Rep. John Conyers is in danger of losing his congressional seat
Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) appears to be in danger of losing his congressional seat that he has held since 1965.
Cathy Garrett, clerk of Wayne County, reported that Congressman Conyers’ petition to be placed on the August 2014 ballot has been denied due to his failure to collect the “required number of signatures.”
According to the Detroit News, Conyers is 408 signatures shy of the 1,000 signatures he needs to be placed on the ballot.
The Detroit News reported that two campaign workers, Tiara Willis-Pittman and Daniel Pennington, collected signatures from people who were not registered voters.
Questions about Pennington, who the Detroit News’ says collected the most invalid signatures, increased after reports about his criminal past were made public.
Rus Murlan, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Corrections, told the Detroit News that Pennington is a wanted felon and has a warrant dating back to 2012.
The review of the signatures was the result of a challenge brought on by Rev. Horace Sheffield, who is challenging Conyers in the Democratic primary.
In response to the Clerk’s ruling on the petitions, Sheffield told the Detroit News, “I grieve and I feel for the congressman. Our families have been associated closely for years. They ought to be praying they don’t go to jail…That’s just not honoring the person you work for.”
Conyers is challenging the decision. Garrett will issue her final decision on Tuesday, May 13, 2014.
If on Tuesday the County Clerk doesn’t rule in Conyers’ favor, the congressman can appeal the decision to the state’s secretary of state.
Conyers also has the option of doing a write-in campaign.
Cathy Garrett, clerk of Wayne County, reported that Congressman Conyers’ petition to be placed on the August 2014 ballot has been denied due to his failure to collect the “required number of signatures.”
According to the Detroit News, Conyers is 408 signatures shy of the 1,000 signatures he needs to be placed on the ballot.
The Detroit News reported that two campaign workers, Tiara Willis-Pittman and Daniel Pennington, collected signatures from people who were not registered voters.
Questions about Pennington, who the Detroit News’ says collected the most invalid signatures, increased after reports about his criminal past were made public.
Rus Murlan, a spokesman for the Michigan Department of Corrections, told the Detroit News that Pennington is a wanted felon and has a warrant dating back to 2012.
The review of the signatures was the result of a challenge brought on by Rev. Horace Sheffield, who is challenging Conyers in the Democratic primary.
In response to the Clerk’s ruling on the petitions, Sheffield told the Detroit News, “I grieve and I feel for the congressman. Our families have been associated closely for years. They ought to be praying they don’t go to jail…That’s just not honoring the person you work for.”
Conyers is challenging the decision. Garrett will issue her final decision on Tuesday, May 13, 2014.
If on Tuesday the County Clerk doesn’t rule in Conyers’ favor, the congressman can appeal the decision to the state’s secretary of state.
Conyers also has the option of doing a write-in campaign.
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