Gary Peters (Michigan politician)

Infobox_State_Senator


imagesize = 150px
name= Gary Peters


state_senate=Michigan
state= Michigan
district= 14th
term_start= 1995
term_end= 2002
preceded=
succeeded=
date of birth=Birth date and age|1958|12|1|
place of birth=Oakland County, Michigan
date of death=
place of death=
alma_mater=Alma College,
University of Detroit,
Wayne State University Law School
profession=political science university professor
residence=Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan
spouse=Colleen Ochoa
religion=Lutheran
party=Democratic|

Gary Peters (born December 1 1958 [cite web
url=http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(qyf4bfm3s14vpnzt1no53hm4))/documents/publications/manual/1999-2000/1999-mm-0166-0166-peters.pdf
title=Biographical sketch
accessdate=2007-10-14
work=Michigan Manual, 1999-2000
pages=166
format=PDF] ) is a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan. He is a former Democratic member of the Michigan Senate from the 14th Senate District. In 2007 he resigned as Michigan Lottery Commissioner in order to face U.S. Representative Joe Knollenberg in Michigan's 9th congressional district. He is also a political science professor at Central Michigan University.

Biography

Peters was born and raised in Oakland County. He is married to Colleen Ochoa and has three children: Gary, Jr., Madeleine and Alana. They reside in Bloomfield Township. [ cite web |title =The Michigan State Bar Journal| work =Gary Peters: A legal education put to many uses|url=http://www.michbar.org/journal/article.cfm?articleID=687&volumeID=53|accessdate=2007-08-09 ]

Education

He graduated from Alma College in 1980 and received a master of business administration degree from the University of Detroit in 1984. Peters also holds a degree from the Wayne State University Law School.

Military service

Gary served as a Lieutenant Commander and a Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist in the United States Navy Reserve.

His reserve duty included time in the Persian Gulf supporting Operation Southern Watch, and he served overseas during increased military activity following the September 11, 2001 attacks.

During his service he received numerous awards and citations, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.

Professional

Peters has taught finance at Wayne State and strategic management and business policy courses at Oakland University.

He has also served as a senior policy and financial analyst for the Michigan Department of Treasury and was a financial manager at Merrill Lynch. He also has served on arbitration panels for the National Association of Securities Dealers and the New York Stock Exchange.

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm appointed Peters as the Michigan Lottery commissioner on April 9, 2003. As lottery commissioner, Peters helped to implement new games and more efficient methods of delivering products. In Michigan, the lottery is designed to provide financial support to K-12 public education.

In 2007, Peters became the third Robert and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chairman in American Government at Central Michigan University.

Political career

Michigan Senate

In November 1994, Peters was elected to the Michigan Senate to represent the Oakland County-based 14th District. He was re-elected in 1998 and served until 2002, when he retired due to term limits. The district is one of the most diverse state Senate districts -- containing nearly every racial, ethnic and religious group in Michigan. It also includes areas of great wealth and great poverty.

He served as the vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and was a member of the Education, Judiciary and Families Committee and the Mental Health and Human Services Committee.cite web
url=http://council.legislature.mi.gov/files/mlrc/1996/biog.htm|accessdate=2007-08-09
title=Biographies of Commission Members and Staff
accessdate=2007-10-14
work=Michigan Law Revision Commission Thirty-first Annual Report, 1996
publisher=West Publishing Company]

Peters was chosen by his Democratic colleagues to chair his party's caucus. He was also a member of the Michigan Lew Revision Commission and served on the Michigan Sentencing Commission.

