Conyers to Hold Forum on Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law

U.S. Represenaive
John Conyers, Jr.

(DETROIT) – House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-M14) will host a Democratic Judiciaryforum concerning the legal implications of the Emergency Manager Law.  The forum will start at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February, 21, 2012 and will be held at Soul Harvest Ministries in Highland Park.

Currently, there are six emergency managers in place under the Michigan Emergency Law (Benton Harbor, Ecorse, Flint, Pontiac, Detroit Public Schools, Highland Park School District) and a review for an appointment is ongoing with respect to the cities of Detroit and Muskegon Heights.  Due to the controversial nature of the law, several lawsuits have been brought challenging its constitutionality, and a petition drive is pending which would suspend the law subject to a statewide referendum in November.  At the same time, other states such as Indiana are considering adopting emergency manager laws similar to Michigan’s statute. This forum will consider a range of issues, including the EM law’s possible impact on voting rights, representative form of government, and the right to contract; as well as the legality and appropriateness of effort in Lansing to reinstate the law notwithstanding the referendum process.  Witnesses will include preeminent constitutional, voting rights, and bankruptcy legal experts as well as representatives of impacted communities, safety officials, and unions.

In December, Representative Conyers wrote the U.S. Department of Justice to ask the Attorney General to review the law’s constitutionality.  That same month, Representative Conyers along with Representatives Clarke and Peters, 55 State Legislators (9 State Senators and 46 State Representatives) and 8 Detroit City Council Members, wrote a letter requesting a meeting with Governor Snyder to discuss the Emergency Manager Law. 

WHAT:                 Forum to Discuss the Legal Implications of Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law

WHERE:               Soul Harvest Ministries

16300 Woodward Avenue

Highland Park, MI, 48288

               

WHEN:                 Tuesday, February 21, 2012.  5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

WHO:                  

                                Participants

The Honorable John Conyers, Jr.

                                Michigan’s 14^th Congressional District and Ranking Member House Judiciary Committee

                                The Honorable Hansen Clarke

                                Michigan’s 13^th Congressional District

                                The Honorable Gary Peters

                                Michigan’s 9^th Congressional District

                                The Honorable Bert Johnson

Michigan’s 2^nd Senate District

                                The Honorable John Olumba

                                Michigan’s 5^th House District

                                The Honorable Joanne Watson

                                Detroit City Council

                                *Other participants to be added*

                               

                                Panelists

                                The Honorable Fred Durhal, Jr.

                                Michigan’s 6^th House District and Chairperson Michigan Legislative Black Caucus

                                The Honorable Thomas Stallworth

                                Michigan’s 8^th House District

                               

The Honorable DeAndre Windom

                                Mayor, Highland Park, Michigan

Professor Kenneth N. Klee

UCLA School of Law

Professor Jocelyn Benson

Wayne State University Law School

                               

Al Garrett

                                President, Council 25, AFSCME

Officer Joe Duncan

                                President, Detroit Police Officers Association

                                John Philo

                                Legal Director, Sugar Law Center

Brandon Jessup

Chairman, Michigan Forward

                                *Other panelists to be added*

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