Whitmer orders flags lowered to honor Judge Damon J. Keith
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered U.S. and Michigan flags within the State Capitol Complex and on all state buildings to be lowered to half-staff on Monday, May 13, 2019, to honor the life and service of civil rights icon and Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Damon J. Keith.
“Judge Damon Keith was a civil rights icon. In his decades of public service, he stood up for what was right, even if it meant facing attacks and threats from others,” Whitmer said. “Because of his strength, his determination, and his commitment to ending racism in our country, Michigan is grateful and better for it. We should honor Judge Keith’s legacy by working together to build a Michigan where everybody, no matter who they are or where they come from, can get ahead.”
The State of Michigan recognizes the duty, honor and selfless service of Judge Damon Keith by lowering flags to half-staff. Michigan residents, businesses, schools, local governments and other organizations also are encouraged to display the flag at half-staff.
To lower flags to half-staff, flags should be hoisted first to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The process is reversed before the flag is lowered for the day.
Flags should be returned to full-staff on Tuesday, May 14, 2019.
Nessel joins coalition urging Congress to pass banking act
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Thursday joined a bipartisan coalition of 38 states and territorial Attorneys General strongly urging Congress to pass the federal Secure And Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act (H.R. 1595) or similar measures that would allow legal marijuana-related businesses to use the federal banking system.
“All legal and legitimate businesses should have a safe place to put their revenue and not have to rely on under-the-floorboard safes to store their legally earned money,” Nessel said. “Michigan expanding its market to include legal recreational sales of marijuana this year compels us to join this effort to ensure we protect Michigan businesses from becoming unnecessary targets of bad actors, keeping everyone safe in the process.”
Under existing law, financial institutions are prohibited from providing banking services to marijuana businesses in states where medical or retail marijuana sales are legal. Forcing legal businesses to operate as cash-only operations poses serious safety threats, creating targets for violent and white-collar crime. The SAFE Banking Act permits marijuana-related businesses in states and territories with existing regulatory structures to use the federal banking system.
The SAFE Banking Act has widespread, bipartisan support with 172 cosponsors in the U.S. House. The House Financial Services Committee approved the bill in March and it now awaits a vote by the full House.
With the backing of 38 of the nation’s Attorneys General, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) has endorsed the legislation as one of its official policy positions – a rare move for NAAG, which historically endorses less than a dozen policies a year.
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