itself.
Manzoor Ahmed, 25, was one of thousands of people who fled their homes in Sindh province in the south.

"It would have been better if we had died in the floods as our current miserable life is much more painful," said Ahmed, who spent the night shivering in the rain.

Thousands of Pakistanis in the neighboring districts of Shikarpur and Sukkur camped out on roads, bridges and railway tracks — any dry ground they could find.

"I have no utensils. I have no food for my children. I have no money," said Hora Mai, 40, sitting on a rain-soaked road in Sukkur along with hundreds of other people. "We were able to escape the floodwaters, but hunger may kill us."

A senior government official in Sukkur, Inamullah Dhareejo, said authorities were working to set up relief camps.

But an Associated Press reporter who traveled widely through the worst-hit areas in Sindh over the past three days saw no sign of relief camps or government assistance.
Meanwhile, the death toll from flash floods in the remote desert mountainsides in Indian-controlled Kashmir rose to 140 with the recovery of eight more bodies overnight, police said Monday. The dead included five foreigners, but their nationalities were not immediately known. An estimated 500 more people were missing.

Further east, thousands of army, police and paramilitary soldiers continued clearing roads to reach isolated villages in the Ladakh region cut off by Friday's powerful thunderstorms.
By late afternoon on Monday, the roads leading to the worst affected village, Choglamsar, had been cleared and rescue teams looked for survivors among the flattened buildings, army spokesman Lt. Col. J.S. Brar said.

On Monday, Indian air force helicopters evacuated 80 stranded foreign tourists from Zanaskar, a popular trekking area. Those rescued included British, French, Dutch and Germans, an army statement said.

At least 33 of the missing include Indian army soldiers from a remote base who may have been washed into Pakistan-controlled Kashmir in the fast flowing Indus river, said Brig. S. Chawla, a senior official in Indian Kashmir.

He said Indian officials had informed their Pakistani counterparts to help verify those reports.
In North Korea, some 10,000 people were sheltering in public buildings in the border city of Sinuiju near China due to flooding, the Red Cross said Monday. Flash floods destroyed thousands of homes across the impoverished country, and the Amnok River had recorded its highest water level in 15 years, Red Cross said.

___
Associated Press writers Ashraf Khan in Sukkur, Pakistan, Aijaz Hussain in Indian-controlled Kashmir and Jean H. Lee in Seoul contributed to this report.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Spencer Abraham endorses Mike Bouchard for Governor

Friends,

I am honored to announce that former United States Senator and Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham has endorsed my campaign for governor. The momentum just keeps building. This week our internal polling continues to show us in a close first place and last week we rolled out the endorsements of a large number of Tea Party leaders from across the state.


Please make sure you spread the word and get your friends, family and everyone you know to vote tomorrow. This race is incredibly close and your vote is imperative to making sure we win.


Mike Bouchard
Click here for the full article on the endorsement from Spencer Abraham.

Desperate Cox Campaign Knowingly Distorts Rick Snyder's Record To Voters Through "Anonymous" Automated Phone Calls

Ann Arbor, MI – Tens of thousands of voters have been receiving shameful, automated calls from an "anonymous" source on behalf of Mike Cox's campaign and his allies. These calls distort Rick's record at Gateway with egregious claims like "corporate greed," "corruption" and attack his integrity. Other automated calls mislead voters about Rick's pro-life stance and tout Mike Cox's record. These misleading phone calls are being used to drive down turnout and turn voters away from the only job creator in the race.

"As only a desperate career politician would, Mike Cox and his allies are using every tactic possible to mislead voters with outright lies, maliciously distorting Rick's record," said campaign spokesman Jake Suski. "This is just another case of Lansing's politics as usual. Mike Cox has a long, well-publicized difficulty with honesty and transparency. Despite the glaring shortcomings of his candidacy, our campaign has always focused on our 'Reinvent Michigan' message - not false, baseless attacks.

