- May 3, 2023
- 6 min read

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Michigan Bob Cushman, of the Freedom Press, knocks on door in Garden City to uncover startling example of political campaign money laundering. Mother and father of Jessica say their daughter, Jessica, was in a car excellent 10 years ago and has had no income since then.

Could Jessica have donated more than 2,000 times totaling more than $20,000?

"No. No way," Mother says, "and that would have been maybe $15 or $20 bucks."

Peter Bernegger tweets, "Heart-wrenching of what we found with political campaign money laundering: our hearts & prayers go out to Jessica. She was in a car accident 10 years ago, & has a traumatic brain injury. She has not worked for 10 years, her parents care for her. God Bless her and her family. And here she is being taken advantage of. Per the FEC she contributed to PACS and/or campaigns 3,095 times totaling $27,501.25 over the last 6 years, (numbers updated). Credit to Bob Cushman for bringing this story out.

https://twitter.com/PeterBernegger/status/1653392347412013057?s=20

Friend,

Please join us tomorrow as state Rep. Jim DeSana discusses Lansing corruption. Bob Cushman will talk about his exposure of a vulnerable citizen whose identity was used to disguise massive money laundering in Michigan. (video below). Learn what you counties are doing to combat the latest attacks on voter rights. The Thomas More Society and special counsel Erick Kaardal are on a roll as is Soles to Rolls! Members only. No press.

Also, be sure to register and join our national working groups and statewide committees.

Hope to see you tomorrow at noon.

Patrice Johnson, Chair

Watch: “House Freshman Describes Corruption in Lansing”

by Shane Trejo, of the Grand New Party, with Jon Smith, chair of 5th Congressional District Republican Committee (Hillsdale). (1 hour 27 minutes)

Below are highlights of Trejo and Smith's interview of state Representative James DeSana, the only Republican to unseat an incumbent Democrat during the past election:

Rep. DeSana, a freshman member of the Michigan House, represents District 29, which includes Taylor, Romulus, New Boston, Huron township, Carlton township, Frenchtown, and a part of Monroe.

Trejo: What is your experience so far?

Rep. James DeSana: "I'm surprised" at how many republicans are supporting the radical democrat agenda. About 10 members of the GOP caucus routinely vote with the dems, so the dems then call the bills non-partisan.

Jason Wentworth (R) sponsored $20 million grant money (from MI treasury) for Fay Beydoun to bring foreign corporations to Michigan. Beydoun, DeSana said, worked out of her home, her organization was new with no history and very little money. The grant was part of an omnibus supplemental bill with the expenditure tucked into it. [Fay Beydoun serves as Executive Director of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, the largest Arab-American business organization in the United States--per Google).

“The governor has taken over the legislative branch,” he said. "We are in the soup we're in because we did not stand up for our values."

Re: Uniparty taking shape, DeSana stressed that there are willing and unwilling participants." Question is: “Why are you here if not to represent your constituency?” The fight has to be fought in every house district, he said. "There's no other way."

Jon Smith asked about election integrity, saying former House Speaker Jason Wentworth and Lee Chatfield had control until recently and could have held county audits after the 2020 election. But they chose to do nothing. Now, hardly any counties are balancing, and "we're in the minority and won't have chance to fix this."

DeSana: We have a lot of conservative members who received money and are afraid to stand up because they are indebted to their donors.

Smith: Kristina Karamo, chair of MIGOP, is doing an excellent job and doesn't have the big dollars coming in because she's speaking out against corruption.

DeSana: We [the Republicans] are for the working guys, for the regular guys, but we’re portrayed as fringe. "A very small amount of people are in control," and they do not represent the people. "The southeast corner of Michigan is ground zero." Rick Johnson, Lee Chatfield, Jason Wentworth tarnished the GOP brand. How different it would have been if GOP representatives had removed Chatfield?

Conservative candidates must be for the party platform: ProLife, low taxes, smaller gov., constitutional principles.

The state has a $9 billion surplus, so the Democrats are giving away money like banshees, including to China.

Smith: $70 million went to Pakistan for gender studies.

DeSana: Systemic corruption in Lansing. Members are bought off to vote for bills because money all comes back for campaign donations. Billions of dollars buying favor with GOP and Dem House members. $1.8 million for Ford Motor Co. to build a Chinese battery plant in Marshall, MI.

Check SOScampaignfinance. MCFN.org follows the money as to who is funding the legislators.

Trejo: As a solution, county or State party could censure candidates. Primary them.

Smith: Our job is to apply pressure. The scorecards are working. Some are changing the language from “censure” to “rebuke.”

Speaker of House has too much authority. Need to elect conservative state reps.

DeSana: Republicans have concentrated way too much power in one position, Speaker of the House, and this has blown up in our faces. Has ruined the GOP brand. Need to rebuild. Need to publicly, in writing, rebuke the leader over his gun-control vote. “We’re talking about a corrupt system here, folks.”

If you are participating and you don’t reject it or if you stay silent, how can you not be painted as corrupt. The crazy people are the ones who aren’t saying anything. If we don’t change the culture, we can relegate ourselves to permanent minority status.

Wayne, Monroe, Lenawee, Jackson, and other counties are working, waking up, and standing up. Our political system is completely broken on both sides, but progress is being made. We start fixing the system by electing the right people in office. Have to start over with our conservative principles. We have really damaged the state of Michigan, and I’m here to say Republicans have participated. GOP reps are compromising on core principles.

As an example, there is only one class of person: a human person. We need to get back to our state and federal constitution. The Mich. Constitution prohibits money going to a private company. We have to fight this battle.

Not doing well in Ingham and Genesee. Is it because GOP are perceived as wealthy elitists?

Dem message isn’t about helping people. It’s about letting the government take care of you. The GOP message is, We will help you with everything to build a better life.

Question: Who is in the Freedom Caucus

DeSana: Freedom Caucus currently has 9 members, who are admitted based on their voting records: Representatives Neil Friske, Steve Carra, Angela Rigas, Joe Fox, Matt Maddock, Rachelle Smit, Josh Shriver, Andrew Beeler, and Jim DeSana

Mark Smith: Benzie county has turned itself completely around. We have flipped the administration around. We’re a small county. We’ll do what we can do.

DeSana: Need to have county parties bring challenging questions to their legislators:

· Will you vote for a Dem speaker if they are in the majority?

· Will you support Freedom Caucus principles.

· Will you stand with the constitutional conservative when they are marginalized and ostracized?

Reps are fearful of not getting re-elected and not having money. He advised listeners to “be very careful where you donate your money.” Going along to get along and compromising on key issues is a formula for losing seats.

Smith: Well over half the counties in MI have flipped forward. We’re in a transitional period. He encouraged people to get involved and rebuild. “We can be a well oiled machine.”

Trejo: Running for a state rep position is doable. “All you need to win a district is a candidate who will knock doors” and have a dozen or core people to put on events. It can be done.

DeSana: Was outspent 4 to 1. Beat a moderate Republican in his district. Got more votes in the urban vote than any candidate, more than Tudor Dixon. His message was simple: We need to protect our liberties and lower taxes.

Two-thirds vote required and no one challenges it. Legislators need to go to court and say this is unconstitutional. Stop the funding.

Smith: Important to elect judges who rule according to the law, not emotion.

DeSana: Freedom Caucus is going to be how we lead ourselves out of this mess.