Bill Schuette (Michigan)
Bill Schuette (Republican Party) was the Attorney General of Michigan. He assumed office in 2011. He left office on December 31, 2018.
Schuette (Republican Party) ran for election for Governor of Michigan. He lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Schuette completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
He ran on a joint ticket with the lieutenant gubernatorial nominee, Lisa Posthumus Lyons (R).
Schuette was the Republican attorney general of Michigan from 2011 to 2019. Previously, he was an attorney and a justice on the Michigan Fourth District Court of Appeals.
Biography
Schuette is a native of Midland, Michigan. His political career began when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1980s. He ran for the U.S. Senate in 1990. Following his loss in that election, he was appointed Michigan Director of Agriculture. In 1994, he was elected to the Michigan State Senate. He was selected by George W. Bush to be a representative to Australia in May 2001 for the Australian-American Friendship week. Following his six years as a judge on Michigan's Court of Appeals, he worked for a private legal practice with the law firm of Warner, Norcross & Judd, where he served as senior counsel.[1]
Schuette has also served in the following roles:
- Board member, Education Freedom Fund
- Member, Board of Trustees - Albion College
- Member, Visiting Committee - Gerald R. Ford Institute at Albion College
- Trustee, Elsa U. Pardee Foundation
- Vice President, Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation
Schuette received the Public Servant of the Year Award (2008) from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police.
Education
- Graduated from Herbert Henry Dow High School (1972)
- Bachelor's degree in foreign service - Georgetown University (1976) (cum laude)
- Juris Doctorate - University of San Francisco School of Law (1979)[2]
Political career
- 2011-2019: Michigan Attorney General
- 2002-2009: Michigan Fourth District Court of Appeals
- 1994-2002: Michigan State Senate
- 1991-1994: Michigan Agricultural Commissioner
- 1985-1991: United States House of Representatives, Michigan's 10th Congressional District
Elections
2018
Evan Space, Angelo Brown, Larry Hutchinson, Robin Sanders, William Cobbs, Patrick O’Neal Burney, Raymond Hall, Lance Herman, Henry Lester, Clyde Lynch, Chaneika Ranell Penny, Francis Rowley, John Arthur Williams ran as write-in candidates.
General election
General election for Governor of Michigan
The following candidates ran in the general election for Governor of Michigan on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Gretchen Whitmer (D) | 53.3 | 2,266,193 | |
| Bill Schuette (R) | 43.7 | 1,859,534 | ||
| Bill Gelineau (L) | 1.3 | 56,606 | ||
| Todd Schleiger (U.S. Taxpayers Party) | 0.7 | 29,219 | ||
| Jennifer Kurland (G) | 0.7 | 28,799 | ||
| Keith Butkovich (Natural Law Party) | 0.2 | 10,202 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.0 | 32 | ||
| Total votes: 4,250,585 (100.00% precincts reporting) | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Richard Sills (Independent)
- Ryan Henry Cox (Independent)
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Governor of Michigan
Gretchen Whitmer defeated Abdul El-Sayed and Shri Thanedar in the Democratic primary for Governor of Michigan on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Gretchen Whitmer | 52.0 | 588,436 | |
| Abdul El-Sayed | 30.2 | 342,179 | ||
| Shri Thanedar | 17.7 | 200,645 | ||
| Total votes: 1,131,260 | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Kentiel White (D)
- Bill Cobbs (D)
- Justin Giroux (D)
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Governor of Michigan
Bill Schuette defeated Brian Calley, Patrick Colbeck, and Jim Hines in the Republican primary for Governor of Michigan on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Bill Schuette | 50.7 | 501,959 | |
| Brian Calley | 25.2 | 249,185 | ||
