Michigan Criminal Lawyers Blog
Results of Primary Elections
The results of the August primaries are in, and Macomb County will be voting for a new prosecutor in November. Well, technically voters were already voting for a new prosecutor in the primary as previous Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith resigned this past March due to criminal corruption charges. The field to replace Smith was crowded, with five candidates on the Democrats side along with two candidates running from the GOP. Retired Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Mary Chrzanowski edged out former Waterford District Judge Jodi Debbrecht Switalski by just over 2,000 votes in the unofficial results to claim the right to run on the Democratic ticket in November. Chrzanowski, nicknamed “Scary Mary” by defense attorneys for her heavy sentences will face Republican challenger and former Michigan State Senator Peter Lucido. Lucido more than doubled the vote of his challenger, former Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor John Goodman, winning by over 35,000 votes. This is the first time since 2004 that former Prosecutor Eric Smith will not be on the ballot in November for Macomb County Prosecutor.
Previous Macomb County Prosecutor Scandal
Previous Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith is still facing his own prosecution for criminal charges stemming from alleged misconduct in office. His charges include conducting a criminal enterprise, five counts of embezzlement by a public official, public office misconduct, tampering with evidence, conspiracy to commit forgery, and accessory to a crime after the fact. These ten separate felony charges have put Smith in a position where he could be facing significant punishment for his alleged activities if he is convicted. Corruption in Macomb County has led to over 20 former public officials being convicted for various crimes while in office. An interim prosecutor, Jean Cloud was named to assume control of the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office by the 15 sitting Macomb County Circuit Court Judges this past May. She stated her intention to only handle the job on an interim basis and would not seek election for the full-time position. Cloud has made good on that promise and will step aside once a new Macomb County Prosecutor is elected this November.
What Happens Next?
Former Judge Mary Chrzanowski (D) will face off with former Senator Peter Lucido (R). It is obvious that the citizens of Macomb County will be looking to new leadership in various public roles going forward in an effort to put the headline-grabbing scandals and corruption behind them. The winner of the Macomb County Prosecutor election will receive a $158,000 yearly salary in that role. Chrzanowski was first elected to the Macomb County Circuit court at age 30, being the first woman to be elected in a contested race in the County’s history. If she wins in November, she will be the first woman in the County’s history to be elected as the Macomb County Prosecutor. This is projected to be a tight race as both candidates come into this showdown with significant name recognition and history within Macomb County. Lucido, as stated previously, was a Michigan state representative and also started a local magazine called Macomb Now Magazine. Whoever is elected will be tasked with cleaning up the rampant corruption that has plagued Macomb County in recent times with so many Macomb County public officials being charged and convicted with a laundry list of criminal activity.
Any Further Questions?
If you or a loved one has been charged with a crime or being investigated for one, then it is important to speak to an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately. At Grabel & Associates, our attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience in successfully defending criminal cases all over the state of Michigan. This experience extends not only to adult cases, but also to juvenile charges. We are not a general practice firm. We are a team of criminal defense attorneys; it’s all we do. We offer a FREE consultation to anyone with questions relating to a possible or existing criminal charge against them or a loved one. Feel free to contact us on our 24/7 defense line at 1-800-342-7896. You can also contact us online or come visit us at one of our three statewide locations. We can also come to you.