"The focus on this election should be Michigan's economy and who is best prepared to create jobs and put the state on a path to long-term prosperity. Voters are looking for a governor equipped to handle the difficult challenges facing our state, not one who cares more about politics as usual. Our next governor must be able to work in a bipartisan manner to solve these issues. Divisive, mud-slinging politics are not helping Michiganders' solve their problems," concluded Suski.
"Rick is a pro-life and pro-family candidate. He's a strong conservative candidate with integrity and he values the sanctity of life. Attempts to say otherwise are factually incorrect attacks perpetrated by overzealous competition who will say and do anything to win," said Dr. Jerry Zandstra, President of the Michigan Pro-Life Federation. "Rick Snyder is the best equipped candidate to address Michigan's economic crisis. He has had an extremely successful career, including growing Gateway computers from a small company with 700 employees to a Fortune 500 with 10,000 employees. He has done our state a service, creating innovative startup companies here at home and across the country which have created thousands of jobs. He's the only candidate who can claim this job creation and he's the only candidate with a clear plan to turn around Michigan's economy."

Just two days ago, the Rick for Michigan Campaign released a new website, www.TruthforMichigan.com to address each unsubstantiated attack launched against Rick's exemplary record.

The following contains the lies perpetrated against Rick and includes the facts which clearly refute them:

THE LIE: " Rick Snyder outsourced thousands of jobs overseas while he was at Gateway. "
THE FACTS: Rick's record clearly shows that as an executive, his leadership helped Gateway create over 9,000 jobs in the U.S. The allegation that Rick was responsible for mass layoffs and outsourcing during his time at Gateway is false. This type of attack is just an attempt to distract people from the job creation and economic development efforts Rick has been leading in Michigan.

Rick joined the leadership team at Gateway as employee #763 and took over much of the day-to-day management as Executive Vice-President in 1991. At the end of that year, there were approximately 1,100 employees. (Joshua Hyatt, "Betting the Farm, Profile of Gateway 2000, the #1 Inc. 500," Inc. Magazine, 12/01)

In 1996, Rick was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer because according to Gateway founder, Ted Waitt, "his leadership has become one of our greatest assets and as president, he will be in a position to utilize his talents to direct the continued growth and operational efficiencies of the organization." (Gateway 2000, Inc., "Gateway 2000 names Rick Snyder President/COO," Press Release, 1/29/1996)

Rick left his day-to-day management role at Gateway in 1997 to return to Michigan to start a venture capital fund and focus on growing innovative startup companies. At that time, Gateway had grown to 13,300 employees, with 10,600 in the U.S., and was expanding its operations globally, focusing on Europe, Asia and North America. (Gateway annual 10-K report, SEC filing, 1997)

In 2001, four years after Rick had left the day-to-day operations and returned to Michigan, Gateway found it necessary to restructure as it "struggled for profitability" due to the tech meltdown. Gateway's management chose to transition from a manufacturing to a wholesale business model, which led to an increased dependence on external suppliers. (Tom Krazit, "Cost Pressures Force Gateway To Cut Jobs," Computer Weekly, 9/04/04)

Rick was opposed to the over reliance on third party suppliers, particularly those that had workers overseas. In 2006 Rick was asked to return to day-to-day management as interim-CEO to help save the company. After assuming his role in management, he returned all the technical and customer support for customers in the U.S. and Canada back to North America, in the process creating approximately 130 jobs in the United States (Tom Krazit and Dawn Kawamoto, "Gateway Takes Support to the Heartland," CNET News, 7/13/06)

During his six-month tenure as interim-CEO, Rick opened the first manufacturing plant in the U.S. since prior management had changed Gateway's business model. Rick cited the "very capable workforce" in Tennessee as the reason for opening the plant in May of 2006. The plant created over one hundred American jobs. ("Gateway to build new plant in Nashville, Tenn.," Associated Press, 5/17/06)

Rick repeatedly spoke publicly about the importance of bringing jobs back to America:
"We think it's appropriate that Gateway people should be handling these calls ourselves," Rick Snyder, chairman and interim CEO of Gateway, said in an interview after the company's announcement. Handling more support internally allows the company's engineers to get a better feel for customer complaints, which will hopefully reduce costs over the long run through better product quality and stronger loyalty, he said. ( "Gateway Takes Support to the Heartland," CNET News, 7/13/06)

"In a return to our roots, Gateway is once again taking an innovative approach to customer service and differentiating itself from the competition with a common sense strategy that will meet customer demands," said Rick Snyder, Gateway's chairman and interim chief executive officer. "While our competitors continue to go off-shore to save service costs, Gateway is renewing its commitment to quality through investment in experienced, well-trained and dedicated support agents." ("Gateway Selects North Sioux City, South Dakota, as Home for New Best Practices," Gateway Press Release, 7/13/06)

