That was the message when Benton Harbor City Commissioner Marcus Muhammad and
his supporters held an August 18 press conference in front of the Berrien County Courthouse.
They spoke out against Berrien County Clerk Sharon Tyler's decision to appeal a recent
court ruling that put the recall of Benton Harbor Mayor James Hightower on the Nov. 4,
2014 ballot.
"It's not about a candidate or a candidacy," Muhammad said shortly before the press conference. "It's about democracy and the people's right to choose, because their voice is their choice."
City voters will choose between the Whirlpool puppet Hightower and Commissioner Muhammad for mayor, if Tyler's appeal is unsuccessful. Tyler is appealing the decision on
an emergency basis to the Michigan Court of Appeals. Tyler hired two of the largest Law firms in the country, Miller Canfield and Paddock and Dykema, Gossett PLLC with money from the citizens of Berrien County.
She also requested $20,000.00 from the citizens Berrien County.
Puppet mayor James Hightower's term ends Dec.31, 2014. Commissioner Trenton Bowen
stated, "The mayor said he was ready in May and Commissioner Muhammad is ready, so I do not see what the hold up is. Let the people vote."
The initial recall election scheduled for May 6 was cancelled at the request of the clerk and Whirlpool Corporation. The puppet mayor was losing the election by a landslide, according to inside information on absentee ballot results. The clerk then filed a lawsuit against herself to stop the election.
After a one day trial, Judge John Dewane ordered that the recall election be put on the Nov. 4 ballot. He said the county clerk's practice of throwing out both signatures, if a person signed a petition twice, violated the First Amendment. The judge was on point.
Former Benton Harbor Mayor Wilce Cooke said Tyler initially approved the petitions so a recall election could be held. Then she questioned her own decision and so we have another mess in Berrien County.
Tyler gave the original petitions to the sheriff's dept. without a warrant, subpoena, or judge's order. She contaminated the investigation and may have altered the dates on the petitions. Her hands are deep in mud and she's not to be trusted.
-- for filing a lawsuit against herself to stop the recall election on May 6, 2014.
-- for allowing the sheriff to remove the original recall petitions from her office without a warrant, subpoena, or judge's order.
-- for requesting $20,000.00 dollars of Berrien County citizens to appeal Judge DeWane's decision to place the recall election on the Nov. 4, 2014 ballot.
Sharon Tyler is a former State Representative in the 78th District. She must go. Join me in recalling Sharon Tyler. She is another official controlled by the Whirlpool corporation.
Call me: 269-925-0001
