This Week in Progress
Terri Lynn Land’s non-profit just can’t seem to stay out of trouble. Oh, and we’re suing the MDOC.
This Week in PM Blogging:
Rick Snyder likes to pretend that, even though we still lag behind other states, that we’re on the “road to recovery” despite how people really feel. Here’s the bottom line: When compared to the rest of the nation, Rick Snyder has failed.
Progress Michigan vs. MDOC
You read that right, we’re suing the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Last week, we released an email chain between the head of the MDOC, Daniel Heyns and Gov. Rick Snyder’s chief of staff, Dennis Muchmore, that showed the Snyder administration had pressured the department to cancel a $98,000 fine against out-of-state corporation, Aramark, which has been providing food services in Michigan’s state prisons since December.
The email included a redacted section that was later released by the Department of Corrections. The redacted portion was an email from Muchmore to Heyns that read, “Do we need to get drink.” Redacting this section was illegal and we believe it provides justification for requesting the other emails be released.
We’ll keep you posted when we have updates. MDOC has been served and they now have less than 20 days to respond, after which time a judge will set a hearing.
If you’d like up-to-date notifications on our FOIA fight, text FOIA to 30644 and we’ll keep you in the loop. It’s time for Gov. Rick Snyder to do the right thing for once and fire Aramark.
The Family Charity
A non-profit charity ran by Terri Lynn Land and her family has been coming under fire over the past couple of days.
The group, World Mission, is an evangelical Christian organization that reportedly views other religions as “obstacles” to its mission.
“How does she expect to represent Michigan’s diverse communities in Washington when she and her family are getting tax breaks to promote intolerance around the world?” questioned Michigan Muslim Democratic Caucus Chair Dr. Shahid Tahir. “Ms. Land’s silence about her personal contributions and tax breaks to this divisive charity are unacceptable and wrong. We believe that Michiganders deserve to hear an explanation.”
Land’s campaign has said Terri has nothing to do with the charity, and yet her husband is the one that signs the group’s tax returns. Land’s campaign is taking the same tone as when Terri was questioned about her work with Land & Co. — that, too, she had nothing to do with and yet the company was still paying her. Weird how that works, isn’t it?
If that wasn’t enough for Terri Lynn Land and World Mission, news broke today by Between the Lines reported that that same charity had Terri Lynn Land for Senate campaign signs in their doorway with a sign that urged people to take one.
The problem is that World Mission is a non-profit and is not allowed to endorse political candidates, which could land Land and her family’s non-profit in some trouble.
“World Mission Thrift is an assumed name for World Mission, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Using its facilities to promote a political candidate is a clear violation of its tax status as a charitable organization,” said Rich Robinson of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. “It’s like a church endorsing a political candidate. Charitable organizations are subsidized by taxpayers because contributions to them are tax deductible. They are not allowed to endorse political candidates.”
Progressive Reads:
A Shocking Number Of Americans Don’t Know Basic Facts About The US Government
Canceled Aramark fine questioned by state panel member
Aramark prison food contract sparks debate in Michigan Legislature