THE LIE: " Snyder accepted a golden parachute. "
THE FACTS: Rick's leadership helped Gateway grow from a $600 million private business to a $6 billion dollar a year Fortune 500 company. His compensation as an executive at Gateway was average for that of a Fortune 500 executive. Rick never received a golden parachute. Rick always exercised his stock options in a responsible, legal, and ethical manner.
SEC records show that in accordance with the Company's 2000 Equity Incentive Plan, Gateway paid Rick an annual salary of $500,000 with non-qualified stock options for 600,000 shares, to serve as the interim CEO during the search for a permanent replacement. Rick's salary was pro-rated based on his time in the position. His options for 600,000 shares were never exercised. (Official Gateway Offer of Employment, SEC filing , 2006).

Rick's annual salary was lower than the $720,000 base salary of Wayne Inouye, and the $650,000 base salary of J. Edward Coleman, his predecessor and successor as Gateway CEO. ("Gateway Names a New Chief Executive," NY Times , 9/8/06).

THE LIE: " Rick didn't do his job on Gateway's audit committee while there were SEC investigations, DOJ investigations on misstated earnings in 1999, 2000 and 2001. "
THE FACTS: It was not the audit committee's responsibility to do the job of the internal auditors. As soon as the audit committee discovered that there had been misstated earnings, they swiftly brought in new management.

When the board discovered that management had misstated earnings, they immediately replaced the responsible executives two years before the press discovered the misstated earnings. ("Former Gateway Execs Accused of Financial Shenanigans," USA Today, 11/14/03)
The Charter of the Audit Committee clearly states that "The Committee's job is one of oversight and it recognizes that the Company's management is responsible for preparing the Company's financial statements and that the outside auditors are responsible for auditing those financial statements. Additionally, the Committee recognizes that management, as well as the outside auditors, have more time, knowledge and detailed information about the Company than do the Committee members; consequently, in carrying out its oversight responsibilities, the Committee is not providing any expertise or special assurance as to the Company's financial statements or any professional certification as to the outside auditors' work." ("Gateway Audit Committee Charter")

THE LIE: " Rick Snyder was responsible for questionable accounting practices at Gateway and he engaged in insider trading. "
THE FACTS: Rick Snyder never engaged in insider trading. In fact, while he was involved with Gateway, he sold his stocks in a regular, responsible and ethical manner. As a member of the board, when he became aware that management had misstated earnings, he immediately took swift and proper action to correct the mistake and replace the responsible parties.
When the board discovered that management had misstated earnings, they took swift action to bring in new management. "Weitzen, a former AT&T executive, and six top executives were forced out of Gateway in early 2001." The dismissal of these senior executives occurred two years prior to any press reports about the misstated earnings, which first appeared in 2003. Rick had left the management team in 1997 three years before any of these incidents occurred. ("Former Gateway execs accused of financial shenanigans," USA Today, 11/14/03)

Gateway, like any other publicly traded company, faced countless meritless lawsuits from shareholders. Frequently, the litigious trial lawyers behind these suits add the names of board members to the suits, in order to expedite settlement negotiations. Neither Rick, nor any other board member, was found liable for any wrongdoing. Rick was not named as a party in the stipulation that settled the case.

Rick exercised his stock options on a regular basis. He exercised the majority of them in order to diversify his portfolio and to invest in his venture capital efforts in Michigan. He exercised twice as many options in 1999 than he did in 2000 and exercised a similar number of options in the preceding years:

1995 334

1996 160

1997 160

1998 340

1999 800

2000 375

2001 5

All figures are 000's

THE LIE: " Rick is pro-choice "
THE FACTS: Rick has taken a firm position of being pro-life from day one. He values the sanctity of human life and he believes that human life begins at the point of conception. He opposes abortions that are not vital to the life of the mother or in cases of incest and rape.
The following op-eds affirming Rick's pro-life stance were featured in the Grand Rapids Press:

Rick Snyder Says Good Economy Will Reduce Abortions
Rick Snyder: Economic Recovery Critical To State's Social Fabric