Tom Leonard (Michigan politician)

Last updated

In October 2017, Tom Leonard announced his campaign to be Michigan's next attorney general. [74] Leonard would be the first attorney general to have previous experience working in the office. [75] Leonard named fighting violent crime, prosecuting sexual predators and putting a stop to the opioid epidemic as his top priorities. [76] During the campaign, Leonard refused to say whether he would support lawsuits to overturn the Affordable Care Act. [77] He has been endorsed by the Police Officers Association of Michigan. [78] He narrowly lost the general election to Dana Nessel.

United States Attorney nomination

On August 14, 2019, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Tom Leonard to be the United States Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. [79] [80] [81] [82] On September 9, 2019, his nomination was sent to the Senate. [1] In January 2020, Michigan's two Democratic senators blocked Leonard's nomination, [83] [84] [85] [86] which was returned to the president. [87]

Later career

In March 2020, Leonard joined the law firm Plunkett Cooney in Bloomfield Hills. [88] [89]

Electoral history

Tom Leonard
73rd Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives
In office
January 11, 2017 January 9, 2019
2018 Michigan Attorney General election [90]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Democratic Dana Nessel 2,021,797 49.01% +4.82%
Republican Tom Leonard1,909,17146.28%−5.83%
Libertarian Lisa Lane Giola86,6922.10%+0.24%
Independent Chris Graveline69,7071.69%N/A
Constitution Gerald Van Sickle38,1030.92%−0.08%
Majority 112,6262.73%−5.19%
Turnout 4,125,470+34.07%
Democratic gain from Republican Swing

