8
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
ELECTIONS
From Page 1
council members - Anglin, Kun-
selman and Tony Derezinski (D-
Ward 2) - Rabhi has the support
of Conan Smith, a current member
of the Washtenaw County Board of
Commissioners. And recently, the
Michigan Democratic Party's LGBT
Caucus publicly backed his cam-
paign.
But according to Rabhi, his great-
est support comes from what he calls
"face time" - going door-to-door
through every neighborhood in the
11th district and talking to prospec-
tive voters.
"At the end of the day, the best
way I've been engaging people is
FRAUD
From Page 1
insider trading that led to over $30
million in illegal profits.
just knocking on their doors," Rabhi
said. "It's the way you make politics
and democracy accessible. I want to
engage the people in the democratic
process."
Rabhi said he began going door-to-
door in late April, which enabled him
to reach more houses than if he had
started closer to the primary. Start-
ing early was important, he said, in
a district of about 25,000 registered
voters.
"At the beginning a lot of people
were telling me, 'You're the first
county commissioner candidate
that's ever knocked on my door,' "
Rabhi said.
Rabhi said his campaign efforts
have only intensified since April.
The 11th district encompasses a
large part of the University's com-
In a statement released to media
outlets through their attorney, the
Wylys have classified the charges as "a
misapplication of the law."
"They have never been given any
reason to believe the financial transac-
$150 OFF Mention This AD
End 7/31/10 And Receive $150 Off. Now is the
perfect time to prep with one of the
M A nation's leaders in test preparation.
A -Small Classes
*LSATs Ca**
"Expent instructors
" Free Extra Help
.The
GMAT Princeton
-2 viwPi n et fnXa, 7 i.<. u l " Review
munity, including South Quadrangle,
West Quadrangle and predominantly
student-filled neighborhoods around
Oakland Avenue and Fifth Avenue.
Rabhi said he makes a point of hit-
ting student-heavy areas even though
the student population deflates over
the summer.
"I think it's important to engage
all the voters, not just the people who
are usual voters," he said. "I don't
think it's a waste of time."
Still campaigning in the days lead-
ing up to the primary election, Rabhi
left flyers on Saturday afternoon for
residences on Fifth Avenue and Wil-
liam Street, making notes to himself
to return later to houses in which no
one answered his knocks.
Rabhi did get the chance for direct
interaction and the opportunity to
tions in question were anything other
than legal and fully appropriate,"
said William Brewer, III, a partner at
Bickel & Brewer - the firm represent-
ing the Wylys. "It will come as little
surprise to those who know them that
the Wylys intend to vigorously defend
themselves ... and expect to be fully
vindicated."
In an e-mail interview with The
Michigan Daily, University spokes-
woman Kelly Cunningham said it's
unfortunate the Wyly brothers are
currently experiencing such hard-
ships.
"Mr. Wyly is a longtime support-
er of the University," Cunningham
wr"te in her e-mail. "We're sorry to
hear he is facing these difficult cir-
cumstances."
The charges come after nearly two
decades of investigations into the Wyly
brothers' investment practices, which
led to a Senate investigation in 2006.
At the culmination of the investigation,
the Senate Permanent Subcommittee
on Investigations, which at the time
included ranking minority member
Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), released
a report highlighting the Wyly broth-
ers' investment practices as one of six
elaborate abuses of tax laws.
At the time, Jerry May, the Univer-
sity's vice president for development,
said Wyly was innocent until proven
guilty.
"Sam Wyly is a highly reputable
and successful business person," May
said in an interview with the Daily at
the time. "He has done a lot for a lot of
organizations and people."
A spokesperson at the Business
School echoed May's comments at the
time, saying the Senate's investiga-
tions were unlikely to impact Wyly's
relationship with the Business School.
Though comment on the Univer-
sity's process for screening donors was
not immediately available last week-
end, the University's past actions sug-
gest the University may continue to
stand by Wyly by leaving his name on
answer questions about his platform at
some houses along his campaign path.
At the South Division home of
Dylan Manna - a PhD candidate in
physics at the University - Rabhi
launched into a conversation about
important issues facing the county.
Manna asked Rabhi how he stood
out from his opponents.
"What I'm bringing to the table is
energy and enthusiasm to get the job
done," Rabhi replied. He then began
talking about his plans to continue
funding vital human services while
encouraging sustainability.
"Sustainability - environmental,
economic and social. That's what
sets me apart," Rabhi said.
By the end of their brief conversa-
tion, Manna said he had confidence
in Rabhi's campaign.
"I like the fact that you're young
and enthusiastic;" Manna said.
"You've got my vote."
Rabhi said he doesn't want his age
to be a factor in the race, adding that
when he first considered running, he
thought his age would work against
him.
"I don't like to use age to distin-
guish myself from my opponents," he
said. "When I started, I was afraid of
the fact that I was a student. I was
afraid that people would not accept
that."
After comments like Manna's,
though, Rabhi said he's begun to
realize that his age might actually
work in his favor.
"I've realized that what I'm bring-
ing to the table is new and different,"
he said. "But that's my strength."
MICHAEL ZAMORA/
muel Wyly, pictured above, and his brother Charles face allegations of insider trading.
the building he helped finance with
allegedly illegal funds.
In 2001, then-University President
Lee Bollinger stood by University alum
and donor Alfred Taubman, who was
found guilty of price-fixing - a convic-
tion that landed Taubman a one-year
federal prison sentence and a $7.5-mil-
lion fine.
Bollinger said he would not change
the name of the A. Alfred Taubman
College of Architecture and Urban
Planning, the Taubman Medical
Library or the then-Taubman Center
of University Hospitals, now called the
A. Alfred Taubman Health Care Cen-
ter.
At the time, some individuals -
including former LSA Dean Edie Gold-
enberg, who is now a political science
and public policy professor - said
Taubman's name should have been
removed from campus facilities.
"I don't think that sets a wonderful
example for students," Goldenbergsaid
at the time of the University's decision
to stand by Taubman. "The University
really ought to give the money back
and find other sources."
In addition to charges brought
against the Wyly brothers, Michael
French, the Wyly's attorney, and
Louis Schaufele, III, the pair's stock-
broker, have also been accused of
wrongdoing.
"The Wylys' attorney, French, and
their stockbroker, Schaufele, sub-
stantially assisted the Wylys' fraudu-
lent scheme, each reaping financial
rewards for doing so. Each also com-
mitted primary violations of the anti-
fraud provisions of the securities
laws," allege the charges filed with the
court.