Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith called out on Prop 2 mistruths

In case you missed it…

Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith was singled out in a Detroit Free Press story over the weekend identifying “pants on fire” lies in Michigan campaign ads.

Smith, a Macomb Township Democrat, was among those elected officials participating in TV ads for state Proposal 2, which would enshrine a broad definition of “collective bargaining rights” in the state Constitution.

The Freep, highlighting their story with a photo of Smith, reported that the pro-2 campaign soft-pedaled the ballot proposal by suggesting it would not allow public employee unions to limit local budget cuts or employee ethics and behavior standards through the union negotiating process.
In the ad, Smith claims Prop 2 would have virtually no affect on any state laws.

The odd thing about Smith emerging in a pro-2 ad is that he was not viewed as a pro-union boss just a few years ago. His staff of prosecutors, investigators and clerical workers, represented by the UAW, were among the longest hold-outs against Macomb County employee concessions.

Smith’s eccentric Republican opponent, Mike Wrathell, put out an email message today in which he claims that Macomb County has become a “laughing stock” due to the prosecutor’s actions.

Wrathell’s commentary on Macomb’s standing was not a reference to his odd paintings that reflect what a Plutonian – a resident of Pluto – might look like. Instead he is latching onto Smith’s loyalty oath, established several years ago, that says his staff is not allowed to run against him or to publicly support one of his election opponents.

Wrathell, making a second run at Smith after being crushed in the 2008 vote, believes that Smith stands in contradiction to America’s Founding Fathers and the First Amendment protections of free speech.