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prosecutors, investigators and analysts in this
unit has resulted in criminal charges, convic-
tions and court supervision of some offenders.
Carolyn Normandin, regional director,
Michigan ADL, says that it’s “really important
to have someone who understands
that hate crimes are message crimes
— they bring absolute terror to
their targets.
”
She says that the Hate Crimes
and Domestic Terrorism Unit has
prosecuted hate crimes and put
people behind bars, sometimes
with higher penalties because they are message
crimes. Normandin says that The Base — a
neo-Nazi group — has become less active in
Michigan because of law enforcement.
Earlier this month, a jury convicted Nathan
Weeden, 23, of Houghton — an active mem-
ber of The Base — under a civil rights statute.
Weeden spray-painted swastikas and symbols
associated with The Base on the outside walls of
Temple Jacob in Hancock, Mich., on Sept. 21,
2019.
“She brings a special level of understanding to
her work. Her office has been targeted and she
has become a statistic. She is a very strong per-
son,
” Normandin says.
PROTECTING CONSUMERS
Nessel explains that the Attorney General’s
office handles more than criminal cases —
citing consumer protection to prevent corpora-
tions, including utilities, from taking advantage
of citizens, and environmental issues as especial-
ly important.
“I’m very proud of the opioid settlement,
which resulted in $1.54 billion for Michigan,
”
she says. Half of the settlement will be allocat-
ed over 18 years to the state for medications
to prevent overdoses and addiction treatment,
and the remainder to Michigan counties, cities
and municipalities in which excessive amounts
of addictive pills were distributed, resulting in
many thousands of overdoses and deaths.
Nessel organized a Retail Crime Unit to coun-
teract the $1 billion in retail losses that occur
annually in Michigan, due in part to organized
crime syndicates. Recently, Nessel joined with
local law enforcement officials from multiple
Michigan counties to announce the identifica-
tion of a Chilean retail crime ring that has tar-
geted Michigan stores.
Public integrity is another important concern.
Her office has charged former state legislators
and legislative staff members with financial
wrongdoing. The state legislature has passed
laws to promote greater financial transparency
on the part of government agencies and elect-
ed officials — an area in which Michigan has
lagged many other states.
“It’s a small beginning — a foundation for
what is needed in terms of campaign finance
and lobbying laws. I hope that Lansing will be
less corrupt,
” she says.
Soon after taking office, Nessel announced
that allegations of clergy sexual abuse of minors
would continue to be investigated and some
cases reopened when allegations were within the
statutory time limits or involved currently serv-
ing clergy. “There has been more cooperation
from the Catholic Church. Some dioceses have
From West
Bloomfield
to Lansing:
Nessel’s Path
Dana Nessel was raised in
West Bloomfield where she
attended public school and
played high school soccer. She
had a bat mitzvah at Temple
Kol Ami where she was a
member for many years.
Nessel received a bache-
lor’s degree in political sci-
ence from the University of
Michigan and a law degree
from Wayne State University.
She served as an assistant
prosecutor in Wayne County
for 11 years and then opened
her own law firm — Nessel
and Kessel Law — in 2005.
Nessel has received awards
from the Michigan State Bar
Association, the Michigan
League of Conservation
Voters, the Michigan Sierra
Club and the State Bar of
Michigan’s Consumer Law
Section.
During her work on the
DeBoer vs Snyder same-sex
marriage case, Nessel met
and married Alanna Maguire.
Nessel and Maguire have twin
sons who are Michigan State
University students; the family
lives in Southeastern Michigan.
After the shootings at
Michigan State University last
year, Attorney General Dana
Nessel issued the following
statement: “As a parent, there
is no greater fear than having
your child tell you there is an
active shooter at their school.
I experienced this terror along
with thousands of other MSU
families last night. While my
Spartan sons are safe, I am
mourning the devastating loss
and senseless violence … I
am hopeful that the investi-
gation reveals how we can
better protect our children, our
neighbors and all those who
call Michigan home.”
Carloyn
Normandin
Gov. Whitmer, President
Obama, Secretary Benson,
Lt. Gov. Gilchrist, and AG
Nessel on stage at rally