| Patrick Colbeck | 13.1 | 129,646 | ||
| Jim Hines | 11.0 | 108,735 | ||
| Total votes: 989,525 | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Evan Space (R)
Green primary election
Green primary for Governor of Michigan
Jennifer Kurland advanced from the Green primary for Governor of Michigan on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Jennifer Kurland | |
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Dwain Reynolds (G)
Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for Governor of Michigan
Bill Gelineau defeated John Tatar in the Libertarian primary for Governor of Michigan on August 7, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Bill Gelineau | 57.8 | 4,034 | |
| John Tatar | 42.2 | 2,941 | ||
| Total votes: 6,975 | ||||
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2014
- See also: Michigan attorney general election, 2014
| Attorney General of Michigan, 2014 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Bill Schuette Incumbent |
52.1% | 1,603,471 | |
| Democratic | Mark Totten | 44.2% | 1,359,839 | |
| Libertarian | Justin Altman | 1.9% | 57,345 | |
| U.S. Taxpayers | Gerald T. Van Sickle | 1% | 30,762 | |
| Green | John Anthony La Pietra | 0.8% | 25,747 | |
| Total Votes | 3,077,164 | |||
| Election results via Michigan Department of State | ||||
2010
- See also: Michigan Attorney General election, 2010
| 2010 Race for Attorney General - General Election[3] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Republican Party | 52.3% | ||
| Democratic Party | David Leyton | 43.5% | |
| Libertarian Party | Daniel W. Grow | 2.3% | |
| U.S. Taxpayers | Gerald Van Sickle | 1.9% | |
| Total Votes | 3,136,224 | ||
1998
| 1998 Race for State Senate, District 35 - General Election[4] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote Percentage | |
| Republican Party | 70.4% | ||
| Democratic Party | Brian Baldwin | 29.6% | |
| Total Votes | 87,410 | ||
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
- See also: Ballotpedia's candidate surveys
Bill Schuette participated in Ballotpedia's candidate survey on July 31, 2018. The survey questions appear in bold, and Bill Schuette's responses follow below.[5]
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
| “ | There isn’t a problem facing Michigan today that couldn’t be made better if we had more people living and working here. We need a growing population and growing paychecks to become a leading economic state. More growth means our kids don’t have to leave Michigan to find jobs and we can invest in better roads and infrastructure. Airplane loads of people arrive daily in places like Austin and Nashville, and it isn't because of the weather. It is because those states have better economic environments and more opportunity. Yet, here in Michigan, 55 of our counties lost population this decade, and we still have 300,000 fewer workers than before the Great Recession. As governor, I will implement growth-friendly policies that help Michigan compete nationally and rebuild our population. I will 1) cut taxes, 2) lower auto insurance rates, and 3) improve our third grade reading scores to make our state a more attractive place to live, work, start a business and raise a family. I will sharpen every tool in our economic toolbox, reduce burdensome rules and regulations, and ensure that state agencies expedite permit reviews and approvals in order to maximize economic growth and job creation.[6][7] | ” |
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about? Why?
| “ | Tax Relief – Michigan incomes are still below pre-recession levels, and more than $5,000 below the national average, leaving our families with less in their bank accounts than other Americans. I want to cut taxes at the state level, as President Trump has done at the federal level, to help workers keep more of their hard-earned money. As governor, I will eliminate the Granholm income tax hike that has cost Michigan taxpayers $8 billion.
