Bill Schuette

Bill Schuette
Bill Schuette giving his inauguration speech in Lansing, MI
53rd Attorney General of Michigan
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1, 2011
Governor	Rick Snyder
Preceded by	Mike Cox
Judge for the Michigan Court of Appeals
In office January 1, 2003 – January 1, 2009
Governor	Jennifer Granholm
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 10th district
In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1991
Member of the Michigan Senate from the 35th district
In office January 1, 1994 – 2002
Governor	John Engler
Director of Michigan Department of Agriculture
In office January 1, 1991 – January 1, 1994
Governor	John Engler
Personal details
Born	October 8, 1953 (1953-10-08) Midland, Michigan, United States
Political party	Republican Party
Occupation	Politician Lawyer
Religion	Episcopalian
Website	Official Website

William Duncan "Bill" Schuette (born October 13, 1953) is an American Republican politician and the current Attorney General of the U.S. state of Michigan.

Early life

Schuette was born in Midland, Michigan, where he graduated from Herbert Henry Dow High School in 1972. He attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and in 1976 graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in the Foreign Service. He also studied at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland and received a J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1979. Schuette was admitted to the Michigan bar in 1979.

Election to the seat of Michigan's Attorney General

Schuette was elected in 2010, voted in by 16% of Michigan citizens (1.6 million votes). His campaign began shortly after medical marijuana was legalized in Michigan. He was the head of the campaign opposing this ballot measure, which passed in 2008 by a landslide, receiving 63% of the vote. The measure was voted in by over 3 million Michigan citizens, twice as many as voted for Schuette himself.

Opposition to Medical Marijuana

Schuette's tenure as Attorney General has been dominated by what has been called an obsessive opposition to medical marijuana. He has issued numerous legal opinions on the topic since his inauguration.

• Schuette wrote that Michigan police officers may seize medical marijuana from legal patients and refuse to return it, despite the Michigan Medical Marihuana Act of 2008 specifically stating otherwise, and a recent refusal by the US Supreme Court to overturn a case from California where the police were ordered to return medical marijuana to a certified patient.

Political career

He was a delegate to the Michigan Republican conventions in 1972, 1974, and 1982.

In November 1984, at the age of 31, Schuette defeated incumbent Democrat Donald J. Albosta for a seat in the United States House of Representatives from Michigan's 10th congressional district. Schuette was re-elected to the two succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1985 until January 3, 1991. He did not seek re-election in 1990, but unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Democrat Carl Levin for his seat in the United States Senate. While in Congress, Schuette served on the House Budget Committee, the House Agriculture Committee and the House Select Committee on Aging.

In January 1991, Schuette was named by then-Governor John Engler as the director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture, where he served until 1993. While director, Schuette and his wife Cynthia created the Michigan Harvest Gathering, a food and fund drive to help feed hungry people throughout the state. Joining with the Food Bank Council of Michigan, the Michigan Harvest Gathering has raised more than $4 million and 6 million pounds of food for families over a 12-year period.

In November 1994, he was elected to the Michigan Senate from the 35th District, where he served until 2003. In 2001, Schuette was selected by President George W. Bush to be his personal representative to Australian-American Friendship Week in Australia.

In November 2002, he was elected a judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals. His term expired January 1, 2009.

In 2008 he served as the spokesperson for the group dedicated to keeping Medical Marijuana illegal in the State of Michigan.

After leaving the judiciary, Schuette was an attorney in the law firm of Warner, Norcross & Judd, one of Michigan's largest law firms, with offices throughout the lower peninsula.

On November 2, 2010, Schuette won election to become attorney general of Michigan.

Schuette has been a member of various boards and organizations throughout Michigan. Former positions include:

• Vice President of the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation
• Trustee of the Elsa U. Pardee Foundation
• Member of the Board of Trustees of Albion College and the Visiting Committee of the Gerald R. Ford Institute at Albion College
• Board member of the Education Freedom Fund

In September 2011, petition language to recall Schuette was approved by Midland County authorities, allowing the circulating of recall petitions against him. Schuette has been active in trying to undo Michigan's voter approved Medical Marijuana law. Medical marijuana advocate files third recall petition targeting Attorney General Bill Schuette He has been accused of "getting a kick out of the imprisonment of sick people."

Title

As attorney general, Schuette is entitled to the courtesy title of the Honorable (abbreviated to Hon. or Hon'ble) for life. However, this was a title that he already received through his election as a member of Congress, a member of the Michigan Senate and a judge of the Michigan Court of Appeals.

References

• Bill Schuette at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• The Political Graveyard
• Fourth District Judges

External links

• Bill Schuette for Michigan Attorney General
• Office of the Attorney General

Legal offices
Preceded by Mike Cox	Michigan Attorney General 2011–Present	Succeeded by Incumbent
United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Donald J. Albosta	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan's 10th congressional district 1985–1991	Succeeded by Dave Camp