Republican Lobbyists Kill Michigan Foreclosure Relief

from: Political Affairs Online

2-04-09, 9:55 am

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The same Republican-owned law firm that may have tried to help Michigan Republicans hand an electoral victory to John McCain here in the November presidential election may also be blocking effective foreclosure relief legislation, the news Web site Michigan Messenger reported this week.

Michigan Messenger broke a story last fall quoting state Republican Party officials as saying they planned to use a list of home foreclosures to challenge voters at the polls in the Detroit area. The Web site further reported that such a list may have been obtained from Trott and Trott, an area law firm whose owner, David Trott, who had given thousands to the McCain campaign.

Trott and Trott, located in a suburb of Detroit, handles the paperwork for "thousands of foreclosed homes," the Michigan Messenger reported.

After the story about the Republican Party plan to use a foreclosure list possibly obtained from Trott and Trott broke, Republican Party officials denied the published quotes and threatened to sue the Web site. The threatened suits never materialized and heavy coverage of the incident forced Republican Party officials to back away from their plan to challenge voters.

Now, it appears the Trott and Trott firm may be intervening in Michigan state politics to singlehandedly weaken or block legislation that will help troubled homeowners renegotiate the terms of their mortgages, keep their homes and pay their bills, the Michigan Messenger has reported.

A bill, Home Foreclosure Prevention Act, introduced in the Michigan state legislature by Gov. Jennifer Granholm last December would have helped homeowners negotiate a new settlement with lenders before foreclosure proceedings. The bill, approved by the Democratic-controlled state House, was blocked in the Republican-controlled state Senate.

Democratic leaders in the state legislature blamed the failure of the bill on the lobbying efforts of Trott and Trott, which gives thousands to the Republican Party and enjoys a hefty business from foreclosure proceedings.

Further, the Michigan Messenger reported, one Democratic leader said that he was told by a Senate Republican leader that the Senate version of the bill was actually authored by Trott and Trott lawyers. Other Democrats in the state legislature also to that news Web site that Trott and Trott lobbyists helped kill previous foreclosure relief efforts.