FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from Progress Michigan
Friday, July 27, 2012
Contact: Jessica Tramontana, (517) 974-6302, jessica@progressmichigan.org
Email sent with state resources reveals Ouimet’s habit of waste and abuse of tax dollars
LANSING – A partisan political email recently sent from Rep. Mark Ouimet’s official House email account to a constituent is just the latest example of Ouimet’s disregard for ethical standards and the rule of law. In response to a question of whether he would be demanding the resignation of Rep. Jase Bolger as Speaker of the House because of his role in an election fraud scheme, Rep. Ouimet sent an email including the following phrase: “We don’t want to go back to the days of out of control spending and tax increases and that is where my opponent wants to take Michigan.”
“It’s clear that Lansing politicians like Mark Ouimet have the wrong priorities to rebuild Michigan’s economy,” said Zack Pohl, executive director of Progress Michigan. “This is just the latest example of Republicans in Lansing abusing taxpayer resources for personal political gain. Instead of working to strengthen the middle class, Ouimet was campaigning on the taxpayer’s dime. The people of Washtenaw County deserve better.”
When Rep. Ouimet was a Washtenaw County commissioner, he charged county taxpayers $35,000 in mileage and per diem charges, including $225 in one day to attend meetings and a mileage reimbursement to meet with a Lansing lobbyist. According to AnnArbor.com, Washtenaw County changed the per diem policy for commissioners “to put a stop to Ouimet’s excessive spending.”
The email sent on state time to a constituent was published by Eclectablog alongside other responses to the same question sent by House Republican lawmakers to constituents. Rep. Ouimet was the only lawmaker to reference his opponent in the November election.
Following a similar incident last year, Rep. Mark Meadows was reprimanded by the House Business Office and prohibited from sending another newsletter for 60 days. Progress Michigan will be filing an official complaint in the coming days.
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BACKGROUND:
AnnArbor.com: “Republican Mark Ouimet accused of misconduct as 52nd District state House race turns ugly”
YouTube: “Ouimet Should Return $35,000 of Wasted Taxpayer Money”
Eclectablog: “Ouimet uses House email to campaign”
MIRS: “MRP Files Complaint Against Meadows”