Subject:  Kevorkian planning run for Congress |
Author:
Chris
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Date Posted: 03/12/08 6:40pm
In reply to:
Diane
's message, "Kevorkian to run for Congress in MI" on 03/12/08 6:19pm
PUBLISHED: Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Kevorkian planning run for Congress
By CHARLES CRUMM
Of The Oakland Press
Assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian, who spent eight years in prison for second-degree murder, says he's running for Congress.
Kevorkian, who will be 80 years old in May, picked up petitions from the Oakland County Clerk's Office on Tuesday to run as a candidate with no party affiliation.
"I plan to," Kevorkian said Tuesday afternoon. "I wouldn't do this otherwise. We need some honesty and sincerity instead of corrupt government in Washington."
Kevorkian said he would have more to say about his candidacy next week. "Everything's in a formative stage," he said.
Kevorkian, a Pontiac native now living in south Oakland County, will have to gather a minimum of 3,000 signatures on nominating petitions by July 17 to appear as an independent on the November ballot, the Michigan Secretary of State's office said.
He lives in the 9th Congressional District. The seat is held by eightterm incumbent U.S. Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills. Democrats currently filed to run include former Michigan Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters.
The district encompasses Oakland, Bloomfield and West Bloomfield townships; parts of Orion and Waterford townships; the cities of Farmington, Farmington Hills, Orchard Lake, Keego Harbor, Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills, Rochester, Troy, Clawson, Royal Oak, Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Lake Angelus; and the villages of Franklin, Bingham Farms and Beverly Hills.
Michigan law doesn't prevent Kevorkian from running for office, or from voting, now that he's been released from prison.
He was paroled June 1 last year and remains on parole until June 1, 2009, according to the Michigan Department of Corrections.
Oakland County Prosecutor Dave Gorcyca, whose office was responsible for sending Kevorkian to prison, was dismissive of Kevorkian's candidacy.
"I would place Jack Kevorkian's candidacy in the same ranking with (Texas U.S. Rep.) Ron Paul's (presidential run)," Gorcyca said.
"It's probably more of a publicity stunt. To call attention to himself is standard protocol for Jack when he doesn't have the limelight focused on him. I would not consider his candidacy to be a legitimate one."
A Kevorkian candidacy, however, is likely to draw more attention to what is already expected to be one of the more closely contested congressional races in the country.
National Democrats targeted the district this election after Knollenberg won re-election in 2006 with 51.5 percent of the vote.
Knollenberg spokesman Mike Brownfield said the congressman has no immediate comment.
"Everybody has the right to run," Peters spokeswoman Julie Petrick said. "Right now, Gary is focused on bringing real change to Oakland County.
"Knollenberg has heaped mountains of debt on our children, disastrous trade policies that have destroyed our manufacturing sector, and gotten us into a protracted war with no end in sight. It's time for real change in Oakland County and that's what we're focused on."
Contact staff writer Charles Crumm at (248) 745-4649 or charlie.crumm@oakpress.com.
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