Roy Schmidt (politician)

This article is about the politician. For the football player, see Roy Schmidt (offensive lineman).

Roy Schmidt is a former member of the Grand Rapids, Michigan City Commission and Michigan House of Representatives representing the 76th district, which includes parts of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area.

Schmidt served several terms as one of two non-partisan commissioners for Grand Rapids' 1st District, representing the city's northwest side. He was elected to the state House of Representatives in 2008 as a Democrat, and was re-elected in 2010. In 2012, he quietly changed parties and filed to run as a Republican, 10 minutes before the filing deadline.[1] He lost in the November 2012 election to Winnie Brinks, who ran as a write-in candidate in response to Schmidt's change of party.[2] Schmidt was investigated by the Michigan State Police for potential fraud as a result of his last minute party change and the circumstances behind it, which included the recruitment of candidate to file as a Democratic candidate in his place, but was later exonerated.[3][4]

A former state representative will head to trial over drug charges. Roy Schmidt is charged with two counts of manufacturing and delivering marijuana. The charges stem from a police search of two of his homes in June. Police say they found three pounds of marijuana in one and 71 plants in the other.

According to M-Live, Roy Schmidt refused to accept a plea deal offered by the Kent County Prosecutor's Office. It would have dropped one of the charges if he pleaded guilty to the other. Schmidt served as a state representative from 2008 to 2012.

He lost his seat after a controversial move of switching parties from democrat to republican. {http://www.wwmt.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/-Former-state-rep-headed-to-trial-on-drug-charges-212841.shtml#.Vg2lcPlViko}

Schmidt earned a BBA from Aquinas College. He and his wife Donna have three children.[5]

References

  1. "Rep. Roy Schmidt leaves Dems, joins GOP". WOOD-TV. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  2. Macomb Daily, January 21, 2013
  3. "Michigan Republican Speaker Jase Bolger: ‘We would not have beaten Roy Schmidt’". MLive.com. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  4. "Roy Schmidt". Michigan House Democrats. Retrieved January 21, 2011.

External links


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