Assistant Prosecutor in Macomb County Cleared of Allegations Regarding Legal Defense Fund – Macomb Daily

Top Assistant to Macomb County Prosecutor Cleared in Fundraising Controversy

The top assistant to Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido, Donn Fresard, has been cleared of any wrongdoing in setting up a fund to help his judge wife, Patricia Fresard, counter an attempt to remove her from the ballot. The Michigan Secretary of State’s Office Bureau of Elections determined that Fresard was not required to create a political action committee for the fundraising effort called “Back the Bench.” The state clarified that the effort was merely a fundraiser for three Wayne County judges, including Chief Judge Patricia Fresard, and judges Sheila Ann Gibson and Kelly Ramsey, to cover legal costs for defending against removal from the 2022 election ballot.

According to the state, the fundraiser did not need to be reported as a political action committee because Fresard and the judges followed state law by collecting a proportional share of the proceeds and reporting them as revenue in campaign finance reports. Adam Fracassi, regulatory manager of the Bureau of Elections in the Michigan Department of State, stated in a letter that “Back the Bench was not required to register as a committee, but rather was a joint fundraising account pursuant to” a section of the Michigan Campaign Finance Act.

The controversy surrounding the fundraising effort was initiated by Robert Davis, a political activist from Highland Park. Davis alleged that the Fresards received a political favor from Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson. He claimed that “Back the Bench” was a separate committee with its own bank account, and people were writing checks directly to it. Davis plans to file a lawsuit in response to the decision.

Davis had also previously attempted to remove the judges from the November 2022 election ballot. His efforts were denied by a Wayne County judge and the state Court of Claims, and upheld by the state Court of Appeals. The case is currently under appeal to the state Supreme Court. Davis made similar attempts to remove other candidates from the ballot, including Judge Mark Slavens and judicial candidate LaKena Crespo, but these efforts also failed.

In addition to his involvement in the fundraising controversy, Davis has sued Fresard and individuals associated with the Wayne County Board of Commissioners, accusing them of pressuring Wayne County Commissioner Martha Scott to fire him from his job as a legislative aide. Davis claims that Scott fired him in retaliation for filing the lawsuit seeking to remove the Wayne County judges.

Despite the controversy surrounding the fundraising effort, the Michigan Secretary of State’s Office Bureau of Elections has determined that Fresard did not violate any laws in setting up the fund. The decision clears him of any wrongdoing and allows the fundraising effort to continue without the need to register as a political action committee. The legal battle surrounding the removal of the judges from the ballot is ongoing, with Davis planning to take his case to the state Supreme Court.

Original Story at www.macombdaily.com – 2023-09-04 21:39:11