Write-in candidate challenges Michigan U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter - Detroit Free Press
Former state Sen. Loren Bennett, a Canton Republican, plans to wage a write-in campaign in the 11th Congressional District, setting up a battle with Republican U.S. Rep. Thaddeus McCotter of Livonia.
"We need someone who takes the job seriously," Bennett said Friday. "Even though it's an enormous uphill battle, I'm putting my name and reputation out there. I don't know if I will be more successful than an incumbent in a write-in campaign. But after what has happened here, the public deserves a choice."
Bennett was referring to the McCotter campaign's failure to qualify for the ballot after turning in obviously doctored petitions with signature sheets that had been photocopied multiple times. Of the 2,000 signatures turned in, only 244 were deemed valid by the Secretary of State. Congressional candidates must turn in at least 1,000 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.
McCotter has said he has no idea what happened with the petitions, and he plans to run a write-in campaign to retain his seat. The state Attorney General's Office has launched an investigation into the petitions.
Bennett, who served in the state Senate in 1995-2002, has worked for J&B Medical in Wixom, a medical supply company that has gone from six employees when he started eight years ago to more than 200 today.
Bennett said he's already signed up more than 100 volunteers to help with the Herculean write-in task and hopes that number grows to 1,000. He said the campaign will capitalize on anger with McCotter over the petition scandal, as well as annoyance with his short-lived presidential candidacy last year.
"The No. 1 comment I've heard is 'enough is enough,' " Bennett said. "Nobody could figure out what was going on out there. That campaign just didn't seem to make sense."
The newly configured 11th District includes western Wayne County and a large portion of Oakland County.
The only Republican who will appear on the printed ballot is former teacher Kerry Bentivolio of Milford.
Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4407 or kgray99@freepress.com
RSS hits out at BJP for growing infighting - zeenews.india.com
Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Upset with the growing infighting in the BJP, RSS mouthpiece Panchajanya in its editorial on Saturday hit out at the saffron party.
“Several BJP leaders carry Prime Ministerial ambition. The Prime Ministerial candidate should be picked up only after the 2014 results”, the editorial said.
The sangh fountainhead is also unhappy with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for “ignoring senior BJP leaders”.
Veteran BJP leader LK Advani on Thursday made an indirect attack on party president Nitin Gadkari for taking faulty decisions.
Expressing concerns over his party’s declining credibility, the BJP stalwart wrote in his popular blog that the saffron leadership has failed to sense the pulse of the public on various occasions and several wrong decisions taken by the apex leadership has further worsened the situation.
“The mood within the party these days is not upbeat. The results in Uttar Pradesh, the manner in which the party welcomed BSP Ministers who were removed by Mayawati ji on charges of corruption, the party’s handling of Jharkhand and Karnataka – all these events have undermined the party’s campaign against corruption,” Advani wrote.
“The fact that we have a sizable contingent of MPs in Parliament today as against the niggardly two seats in 1984, that our performance in the two Houses under Sushmaji and Jaitleyji has been excellent, that the party is in power in as many as nine states today is no compensation for the lapses committed. I had said at the Core Group meeting that if people are today angry with the UPA Government, they are also disappointed with us. The situation, I said, calls for introspection,” he stated.
After Advani’s open criticism, BJP’s mouthpiece Kamal Sandesh has described Modi as a 'man in a hurry' and blamed him for damaging the party’s fabric.
"As one ascends the ladder, his understanding should also elevate. But the irony is that it is always seen that on reaching the top even after knowing that a day will come when he has to come down he tries to belittle the one's below him. When we applaud a person more than required then we in fact ourselves open the door of his possible distraction. Similarly if one is criticized in extremity, we open the door for his possible exit," the Kamal Sandesh editorial said.
Winger Michael Coulson on radar of York City boss - The Press in York
Winger Michael Coulson on radar of York City boss
12:00pm Saturday 2nd June 2012 in Sport 
FREE agent Michael Coulson is on York City manager Gary Mills’ wanted list.
Winger Coulson, who turned down a new deal at Blue Square Bet Premier Grimsby Town at the end of last season, is seen as the ideal man to add competition for striking places at Bootham Crescent during the club’s League Two campaign.
But Mills added that he only envisages recruiting four new players this summer should those out-of-contract players he would like to retain from last season’s squad agree new terms.
He also revealed that strengthening the team’s attacking and midfield options will be his priority during the close season.
Coulson was a child prodigy at home-town Scarborough where he broke into the then Conference club’s first team at the age of 16.
