Conyers to Hold Forum on Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law

Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543
              DaVonne Darby – 313-961-5670
Conyers to Hold Forum on Michigan’s Emergency Manager Law  

U.S. Representative
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:                  
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 5th 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*