When you get the nasty robocall against you or your candidate, its a sign that they are taking you seriously and you are getting your own message out.
Just such a sign appeared this week, with a police lobbying organization (some of the groups are good, legitimate advocates for law enforcement, but there's a maze of them and some are just political shills that use the name "police" and "association". I really don't know much about MAPO (POAM is more well-known), but they've decided to enter the fray in the Andy Dillon recall effort.
A transcript was sent to OutsideLansing.com this morning. Here's what voters in Redford are being subjected to by automated telephone calls.
Hello, this is Rich Wyler, president of the Michigan Association of Police Organizations, the state's largest law enforcement group. An extremist group is circulating petitions to recall State Representative Andy Dillon. Troopers and officers across the state support Andy Dillon and urge you not to sign a recall petition. These paid out-of-towners are using illegal and deceptive tactics to get you to sign. Don't let them get away with it. The Michigan Association of Police Organizations strongly opposes a recall and we urge you not to sign a recall petition.
Of course, "deceptive" is in the eye of the beholder, but "illegal"? You'd think police officers of all people would know the law and know that you don't accuse people of illegal tactics without evidence.
I challenge Mr. Wiley to produce the evidence of illegal tactics his message asserts. Perhaps he has some - but let's see it. Regardless, these types of charges have become "playbook" for petition-blockers, and aren't surprising.
But Leon Drolet's efforts have earned the dreaded robo-call response, and that suggests the Dillon forces believe he's close. I have no real idea how close the recall is - but I suspect its like all such things. Right on the boundary of success and failure. Recalls are hard, but possible.