Road Funding – Few people travel our two peninsulas and 83 counties more than I. We’ve got too many potholes, and it hits drivers right in the wallet for car repairs. We can’t have a first world economy with third world roads. More than anything, we need to grow our economy to increase state revenue, but my plan to rebuild Michigan’s infrastructure also includes: • Top-to-bottom audit of the transportation department to get more “miles paved per gallon.” • Stronger, enforced guarantees and warranties on roads and bridges. • Get Michigan’s fair share of funds from Washington, DC. • Use savings from the repealed prevailing wage law to fund roads. • Finally, we need to re-prioritize how we spend the $57 billion state budget, and roads will be one of my top priorities. Education – Mounting evidence shows that Michigan schools need to perform much better. Our reading scores have been declining for fifteen years, and now are among the lowest in the country – a tragedy for students and an embarrassing deterrent to economic growth. When I am governor, Michigan children will read. My “GROW” plan (“Great Readers On the Way”) involves a statewide cabinet-level literacy director, specialized reading coaches in every elementary school, and scholarships for low-income students to access tutoring, after-school programs and summer reading camps. We also need to grade schools A-F, provide incentive grants to reward high-performing and improving schools, and restore career-technical education and apprenticeship programs in our high schools.Cite error: Invalid |
” |
Ballotpedia also asked the candidate a series of optional questions. Bill Schuette answered the following:
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
| “ | My early jobs included serving as a yard boy in Midland, and I also worked construction for a summer. And I was the head potato boy at Ponderosa Steak House, where I learned to mop a floor from a grizzled Marine who reinforced the ethic that if you have a job, do it right. I’ve carried that forward through all of my endeavors.[7] | ” |
| “ | My mother and father moved to Midland in 1941 for my father's work at the Dow Chemical Company. Tragically, my father died of a heart attack when he was 47 years of age, and I was a young boy of only six years. It wasn't until I was in college that there was a guy smart enough to marry my mom, and his name was Carl Gerstacker. From my father, mother and stepfather, I learned the basic values of honesty, hard work, the importance of your word, strength of family and the need to give back to your community. Having lost my father at age six, one of the things on my mind always was trying to live up to his example. Public service became my choice so I could spend my life serving other people and live up to the stature of my father.[7] | ” |
| “ | Our people. Growing up in Midland, I learned the attitude of what it means to be a Michiganian: tough, resilient, optimistic and always working.[7] | ” |
Campaign website
Schuette’s campaign website stated the following:
| “ |
Make Michigan the Jobs State: Roll Back the Granholm Income Tax Hike: Cut Auto Insurance Rates: Provide Our Kids with World-Class Schools: End the Opioid Crisis: Protecting Women and Children: Hold Lansing Accountable: Defending Your Rights: |
” |
| —Bill Schuette’s campaign website (2018)[8] | ||
Campaign advertisements
The following is an example of an ad from Schuette's 2018 election campaign.
|
2014
Schuette's campaign website listed the following themes for the 2014 race:
| “ |
Justice for Rape Victims For thousands of victims of the horrible crime of rape, justice has been terribly delayed, and completely denied. Shortly after taking office as Attorney General, Bill Schuette learned that thousands of samples of DNA evidence taken from rape victims were stocked in a warehouse, having never been tested – meaning those who committed these crimes were still on the streets, likely thousands of serial rapists raping again. Bill fought to secure state funding to test the evidence kits and the Attorney General’s office will support local police and prosecutors to find the rapists and deliver justice to the victims at last. Ending the Tragedy of Human Trafficking It’s a horrifying nightmare we can’t ignore: human trafficking. It’s a familiar story: young run-aways kidnapped and forced into a life of sexual slavery, brutalized by their pimps, and treated as criminals by law enforcement. Not anymore. Attorney General Bill Schuette is cracking down on this tragedy, and for the first time we’re treating these people as the victims they truly are, and not as criminals. Meanwhile, the pimps and abusers are being sent to prison under new a law that helps protect our children from these predators. This new approach to the fight against human trafficking will bring these victims out of the shadows, and bring an end to the horror of this sickening crime. Protecting Detroit Retirees - and the Constitution Detroit’s descent into bankruptcy threatened the pensions of the cops and fire fighters who risked their lives to protect us with deep cuts. But Michigan’s constitution protects the pensions of public employees. These retirees had worked long careers in dangerous and demanding jobs, and now they were poised to become victims of the incompetence and corruption