State Rep. Annette Glenn (R) raised a staggering $107,160 during the one-month post-primary campaign finance reporting period.
Local G.O.P. Activists Initiated MCTV Schulz Complaint
MIDLAND, Mich. — State Rep. Annette Glenn (R) was not involved in the complaint involving Democratic State House candidate Sarah Schulz‘s MCTV television program, her campaign says. This was also echoed by Michigan House Republican Campaign Committee consultant Stu Sandler.
“The Glenns had absolutely nothing to do with it,” Mr. Sandler told the City Paper. “We went forward because we thought there were violations.”
Mr. Sandler told the City Paper that a couple of local Republican activists saw an article on Ms. Schulz’s show in the Midland Daily News, and contacted the committee in Lansing for further action.
“Rep. Glenn and her staff were not consulted by the House Republican Campaign Committee before HRCC filed a complaint regarding a new show hosted by announced Democratic candidate Sarah Schulz,” Ms. Glenn’s campaign told the City Paper in a statement.
Mr. Sandler says that the committee will have to “agree to disagree” with City Attorney James O. Branson III’s decision to reinstate Ms. Schulz’s program.
The City of Midland and MCTV temporarily removed Ms. Schulz’s new program and also removed access to Ms. Glenn’s program ‘Hometown Heroes,’ after the City received a cease-and-desist letter from Dickinson Wright PLLC, a Washington-based law firm representing the committee. The letter states that the ‘People Over Politics’ program is being used as “long-from [form] campaign advertisement”.
Ms. Glenn stepped in after news of the City’s decision to pull both programs.
“In fairness, as long as she doesn’t use it to expressly promote her political candidacy at city taxpayers’ expense,” Ms. Glenn said in a statement sent to the City Paper over the weekend, “Sarah has as much right as anybody else to host a show on MCTV. Monday, I will instruct HRCC to withdraw its complaint, and ask MCTV to continue broadcasting both shows.”
Ms. Schulz, a Democrat, is seeking to challenge Ms. Glenn (R) in the 2020 general election on Nov. 3. In 2018, Ms. Glenn defeated Ms. Schulz by 20,209 votes to 18,629, however Ms. Schulz received more votes in the City of Midland.
After reviewing both programs, Mr. Branson found no evidence of commercialization for profit or financial gain by Ms. Schulz or Ms. Glenn.
“Both shows clearly relate to public interest issues and the moderators are simply informing viewers of their identities; the percentage of political information is minimal. The review also found no evidence of commercialization for profit or financial gain and that both parties have paid all appropriate fees and have fully followed their MCTV user agreements,” Mr. Branson’s office said in a press release issued Tuesday afternoon. “It is unfortunate that the airing of public interest issues have become politicized. MCTV and the City of Midland will remain neutral and treat all parties equally regardless of any party affiliation or party positions.”
Michael Westendorf is the chairman and executive editor of Chemical City Paper. As Executive Editor, he leads the City Paper’s news coverage and editorial team.