As a legislator, Peters was able to lead many successful legislative battles. He led an effort to ban directional slant oil drilling in the Great Lakes. Both the Michigan State House of Representatives and the Senate passed a bill sponsored by Peters which banned any new wells under the state waters of the Great Lakes except in case of a state energy emergency. The bill passed into law without the signature of Governor John Engler. [ cite web |title =Oakland Press| work =Local News Septermber 1, 2006|url=http://www.theoaklandpress.com/stories/090106/loc_2006090136.shtml|accessdate=2007-08-09 ] Peters also was known for his support of law enforcement initiatives. After he spoke with law officers about the extreme degree of danger an officer can encounter when facing a criminal equipped with body armor, Peters helped usher through a bill that led to the criminalization of the possession of body armor by convicted felons. Peters also wrote a bill that was the initial establishment of penalties for false threats of chemical and biological weapons, which became law before the September 11, 2001 attacks.

2002 elections

In his final year as a member of the Michigan Senate, Peters was both a candidate for governor and later Attorney General. As the Democratic nominee for attorney general, he lost to Republican Mike Cox. The margin in the race was close, with Peters coming within 5,200 votes -- less than a 0.17 percent margin. [ cite web |title =New York Times|work = National Briefing Michigan: Candidate Won't Seek Recount|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D05E0D71F39F935A15752C1A9649C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fSubjects%2fE%2fElection%20Results| accessdate=2007-08-09 ] [ cite web |title =2002 Attorney General Election Results|work = U.S. Election Atlas|url=http://www.uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=26&year=2002&f=0&off=9&elect=0| accessdate=2007-08-09 ] Peters decided not to contest the election results despite reported irregularities. Several mistakes were reportedly found during analysis, including a precinct in Dearborn which recorded Peters with 96 votes when he actually had 396. The race was the closest statewide contest in Michigan since the 1950 governor's race. [ cite web |title =The State News|work = Peters won't request for election recount|url=http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=14251|accessdate=2007-08-09 ]

2008 Congressional election

On August 7, 2007, Peters ended months of speculation by formally announcing he would run against Joe Knollenberg for his congressional seat. Knollenberg is in his eighth term, and is targeted for defeat by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

National Democrats and local pundits consider Peters to be a strong candidate. Knollenberg is considered vulnerable, as he faced a tough challenge in 2006 from Nancy Skinner, a poorly-funded and little-known radio personality. Knollenberg's opponents in 2002 and 2004 performed significantly below the Democratic base in the 9th District. In the 2002 state attorney general race, Peters performed at or above the Democratic base in 72 percent of the 9th District precincts. In his 1998 state Senate campaign, he performed at or above base in 99 percent of the precincts. [cite web |title =Swing State Project|work =9th District|url=http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=670|accessdate=2007-08-09 ]

Central Michigan University controversy

Peters was hired in April 2007 as the "Robert and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chairman in American Government" at Central Michigan University, a position that requires him to teach one, three-hour class a week and organize one public policy-related forum a semester through the 2009-2010 academic year. He receives a salary of $65,000, privately funded, for this. [ [http://www.thecentralmonitor.com/wordpress/2007/04/11/peters-to-earn-hefty-salary/ Peters to earn hefty salary] "The Central Monitor", April 11, 2007] [ [http://www.thecentralmonitor.com/wordpress/2007/04/06/longtime-democratic-politician-to-teach/ Longtime Democratic politician to teach students] "The Central Monitor", April 6, 2007] [ [http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu/griffin/gary_peters/announcement_press_release.htm Michigan Lottery Commissioner appointed next CMU Griffin Chair] "Central Michigan University", College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences, April 6, 2007]