of Detroit’s officials. So Attorney General Bill Schuette immediately intervened in bankruptcy court and fought to guarantee the protection our constitution offers. Bill stood against his own party on the issue, but people come before politics, and Bill isn’t the kind of Attorney General who picks and chooses which parts of the constitution to defend. Fighting Violent Crime It’s no secret that too many of Michigan’s cities are awash in violent crime, and that local police forces have been decimated by Michigan’s two decades of recession. That’s why Bill Schuette proposed hiring 1,000 new cops, to support local law enforcement in restoring order. Bill also secured passage of a new law requiring a 25-year minimum mandatory sentence for repeat violent felons. No more will Michigan play “catch and release” with murderers and rapists. Fighting ObamaCare The bureaucratic bungling caused by Obamacare has already caused Michigan residents to be victims of broken promises: families who lost insurance coverage they liked, the thousands of small businesses facing skyrocketing health care costs, and the many more that will be punished with a mandate tax they can’t afford. Bill Schuette has been fighting the catastrophic side effects of Obamacare in the courts every step of the way, and he’s also worked to prevent many more from becoming victims of this disastrous law. Shockingly, although ObamaCare funds thousands of so-called “Navigators” to help people with applying for coverage, the law never required that these workers submit to a criminal background check. These workers will have access to people’s most personal information, yet they might have lengthy criminal records. Bill is taking action, working to make sure the organizations deploying these Navigators do the right thing, and properly background check these workers, before someone becomes the victim of identity theft – or far worse. Justice for the Victims of Tainted Drugs In search of pain relief, thousands of Michigan citizens ordered steroid medication from a compounding pharmacy in Connecticut. Rather than finding relief, they found themselves in unbearable pain, and many even died, as the pharmacy had sent drugs that were tainted with meningitis. Attorney General Schuette empaneled a grand jury to investigate and consider criminal charges, and he later joined a joint investigation with the U.S. District Attorney in Connecticut. Bill wants to send a strong message that Michigan won’t tolerate that kind of criminal negligence that victimizes those who already so vulnerable. [7] |
” |
| —Bill Schuette's campaign website, (2014) | ||
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Noteworthy events
2016 recall attempt
- See also: News in Context: The Flint Water Crisis
On June 9, 2016, the Board of State Canvassers unanimously approved a recall petition against Attorney General Schuette. The petition, submitted by Calvin Hodges of Sterling Heights, stated the reason for recall as: "[Schuette] publicly announced that he had appointed attorney Todd Flood as special counsel to spearhead ... the Flint water crisis probe."[10] The recall effort did not succeed in making it to the ballot.
Schuette appointed Flood on January 25, 2016, along with a team of investigators under a $1.5 million contract. He was later criticized for the appointment due to contributions made by Flood to the political campaigns of both Schuette and Governor Rick Snyder (R). Hodges called the team of investigators "a waste of taxpayers' money," as the state employs its own investigators who Hodges asserted should have handled the case.[10] Schuette had earlier cited the many civil lawsuits filed against various state agencies over the Flint water crisis as a conflict of interest for his investigators, so he therefore hired an outside agency. A spokeswoman for Schuette stated that the attorney general "believes strongly that it is his duty to protect the citizens of Michigan by thoroughly investigating what went wrong in Flint," and further stated that the "investigation will be without fear or favor."[10]
Click here to read more about the recall process in Michigan.
Response to birth control mandate
Schuette responded to the Obama administration's mandate that the majority of employers include birth control coverage in their health plans by calling it an attack on religious liberty. He made plans to sue the administration on February 10, 2012, and named himself leader in the nation's attorneys general efforts to file briefs in support of lawsuits filed by the group Becket Fund for Religious Liberty against the new insurance requirement.[11]
2011 recall attempt
Protestors at a pro-medical marijuana rally on September 7, 2011, called for the recall of Schuette because of his support for laws they believed would hurt the ability of patients to access marijuana.[12] That same day, the Midland County Election Commission approved the recall language submitted by petitioner Richard C. Clement Sr., who said Schuette failed to uphold some provisions of the state Medical Marihuana Act. The law was passed by 63 percent of the voters in 2008.[13]
Clement had 180 days to gather 807,000 valid signatures in order to put a recall election on the ballot. All signatures had to be collected during a 90-day period.[14] No signatures were turned in.
