Why did it take so long for Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox to dismiss assistant attorney Andrew Shirvell? Because the two are politically and financially intertwined. “Intertwined” in a way the totally heterosexual Shirvell would never be caught with another dude. Because he’s straight. And hates gays!
While Cox this week told television viewers he wasn’t going to fire Shirvell because of First Amendment rights, Anderson Cooper‘s team might’ve found a better reason. Going through Michigan’s campaign finance records The Coop said last night there are multiple payments from the Cox campaign to Shirvell, all the way back to 2002, with consulting and payroll fees and other expenses going to Shirvell’s pocket. (Cox refused to return to AC360.)
Interesting!
Shirvell is currently on a “voluntary” leave of absence and will face disciplinary hearings upon his return to work. But that so-called punishment arrives only after blogs and the media began digging around Shirvell’s history (which includes, in addition to running the now-offline blog Chris Armstrong Watch, marching with the Westboro Baptist Church).
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What’s becoming clear is that Shirvell isn’t just a staffer in Cox’s attorney general office, but a political ally to his boss. (It would surprise me at this point if Shirvell’s job in the AG’s office is really just a “thank you” for helping out with the campaign.) Except Cox can’t continue defending Shirvell now that the story has blown up this wide. Thus, the suspension leave of absence. Don’t be shocked if Shirvell is able to quietly return to this post once this story blows offer.
On AC360 last night, Michigan State Rep. Alma Wheeler Smith says she’s had “hostile” and “rather intimidating” run-ins with Shirvell, including his “aggressive” campaign to keep her off the board of an Ann Arbor bank because she’s pro-choice; Shirvell contacted the bank president, a Catholic, and pressured him to keep her off the board. (Meanwhile: Does anyone else have a problem with a state lawmaker sitting on the board of a for-profit bank? Anyone?) The bank president ended up ignoring Shirvell’s demand. Wheeler Smith is among those who thinks Shirvell must be dismissed.
So too is David Leyton, the Democrat running to succeed Cox as AG. He’s already calling for Cox to permanently fire Shirvell.
And while Cox isn’t sticking around — he’s got about three months left on the job — that he’s so close with guys like Shirvell, and will go on national television to defend him, it’s indicative of the type of behavior Cox might be willing to tolerate at every level.
Kaderade
Well duh Shirvell had to be more than what Cox said he was because any old “grunt” would be dismissed immediately for the racist liar remarks simply because most politicians want to distance themselves immediately from anyone who might tarnish their reputation and future election chances. What Shirvell has gotten away with as a GROWN PROFESSIONAL to a college undergrad is simply sickening and by not firing him it just seems that Cox was letting him completely get away scott free with someone everyone knew was twisted. Shame.
wompman
Cox is just Shirvell without the overwhelming mental problems. He’s as anti-gay and hateful as the idiotic Shirvell and he went on CNN to defend the actions of a grown-ass man harrassing a college student. I’m sure the only thing that did anger Cox was that Shirvell let the mask of their bigoted agenda slip to reveal how hateful the fundies are. Its nothing gay people haven’t known forever, with the likes of NOM and Focus on the Asshole floating around, but Shirvell went on CNN to display his lunatic behavior to the world, and now hopefully he will once and for all get some damn psychiatric help.
nelson
This is interesting. It was clear that Cox had an agenda in not reprimanding the loon, now it turns out he was one of his political henchmen. God help this country if it ends up being run by these crazies.
scott ny'er
well it’s obvious they are political buddies. But I’m glad AC is all over this and I hope this continues to dig the political graves of both Shirvell and Cox. Kudos to AC!!! What other news agency is reporting on this with such gusto? I don’t think any are.
scott ny'er
In addition, if I was a fundie or republican I’d be all over Cox to shut Shirvell down. It is amazing how much Shirvell has probably gotten away with already. But he really is making fundies and repubs look stupid and maybe affecting how the elections work, no?
Cam
Again, people who wonder why Armstrong didn’t file a restraining order until now…look at that.
The AG of the state was going to bat for the guy. It would have been nearly impossible to get a restraining order against those odds without the national attention.
Shirvelle also kept taunting Armstrong to do interviews, saying that everything he, Shirvelle, was saying about Armstrong was true because Armstrong never went on the news to defend himself.
Shirvelle knows that as soon as somebody goes on the news, they can be considered a public person which lessons their protection against public condemnation. He was doing everything possible to keep harrassing this guy.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
It is absolutley insane that this shit is occuring in the office of the Attorney General. One would think anyone representing this office should be a shining example of upholding the laws of the state. Not a poster boy for insane stalking obsessive behaviour. And that the AG did not immediately terminate him as soon as this saga surfaced is so very telling as to the mindsets of the frigtwing lunatics. Think of any other group of people had Shitvell directed his lunacy at and he would have been jetted immmediatley. We are the last group where people can spew their hatred on without fear of retribution. Cox should be impeached for derelection of the duties of his office……
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
PS: Anyone else notice how much this shitbag also looks like another kinda sorta creepy charachter????
:p[img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_B0MoElAJDRY/TCx8ZNbgxYI/AAAAAAAAEbA/XfuFHlIk-jk/s1600/peewee_herman.jpg[/img]
Marty
“PS: Anyone else notice how much this shitbag also looks like another kinda sorta creepy charachter????” — I don’t see Pee Wee, but I do see a young Ben Stein who, coincidentally, is of a very similar mindset. I keep chuckling, too, ‘cos his last name sounds like a girl group, “The Shirvells”…