Voters Face Election to Defend Clerk Giszczak

Background: To promote his wife’s candidacy in 2008, C.J. McDonald filed over 200 FOIA requests, day after day, two and three times a day, repeatedly disrupting residents doing township business at the township hall. 

He would barge into the small township hall and loudly declare his wife should be elected to office, that “we have to get rid of Giszczak ..., before someone goes postal.”  His wife Kathleen McDonald has run repeatedly for the Clerk position since 2004, and for Trustee in 2000.

McDonald also filed frivolous complaints with the State Police, wasting valuable and scarce resources.  Two undercover detectives investigated his claims that Clerk Giszczak violated his rights under the  Open Meetings Act, and prepared extensive reports. The Washtenaw County Prosecuting Attorney found no grounds for prosecution.

Not satisfied with the official report, Mr. McDonald filed a lawsuit naming the Township and Clerk Giszczak personally. He lost this lawsuit due to its frivolous and untrue nature, and the Township filed a counter lawsuit to ask the court to award reimbursement of over $11,000 of attorney fees spent to defend the Township.

With McDonald’s attorney taking the lead, McDonald agreed to pay $5,000.00 for legal fees, which the township accepted.  He also voluntarily signed a consent judgment barring him from future Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. These sanctions were offered by McDonald's attorney to the township, and offically signed by C.J. McDonald as a Court Order.  

Less than a year later, McDonald began making verbal requests as cited in his recall petition. These verbal requests are in violation of the court order. Apparently, Court Orders mean nothing to McDonald.

Still not satisfied, he filed a petition for a recall election, and here we are faced with an election on February 22, 2011. The taxpayers will bear this cost which may be as high as $10,000. If successful, the taxpayers may bear the cost of yet another election to approve a new clerk.

Please stand with Clerk Giszczak and vote NO RECALL.

Thank you