His hiring ws criticized by some students, some CMU alumnus and Michigan House of Representatives Minority Leader Craig DeRoche, a Republican who served as speaker until January 2007, who claimed they feel Peters will "sacrifice the education of students" by running for Congress instead of concentrating on teaching students. [ [http://www.mlive.com/news/sanews/index.ssf?/base/news-23/1186757513318670.xml&coll=9 Local Saginaw Area News - The Saginaw News - MLive.com ] ] [ [http://media.www.cm-life.com/media/storage/paper906/news/2007/11/05/News/States.Top.Legislators.Come.For.Griffin.Forum-3077377.shtml State's top legislators come for Griffin Forum] "CM Life", November 5, 2007] DeRoche's criticism has been echoed by other Republicans including state Representatives Jack Hoogendyk, Kevin Green and Rick Jones. [ [http://www.cm-life.com/news/2007/08/29/News/Politicians.Question.Peters.Commitment-2941423.shtml Politicians question Peters' commitment] "CM Life", August 29, 2007] [ [http://media.www.cm-life.com/media/storage/paper906/news/2007/10/19/News/Economic.Forum.Fills.Park.Library-3043374.shtml Economic forum fills Park Library - News ] "CM Life, October 19, 2007] [ [http://coreprinciples.blogspot.com/2007/10/dennis-lennox-must-be-on-to-something.html Core Principles: Dennis Lennox must be on to something ] "Core Principles Blog", October 2007] There have also been questions about conflicts of interest, as he will be expected to answer questions relating to Knollenberg and Republicans in his class on Michigan politics. [ [http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18677795&BRD=2289&PAG=461&dept_id=472542&rfi=6 Peters, under fire at CMU, seeking House seat] "Midland Daily News"] [ [http://www.svsu.edu/clubs/vanguard/stories/1565 Gary Peters fiasco | The Valley Vanguard ] ] [ [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,305177,00.html FOXNews.com - Student Attempts to Force Congressional Candidate Out of Teaching Job - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News ] ]

The controversy continued when school administrators banned Dennis Lennox, then-president of the campus chapter of Young Americans for Freedom and spokesman for Students Against Gary Peters, from videotaping Peters on campus. This resulted in a threat of legal action by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, who declared the absolute ban unconstitutional. [ [http://www.aclu.org/privacy/gen/33242prs20071127.html American Civil Liberties Union : University’s Absolute Ban on Videotaping Without Permission is Unconstitutional, Says ACLU of Michigan ] ] [ [http://www.themorningsun.com/stories/112907/loc_aclu.shtml The Morning Sun ] ] [ [http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19064687&BRD=2289&PAG=461&dept_id=472542&rfi=6 Midland Daily News - ACLU calls for end to video ban ] ] [ [http://www.record-eagle.com/statenews/local_story_332094519.html Traverse City Record-Eagle - Michigan in Brief: 11/28/2007 ] ] CMU also took action against passing out handbills critical of Peters, threatening discplinary action. [ [http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071118/NEWS01/711180613/1001/news Lansing State Journal: From City Hall to campuses, free speech creates tension ] ] [ [http://blog.mlive.com/saginawnews/2007/11/expulsion_possible_for_antipet.html Expulsion possible for anti-Peters student - The Saginaw News - MLive.com ] ] [ [http://www.mlive.com/news/bctimes/index.ssf?/base/news-10/1196700398114250.xml&coll=4 CMU student could face expulsion in quest to remove endowed professor- mlive.com ] ] [ [http://www.cm-life.com/news/2007/11/28/News/Lennox.Could.Face.Expulsion-3118906.shtml Lennox could face expulsion - News ] ]

CMU said it met with Peters before the fall 2007 semester on how his congressional campaign might impact the professorship. [ [http://www.ourmidland.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18687217&BRD=2289&PAG=461&dept_id=472542&rfi=6 Midland Daily News - Confident Peters to talk with CMU deans about job, candidacy ] ] [ [http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071218/NEWS06/712180372/1008 CMU leaders raised questions about Peters ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.petersforcongress.com/ Gary Peters for U.S. Congress] "official campaign website"
* [http://opensecrets.org/races/summary.asp?ID=MI09&Cycle=2008 Campaign contributions] at OpenSecrets.org
* [http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Gary_Peters Profile] at SourceWatch Congresspedia
*"Follow the Money" - Gary Peters
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=2920 2002] Attorney General campaign contributions
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=61432 2000] Governor campaign contributions
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=35769 1998] State Senate campaign contributions