Rep. Dian Slavens Defends Vote Against House Speaker

Rep. Dian Slavens (D-Canton) on Wednesday defended her vote against retaining Republican House Speaker Jase Bolger for a two-year term.

Slavens was one of two dissenting votes against keeping Bolger, who was embroiled in an election-rigging scandal in 2012, the Canton Observer reported. She was joined by Rep. Douglas Geiss (D-Taylor).

"The Speaker of Michigan’s House of Representatives should be beyond reproach," Slavens said Wednesday in a statement posted on her Facebook page. "I feel that Bolger acted unethically when he and former Rep. Roy Schmidt colluded to swindle voters in the November election. Bolger is still under a grand jury investigation for his actions. If we cannot trust him to always act honestly, how can we possibly trust him to lead the stateforward?"

Bolger was confirmed as House Speaker on a 107-2 vote, the Observer reported.

Rep. Kurt Heise (R-Plymouth), who serves part of Canton in the Michigan House, told the Observer that Slavens' vote sets the wrong town for the upcoming legislative session.

Slavens, meanwhile, said in her statement the vote won't affect her bipartisan efforts.

"I've worked across the aisle with Republicans in the past and I will continue to do so," Slavens said. "Nonetheless, in this matter I could not in good conscience vote for Bolger."