Commissioner Stivers apparently violated campaign law and county ethics policy

State rep candidate handed out fundraising invites at Commission meeting

FRIDAY, July 22 — Ingham County Commissioner Emily Stivers apparently violated the county’s ethics policy and state election law last year by handing out campaign material at a Commission meeting, City Pulse has learned.

The apparent violation occurred in April 2022 when Stivers apparently distributed invitations to a political fundraiser for herself to other commissioners and county employees in the Commission meeting room while awaiting the start of a Commission meeting, according to several witnesses.

Stivers is running for the Democratic nomination for the state House of Representatives from the new 75^th District in the Aug. 2 primary election. She represents the 11th District, which includes Haslett, on the Board of Commssioners. Her term expires Dec. 31.

“Commissioners should never solicit campaign contributions on County property,” the ethics policy reads, “or using County email or other County resources.”

County Clerk Barb Byrum, the county’s chief election official who was also one of the witnesses, said Stivers likely  violated Michigan election law.

No public reprimand was made of Stivers.

“I saw her doing it, and I gave her a look that said, in no uncertain terms, you cannot be doing this in here,” Byrum said.

Bryum, who is supporting Penelope Tsenoglou in the race against Stivers, said she also privately admonished Stivers over wearing her county paid Commissioner identification pin.

Asked why she did not file a complaint with the Michigan Bureau of Elections, Byrum said, “If I filed a complaint for every campaign finance complaint I saw, I wouldn’t be able to do any of my other work,” she said. She added that after the secretary of state investigates those complaints, generally the politician is just sent a warning letter or in rare instances assessed a small fine. “It’s just not worth it.”

Commission Chair Bryan Crenshaw said he saw the April incident with her campaign fundraiser literature and told her she was not allowed to distribute the fliers.

“She told me she thought it was OK because it was between meetings,” Crenshaw said. “She did stop, however.”

Reached through Facebook, Stivers said when asked about campaigning on county property, “I am not going to be involved in the circus atmosphere of a last-minute publicity stunt, because I believe voters should have this moment to seriously consider the issues.”