Dems call out potential ethics violation at John James event in Utica

By Grant Schwab, Medianews Group

An activist for the Michigan Democratic Get together filed an moral criticism towards the Gubernatorial candidate of Michigan and American Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, concerning the alleged abuse of congress sources.

The criticism claimed that James Taxpayer used sources from his American home at a Wednesday occasion the place at the very least one worker and numerous printed indicators additionally promote the Run of the Republican legislator for Governor of Michigan.

“His actions mistreat each taxpayers by abusing their hard-earned cash for the personal advantage of the James-en marketing campaign by abusing our democracy by abusing the facility of america congress to affect an election of the state,” wrote Joel Rutherford in a criticism.

Rutherford beforehand served as chairman of the Michigan Democratic Get together for the tenth Congress District, which represents James. The district within the Detroit suburbs contains South Macomb County and Rochester and Rochester Hills in Oakland County. James will ultimately depart the chair on the finish of 2026, as a result of he can not run for each workplaces on the identical time.

The occasion in query, held on a Minor League baseball match in Utica, contained a free giveaway motion of backpacks and sophistication provides for the approaching faculty yr. A James spokeswoman rejected the declare of ethics on Friday.

“For 3 years, John James Michigan youngsters offered free backpacks and faculty provides, with the assistance of no taxpayer {dollars}. Democrats, obsessive about authorities dependence and a wake -up agenda, an actual chief attacking households,” stated James spokeswoman Hannah Osantowske in an announcement.

She continued: “Underneath ‘Democrat Management’ Michigan -students of Michigan develop on a shameful forty seventh in nationwide Leesscores. John James comes up with a daring plan: as governor he’ll ship outcomes, restore tutorial excellence and our youngsters to the highest propellers, together with backpacks.”

The criticism criticized Osantowske, who serves as spokesman for James’ US Home Workplace and his Gubernatorial Run, for selling an occasion that marketed its state marketing campaign utilizing its congress -mail handle. Serving in double roles is frequent, though guidelines require that workers separate the official communication between public workplaces and campaigns.

Rutherford identified that, in keeping with the home Ethics Handbook, “official sources of the home, as a basic rule, must be used for the implementation of the official affairs of the home, and subsequently these sources is probably not used for marketing campaign or political functions.”

Michigan Democratic Get together chairman Curtis Hertel additionally known as James for the alleged violation.

“John James abused by taxpayers financed sources by way of his convention workplace to advertise his marketing campaign for Governor, who is unlawful and a violation of the foundations of house ethics,” he stated in an announcement. “James appears to have violated the regulation – and is aimed toward selling himself as a substitute of serving to Michiganders working.

“We urge the Ethics Committee to totally examine this incident on the Home, and if they’re an moral violation, James holds accountable for this unlawful and unethical conduct.”

Initially revealed: August 25, 2025 at 12:47 pm Edt