Noteworthy cases
Court upholds injury law
The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that schools, churches, camps, and other businesses that provide recreational services can still be held liable for a child's injury even if parents signed a waiver. Based on Michigan law, the court determined that a pre-injury waiver would be worthless if a child were hurt and the parents wanted to sue. According to the Detroit Free Press, those offering recreational services believed the ruling would likely increase insurance rates. "The court acknowledges the decision could make it tougher to do business. While this ruling has significant and far-reaching implications regarding ... organizations and businesses providing valuable services and activities for minor children, and has the potential to increase litigation and impact the availability of programs to younger members of the community, we have no alternative but to recognize the current status of our law and follow its precepts," the three-member panel ruled. The decision, by Judges Richard Bandstra, Michael Talbot and Schuette said, "The decision in this case is important because it serves as an affirmation of the priority we place on the protection of the health and well-being of our children" the court noted.[15]
Artist wins First Amendment case
In a two-to-one decision reversing a lower court's misdemeanor conviction, Judges William B. Murphy and Michael Smolenski determined that "Prohibiting lettering completely appears to be an excessive restriction compared to the interests sought to be advanced." This ruling overturned the 2005 conviction of artist Edward Stross, who was charged with violating a zoning variance due to the language he included on a mural. "Indeed, it does not appear the word 'Love' on the mural would district motorists or distract from the aesthetic value of the neighborhood," the court found. The judges said the variance "was an unconstitutional regulation of speech, infringing on defendant's First Amendment protections.'" Schuette dissented, writing that the mural was not protected by the right to free speech because he considers it to be an "advertisement" or "commercial speech...Although not selling anything directly, the mural gives credibility to Stross as an artist. The obvious economic motivation for the mural is to draw attention to defendant's talent in hope of attracting persons in need of an artist's service," Schuette says.[16]
Court rules in absentee ballot suit
The appellate court ruled that state election law does not give election clerks the authority to mail unsolicited applications for absentee ballots, according to Michigan Life. Further, Judges Donald Owens, Patrick Meter and Schuette wrote that "mailing the applications to only those 60 and older 'undermines the fairness and evenhandedness of the application of election laws in this state.'" Carmella Sabaugh, a county clerk and Democratic nominee for Michigan Secretary of State in 2006, had mailed unsolicited absentee ballot applications to seniors in 2006. According to the article, "The court said Sabaugh did not mail applications to other groups of people who can qualify for absentee ballots such as those who need assistance at the polls, are out of town on Election Day or cannot attend the polls because of religious reasons."[17]
Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
When he served as attorney general, Schuette and his wife, Cynthia Grebe, had two children, Heidi and Billy.[2]
See also
| Michigan | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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- Governor of Michigan
- Michigan gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018
- Michigan gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial election, 2018 (August 7 Republican primary)
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Campaign website
- Bill Schuette's Twitter account
- Project Vote Smart - Bill Schuette biography
Footnotes
- ↑ Michigan Attorney General's Official Website Biography of Attorney General Bill Schuette, accessed October 16, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ Michigan Department of State - 2010 General Election Results
- ↑ Department of State - 1998 General Election Results
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia's candidate survey, "Bill Schuette's responses," July 31, 2018
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Bill Schuette for Governor, “Issues,” accessed September 12, 2018
- ↑ Bill Schuette for Attorney General, "Getting Results," accessed September 22, 2014
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Detroit Free Press, "Recall petition approved against attorney general Schuette," June 9, 2016
- ↑ Detroit Free Press, "Michigan AG joins lawsuits against Obama's contraception mandate," February 10, 2012
- ↑ Lansing State Journal, "Medical marijuana rally attendees call for recall of Attorney General Bill Schuette," September 7, 2011
- ↑ Midland Daily News, "Recall petitions against Moolenaar, Schuette OK'd," September 8, 2011
- ↑ MLive, "Two petitioners jump-start recall against Midland state leaders after two prior tries failed," September 8, 2011
- ↑ Court rules against parents and businesses
- ↑ The Macomb Daily (dead link)
- ↑ Court rules against clerk in absentee ballot suit
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