When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies.

. . . and so, in full compliance with the Constitution and Michigan's Election Law, Governor Snyder (via Lt. Gov. Calley) fulfilled his executive responsibilities and issued a call for a special election to fill the vacancy left by the curiously timed resignation of Congressman McCotter.  And yes, I am specifically saying that the blame for this $650,000 fiasco falls squarely on the shoulders of one Thaddeus George McCotter . . . and no one else; add or subtract at least three weeks from his resignation date, and we don't have a special primary at all.  Mako Yamakura does a great job analyzing this mess for the Detroit News, if you ignore a couple of minor factual errors.

Credit Governor Snyder, by the way, with offering an opt-out on the whole special election process . . . provided that not more than one candidate is duly filed by the deadline (which is this Friday, July 20th).  Presumably, if Kerry Bentivolio is the only candidate duly filed by close of business on Friday August 10th (the withdrawal deadline for minor party candidates and candidates without party affiliation), then the Governor may be able to just appoint Bentivolio to fill the vacancy and finish off McCotter's term.  Perhaps he may be able to do that as early as the open of business on Tuesday, July 24th (the first day that absentee ballots must be made available).

Earlier today, I spoke with Bob Dindoffer, Bentivolio's campaign spokesman, and he confirmed that Bentivolio had turned in 1,127 signatures on Monday, July 16th.  However, they are gathering supplemental signatures and expect to turn in an additional 300 or so on Friday.  Nineteen of the original signatures have been ruled invalid based on a cursory audit, and the campaign doesn't want to run the risk of getting "McCottered."

But, as we have seen way too often this year, the blueblood elites populating the halls of power within the Michigan Republican Party have developed a nasty habit of not playing by the rules.  For instance, according to Nolan Finley, Bobby Schostak has reached out to Mark Brewer to cut a deal that apparently would involve having the 11th District leadership committees of each party simply nominate a single candidate for the special election, thus obviating the need for a special primary.

Setting aside that this deal may be rigged specifically to box out Bentivolio's legitimate and now properly filed candidacy, why on earth would Chairman Scho-STACK offer Chairman Brewer a deal that would . . .

• sanction a candidate, who has not gone through the ballot-access process, for a party that is not otherwise participating in the special election

• perhaps provide one of the two democrat primary contenders (either Bill Roberts or Syed Taj) with de facto party endorsement

There is also some logic to the accusation by the Bentivolio campaign that the write-in candidate is using her filing for the special primary as a means to raise extra money from otherwise maxed out contributors.  Because money is fungible, that cash can always be re-routed to her write-in efforts . . . once she's decided to forego the special primary (because she didn't file the requisite number of signatures in time).

And let's not forget that every single taxpayer penny, and every single municipal clerk's administrative headache, connected to this special election is the sole and unavoidable responsibility of Former Congressman Egghead, who needs no help in making the Michigan Banana Republican Party look foolish, but was apparently offered the assist anyway.