Robert Sedler comments for USA Today about Michigan's EFM law

Academy member Professor Robert Sedler comments on Michigan's EFM law (and subsequent lawsuit) have been featured in USA Today.

See the article here.

From the article:

"A federal lawsuit filed by opponents of Michigan's emergency manager law zeroes in on the powers Public Act 436 gives to the state, and those it takes away from residents who vote local elected officials into office. The lawsuit, filed late Wednesday rests on questions that have troubled critics for years: Does the emergency manager law violate the voting rights of residents by tossing out their ability to elect local leaders? And is it being unfairly applied to cities across Michigan when it comes to race?

Wayne State University law professor Robert Sedler, who specializes in constitutional law, said Thursday that the lawsuit raises "a serious question of whether this violates equal protection" because the Constitution says laws and rights must be applied evenly to all citizens. Sedler said Michigan's emergency manager law could be interpreted as legally unfair in that it will limit Detroiters' right to self-governance while residents in other cities maintain the ability to elect their leaders. But Sedler said the legal challenge could lose some bite if Detroit's emergency manager Kevyn Orr follows through on his plan to work collaboratively with the mayor and City Council."