References

  1. 1 2 "Seventeen Nominations and Two Withdrawals Sent to the Senate". whitehouse.gov . September 9, 2019 via National Archives.
  2. "State Representative Tom Leonard".
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  4. "Tom Leonard announces campaign". August 12, 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
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  6. "2014 Michigan Official Primary Election Results - 08/05/2014". miboecfr.nictusa.com. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
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  8. Justin A. Hinkley (November 6, 2014). "Tom Leonard named speaker pro-tem". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved December 19, 2016.
  9. "American Conservative Union | ACU ANNOUNCES "10 UNDER 40" RISING CONSERVATIVE LEADERS TO ADDRESS CPAC ST. LOUIS". conservative.org. Archived from the original on August 8, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  10. "NRA-PVf | Grades | Michigan". nrapvf.org. NRA-PVF. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014.
  11. "Gongwer News Service - Michigan". www.gongwer.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2023.
  12. "Snyder - Gov. Rick Snyder reappoints Jenell Leonard as the Director of the Michigan Film & Digital Media Office". www.michigan.gov. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  13. Kathleen Gray (November 10, 2016). "DeWitt legislator elected Michigan speaker of the House". Detroit Free Press.
  14. "House Journal 1" (PDF). The Michigan Legislature. January 11, 2017.
  15. "Rep. Tom Leonard elected new Michigan House speaker". Detroit News. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  16. "House speaker: MSU prez should resign over Nassar". Detroit News. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  17. Minock, Nick. "Sen. Schuitmaker calls out Speaker for not acting on criminal sexual conduct legislation". WWMT. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
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  20. "MSU trustees under pressure after Simon resignation". Detroit News. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  21. "House speaker calls for legislative 'inquiry' into MSU's response to Nassar allegations". MLive.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  22. "Michigan lawmakers ask MSU for Nassar records, threaten subpoena". MLive.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  23. "Michigan State turns over Nassar documents to House lawmakers". MLive.com. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  24. "House: 'Alarming' findings in MSU, Nassar inquiry". Detroit News. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  25. "Leonard proposes 'Kevin's Law' reforms". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
  26. "Michigan has a prison problem and no clear solution". The Blade. January 6, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  27. 1 2 "Trailblazing Genesee mental health court celebrates 10th anniversary". MLive.com. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
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  35. "Republican tax cut plan fails in Michigan House". Detroit News. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
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  41. "Legislature again blocks open records law for House, Senate, governor - Politically Speaking". Politically Speaking. December 13, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
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  44. "Dems help doom Duggan's auto insurance overhaul". Detroit News. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
  45. Hogan, Vera. "Driver Responsibility Fees to end next year. Law in place since 2003 will hit the road by October 2018". Tri-County Times. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  46. "Lawmakers pursuing amnesty program worth $634 million for drivers who owe fees". Crain's Detroit Business. 2017-09-28. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  47. "Unpaid fines strand drivers, crimp region's workforce". Crain's Detroit Business. 2017-08-06. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  48. Andrea Goodell. "Rep. Joe Haveman looks to eliminate driver responsibility fees". Holland Sentinel. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  49. "State of Michigan driver responsibility fees being phased out". Midland Daily News. June 3, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  50. "Snyder, GOP leaders strike deal to forgive Driver Responsibility Fees". Crain's Detroit Business. 2018-02-14. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
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  52. "Criminal justice reform bills are first to pass in 2017". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
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  54. "Bills Aiming to Protect Property from Overzealous Forfeiture Clear First Hurdle" . Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  55. "Michigan House approves civil asset forfeiture reform, reporting package". MLive.com. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  56. "ACLU and Mackinac Center Call on Legislature to Require a Conviction Before Police Can Keep Property" . Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  57. "Our Editorial: Get cops out of fencing racket". Detroit News. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  58. 1 2 "Leonard: Sessions needs to 'back off' on marijuana". Detroit News. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  59. 1 2 "Governor, key legislators reach deal on teacher retirement, budget". MLive.com. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  60. "Snyder Signs Michigan Teacher Pension Reform Into Law". Reason Foundation. July 13, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  61. "Gov. Snyder works budget compromise, coupling teacher reform with money for roads, rainy day". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  62. "Rep. Laura Cox to become first female chair of state House Appropriations Committee". MLive.com. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  63. Minock, Nick. "Gov. Snyder signs Michigan 2018 budget in Grand Rapids". WWMT. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  64. "Michigan lawmakers finalize $55-billion state budget". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  65. 1 2 "Michigan Legislature approves $56.8 billion budget with more for roads, 'talent consortiums'". Crain's Detroit Business. 2018-06-12. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  66. "GOP leaders set Michigan spending without Snyder amid pension impasse". Crain's Detroit Business. 2017-05-30. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  67. "Tentative deal reached on state budget, school employee pension reform". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  68. "Michigan Adopts Most Innovative Teacher Pension Reform in the Nation". Reason Foundation. June 16, 2017. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  69. "Michigan budget deal plows $330M into roads". Detroit News. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  70. "What Michigan will do with $175M more in road funding". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  71. "Michigan House votes to pump $175M into roads". MLive.com. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  72. "Road work ahead: Snyder OKs $175M for roads". Detroit News. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  73. 1 2 3 King, Jon (2022-02-20). "GOP attorney general hopefuls seek to overturn landmark contraception law, want election 'audit'". Michigan Advance. Retrieved 2022-02-21.
  74. "House speaker joins race for Michigan attorney general". Detroit News. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  75. Tudor, Jerry. "Attorney General Candidate Tom Leonard visits Marquette" . Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  76. Cousino, Dean. "Attorney general candidate meets delegates in Monroe". Monroe News. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  77. Gray, Kathleen. "Republican Tom Leonard wants to be Michigan's top lawyer". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
  78. Hall, Jack. "Police Officers Endorse Leonard For Michigan AG". Radioresultsnetwork.com. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
  79. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees, United States Attorney Nominees, and United States Marshal Nominees". whitehouse.gov . Retrieved August 14, 2019 via National Archives.
  80. Gray, Kathleen. "Former Michigan House Speaker Tom Leonard nominated for U.S. Attorney in Grand Rapids". Detroit Free Press.
  81. LeBlanc, Beth. "Trump taps former House speaker as Grand Rapids U.S. attorney". The Detroit News.
  82. "Trump to name ex-lawmaker as US attorney in Grand Rapids". AP NEWS. August 15, 2019.
  83. Mauger, Craig. "Senators 'block' Trump's pick for U.S. attorney in western Mich". The Detroit News.
  84. "Trump's U.S. attorney nominee in Grand Rapids is blocked". AP NEWS. January 6, 2020.
  85. Pluta, Rick (6 January 2020). "Using Congressional privilege, senators 'block' Trump U.S. attorney pick". www.michiganradio.org.
  86. Frost, Mikenzie (January 7, 2020). "Tom Leonard explains his disappointment in U.S. Attorney confirmation getting 'blocked'". WWMT.
  87. "PN1052 - Nomination of Thomas L. Leonard III for Department of Justice, 116th Congress (2019-2020)". www.congress.gov. January 3, 2020.
  88. Turner, Grace (March 2, 2020). "Former Michigan House Speaker Tom Leonard Joins Plunkett Cooney". Dbusiness Magazine.
  89. "Former Michigan House speaker Leonard to join Plunkett Cooney". Crain's Detroit Business. March 1, 2020.
  90. "2018 Michigan Official General Election Results - 11/06/2018". mielections.us.
Michigan House of Representatives
Preceded by Speaker pro tempore of the Michigan House of Representatives
2015–2017
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives
2017–2019
Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Attorney General of Michigan
2018
Succeeded by
Matthew DePerno