He went on to play for Barnsley in the Championship but a cruciate knee ligament injury halted his progress at Oakwell and loan spells at Northwich, Chester and Grimsby followed before he made a permanent switch to Blundell Park in the summer of 2010.
Netting 21 times in 101 league outings for the Mariners, he also won England ‘C’ honours but is now looking for a new challenge.
Outlining his admiration for Coulson, City boss Mills said: “Michael Coulson is somebody I rate. I think he’s a good player and he’s one that I am interested in.
“I don’t know whether he will be coming here or not though and we will have to wait and see.”
On the potential number of new faces for the 2012/13 campaign, Mills added: “That might be dictated by what comes out of my talks with last season’s players and maybe then I will need more players than I’d anticipated but we don’t need wholesale changes. If I can keep the players I want, I think we are looking at four players.
“We are a good side with a strong bond and a great team spirit. The fans have seen that and I would be stupid to dismantle things.
“There will always be changes. Some signings don’t work out and some might need to move on to resurrect their careers.
“Then, I’ve got to look at the right replacements to make us stronger. We’ve got to strengthen the midfield because Scott Kerr might be out until October.
“I also want to increase our striking options. It’s a vital area and, as superbly as Matty Blair, Jason Walker and Ash Chambers did last season, there’s got to be a couple more to push them or get picked ahead of them.”
Having signalled his intention to hold on to out-of-contract left-back James Meredith, Mills has also expressed a desire to keep Chambers, Adriano Moké and Dan Parslow.
But he is yet to tell fellow free agents Jon Challinor, Chris Doig, Jamal Fyfield, Danny Pilkington, Eugen Bopp, Matthew Blinkhorn and Scott Brown whether they have futures at the club.
Mills said: “I’ve had brief chats with Ash Chambers, Dan Parslow and Adriano Moké to say I would like them to come into the League with me next season. That doesn’t mean that’s going to happen and everything will be agreed but, as manager, I would like to give them that opportunity.
“Adriano has so much ability. He didn’t play an abundance of games but the last nine months will have opened his eyes.
“He’s seen what it’s all about now and grew up and became a man around Christmas time when we saw a big improvement. There’s a lot more to come from him and I think he can excite in the next League.
“Ash Chambers grew in confidence during the season as well. Self-belief had always been a problem with him but he ended up having a fantastic season.
“Then there’s the old warhorse Dan Parslow. He’s the type of player every manager wants in their squad.
“He can play here, there and everywhere and was outstanding during the last dozen games. He deserves to play in the League, will never let me down and I can trust him 100 per cent.”
Youth-team goalkeeper Ben White has been released, however, meaning Tom Platt is the only player from last year’s second-year scholars to agree professional terms.
“I have high hopes for him,” Mills said about Platt, who ended last season on loan at Harrogate Town. “He’s done superbly well. I think he’s got a bright future.”
City, meanwhile, will travel to Gateshead on Tuesday, July 24 for a pre-season friendly.
Provisional home games to Hartlepool on August 11 and Middlesbrough for David McGurk’s testimonial, either on August 3 or 4, are to be confirmed.
Mills also intends to return to last summer’s Rutland training base for a small break with possible fixtures at Grantham on July 28 and Peterborough on July 31.
The Football League, meanwhile, have confirmed that teams will be permitted to name seven substitutes next season.
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RSS mouthpiece questions Narendra Modi's style of functioning - indiatvnews.com
New Delhi, June 2: In yet another instance of growing feud within BJP and the Sangh Parivar, an article in a RSS mouthpiece has criticised Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for his style of functioning and also indicated that the party has several other Prime Ministerial candidates.
The article, which figures in the latest issue of ‘Panchajanya,’ says it is being felt that Modi needs to do a rethink about his style of functioning and organisational capabilities.“The role of Narendra Modi in the Sanjay Joshi episode at BJP’s national executive meeting in Mumbai is worth pondering over,” the article states.
Modi had insisted that he will attend the conclave only if his bete noire Sanjay Joshi resigns from BJP national executive. The party bowed to his demand.
The article further points out that it is a mystery why Modi, a staunch believer of the Sangh ideology, could not deal with his anger towards his fellow RSS worker Joshi.
“By making the presence of Sanjay Joshi at the BJP national executive a prestige issue, why did he (Modi) give the media an opportunity to spread misinformation about the Sangh and BJP” the article said.
In a dig at Modi’s Prime Ministerial ambitions, the article also states that BJP has several chief ministers and central leaders who are capable of being its Prime Ministerial candidate and hence the decision on this matter should be made after the general elections.
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