LANSING, MI, December 16, 2015 –The Michigan Freedom Fund today called on House Minority Leader Tim Greimel to take sexual harassment and bribery allegations seriously after reports he stripped two members of staff and caucus positions for casting votes he disagreed with, despite months spent refusing to punish a member accused of sexual harassment and another under federal investigation for her role in a pension board bribery scandal.
According to reports, Greimel wielded an iron fist in punishing Democrat Representatives Erika Geiss and Leslie Love for their votes on House Bill 4686, legislation he opposed but that was sponsored by a Democrat, supported by Democrats during the Committee process, and endorsed by numerous Democratic municipal officials, that would protect municipalities from some lawsuits.
Greimel has for months refused to take serious action against caucus members Brian Banks and Alberta Tinsley-Talabi who are embroiled in serious legal scandals stemming from allegations of sexual harassment and bribery.
“Michigan would be a lot better off if Tim Greimel took sexual harassment and bribery as seriously as he takes his own ego,” said Michigan Freedom Fund President Terri Reid. “While we may not often agree with Representatives Love and Geiss, we respect their willingness to put their constituents above the feelings of political party bosses. Voters can only wish Greimel took his responsibility to the state half as seriously.”
Banks, a Detroit Democrat, has been embroiled since 2013 in civil proceedings as a result of allegations he sexually harassed his House staffer and state employee, Tramaine Cotton, and fired Cotton after he rejected the lawmaker’s unwanted sexual advances.
Tinsley-Talabi has been implicated in a longstanding Detroit pension board corruption investigation after accepting thousands of dollars in payouts and a trip to the Turks and Caicos Islands from an individual with business before the board, according to federal prosecutors.
Tinsley-Talabi’s former Chief of Staff, George Stanton, recently plead guilty to accepting bribes and federal prosecutors confirmed to members of the media in October that they are actively investigating the sitting lawmaker’s role in the scandal as well.
The Freedom Fund has long called on Greimel and Democrats to strip Banks and Tinsley-Talabi of Committee assignments until the resolution of serious legal accusations and the federal government’s investigation.
Michigan Freedom Fund is a nonprofit organization run by Michiganders for Michiganders, working to advance, promote, and protect Michigan workers’ Constitutional rights. For more information on the Freedom Fund, please visit www.MichiganFreedomFund.com.
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