Recall Sponsors Revel In Levin Retirement, Forgo Do-Over
Sponsors of an unsuccessful 2012 effort to recall United States Senator Carl Levin were excited to learn of his imminent retirement, and have decided to forgo a renewed petition drive.
Online, March 22, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Sponsors of an unsuccessful 2012 effort to recall United States Senator Carl Levin were excited to learn of his imminent retirement, and have decided to forgo a renewed petition drive.
"On this first day of spring, we had to make a decision." Said recall co-organizer Scotty Boman. "We would first need to re-visit the clarity review process, and then circulate the petitions in the summer months. If the petitions survived challenges there would be the scheduling of a special election and court challenges. Even if we were successful at each step, we wouldn't cut his term short by much more than a year. Fortunately, it looks like the Senator has taken the hint and done the job for us." Boman said.
The other co-organizer, Warren Raftshol commented, "Levin, in the end, capitulated to our gentle but resolute pressure, and that we should congratulate him for his wise decision to leave quietly."
Boman also commented, "Even though our effort was a long-shot, Carl Levin's voting history on indefinite detentions, could have been used against him in the 2014 election; this is a hot-button issue among liberal civil libertarians whom Levin has counted on as part of his support base. By keeping this issue alive, our recall effort may have played a roll. We will continue to look at ways to undo or nullify law."
Raftshol, has hinted at putting similar pressure on Senator Debbie Stabenow.
The first recall attempt was concluded when Michigan residents seeking to recall United States Senator Carl Levin failed to collect the 468,709 valid signatures needed Before the December 31st 2012 filing Deadline. The petitioners had until 180 days after the language was validated to file the petitions with the Secretary of State. Since that day fell during a holiday break, the petitions were due by December 28th.
In a December 29th press release recall co-organizer, Scotty Boman commented, "This is disappointing, but I knew it was a long shot. We tried our best to get the word out, but most politically active people were busy supporting candidates and initiatives that were being put up to a vote in the November 6th election." The Committee to Recall Carl Levin made the petitions available online and encouraged signers to send the forms to the committee's address.
The effort to recall Levin was in response to a controversial Amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 2012 which was drafted by Senators Carl Levin and John McCain. The amendment allowed for the military arrest and indefinite detention of persons on United States soil without trial or Habeas Corpus.