Lawsuit seeks to strike money-in-politics measure from November ballot

A ballot question committee that includes the Michigan Chamber filed a lawsuit this week asking the Michigan Supreme Court to overturn the Board of State Canvassers' decision certifying the Michiganders for Money Out of Politics petition for the November ballot.

The committee, Protect MI Free Speech, argues the canvassers certified the petition without properly applying their own statistical sampling methodology for verifying signatures and despite unresolved questions about whether the campaign gathered enough valid signatures. The lawsuit also contends the board improperly counted signatures listed with nonexistent street addresses.

"The BSC certified a petition that failed to meet the threshold required under its own methodology. That's not a judgment call," said John Sellek, a spokesperson for Protect MI Free Speech. "It's sloppy math and a failure to follow the standards it adopted."

The Michigan Chamber opposes the ballot proposal, saying it would expand government regulation of political speech and association and impose new campaign finance compliance requirements on employers, nonprofits, local governments and community organizations.

Read the full story at michamber.com.