Tension over Biden protests apparently spills over to redistricting meeting

“I half expected to have (Reckling) yell ‘F--k Joe Biden’ at me during the meeting" — Democratic party chair

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The protests that greeted President Joe Biden on his visit to Howell on Tuesday — and the media attention they received — apparently drove an even-larger cudgel into the naturally adversarial relationship of the chairs of Livingston County’s two political parties; judging from a release from the county Democrats’ executive committee, the frustration over the protests spilled over into the Reapportionment Commission meeting on Wednesday, when it met to re-draw district boundaries.

Judy Daubenmier, chair of the Livingston County Democratic Party

“It was all I could do to sit in the same room with (Meghan) Reckling (chair of the Livingston County Republicans),” said Judy Daubenmier, chair of the Livingston County Democrats, in the release. “I half expected to have her yell ‘F–k Joe Biden’ at me during the meeting because those seem to be the only words in Republicans’ vocabulary these days.”

The release from the Livingston County Democratic Party Executive Committee on the final redistricting meeting said Reckling “appeared to be caught off guard” about choosing a map.

Meghan Reckling, chair of the Livingston County Republican Party

Last week, the commission had asked the Michigan Court of Appeals for an extension of the 60-day window to complete its work, but the extension had not been granted by Wednesday’s meeting so the commission went ahead with the vote.

According to the release: “(Reckling) said she was not yet prepared to vote on maps, asked to delay the process, and stumbled to come up with a map to put forward before finally saying she liked her own — which would have pitted Commissioner Wes Nakagiri against Commissioner Martin Smith, in addition to the other two pairings.”

The other two potential primary pairings in the newly drawn map — which will be in effect for the next decade — are Commissioner Jay Drick versus Commissioner Mitchell Zajac, and Commissioner Jay Gross versus Commissioner Brenda Plank.

“I was shocked that Meghan was not ready to do the job on Wednesday and ended up just voting for the map drawn by her mother (Livingston County Clerk Elizabeth Hundley),” Daubenmier said. “Could it be she was rattled by the negative national press she created for Livingston County on Tuesday by summoning a mob of cursing, aggressive, Trump supporters to come out for Livingston County’s first-ever visit by a sitting president?”

“Frankly, I did not even want to be there Wednesday,” Daubenmier said. “But I came prepared, gritted my teeth, and went through it knowing that Republicans were going to out-vote me 4-1.”

The Livingston County Reapportionment Commission consists of the Livingston County clerk, treasurer and prosecuting attorney, as well as the chairs of the county’s Republican and Democratic parties.

The new map was adopted 4-1 along party lines.

You can read about the new districts by clicking here.

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Maria Stuart worked at The Livingston County Press/ Livingston County Daily Press & Argus as a reporter, editor and managing editor. These days, she runs The Livingston Post.

6 Comments

  1. Livingston County has long been a Republican stronghold and rife with right wing propaganda. These right wing wackos travel around to protest Biden because they are part of a freaking cult. Don’t be fooled. The rest of us are working, paying taxes, and actually supporting our communities. But, you do you.

  2. It happens in every town and state. Where are Bidens 81 million supporters? Makes you think doesn’t it?

  3. It appears Meghan’s priority was planning a protest instead of preparing for the vote.

    Supposedly, this protest was about spending. Trump spent more than Obama. Trump added to the deficit. Biden’s program is paid for and does not add to the deficit. This program is about new jobs and infrastructure which would benefit the county.

    Apparently, if Democrats propose then GOP atomatically oppose.

    Since I’ve moved here I’ve been defending the reputation of Howell denying that everyone
    is racist. Now I’ll have to add we aren’t all vulgar, ill informed, conspiracy trolls either.

  4. Once again Judy Daubenmier earns my respect—this time for working in close proximity with the leader of Tuesday’s loutishness.

  5. As a resident of Livingston County, I found the protests around PRESIDENT BIDEN, like him or hate him, it doesn’t matter! To be embarrassing. The idea that an elected official may have participated rules out their critical thinking abilities, and also fortunately, allows their true, less than worthy to hold office, character, to shine right through…
    Is this who should represent the interests of any part Of
    The citizenry of Livingston County or any county in the United States fo that matter??
    It is still a democracy, and respect for the Presidency and the office is a GIVEN, Meghan.
    I hope they vote you out, Meghan,
    Especially Since apparently you were far too busy organizing crass protests with obscenities on placards
    By the elementary school… around the President of the United States… to do the actual job that you were elected for…

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