Troy Eccentric: Activist Protests Appointment of GOP Member to Commission

Bob Gosselin must have a desire to be a comedian, calling me a bully. I guess I'll just have to consider the source.

Activist protests appointment of GOP member to commission

By Steve Kowalski • ECCENTRIC STAFF WRITER • September 11, 2008

Democratic activist Bruce Fealk showed up at the Sept. 4 public meeting of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners to protest the appointment of Republican Glenn Clark to replace Democrat George W. Suarez in District 24.

Suarez died of cancer Aug. 12, and nine days later, the county commission voted along party lines, 13-11, to appoint Clark until the end of the two-year term, Dec. 31.

Clark is a Troy resident, party delegate and 9th Congressional District GOP chairman. Republican Robert Gosselin, the District 13 commissioner from Troy, nominated Clark.

"I come before (the commission) to express my outrage at the appointment of a Republican, Glenn Clark, to replace the recently deceased George Suarez," Fealk read in a statement. "Glenn Clark represents the far right wing of the Republican party."

Fealk, a Rochester Hills resident, described Clark as "a political bully" and said "Bob Gosselin and the rest of the Republicans on this commission should be ashamed of themselves for committing such an open act of partisan politics."

Suarez, who lived in Madison Heights, had been the district representative since 1999. Democrat Gary McGillivray and Republican Daniel K. Milz, both from Madison Heights, are opponents in the November election. With a Republican temporarily filling the District 24 seat, the GOP has a 14-11 edge on the board.

Gosselin called Fealk a "partisan bully."

"Fealk is just a Democrat activist that carries things way over the top," Gosselin said. "He's very offensive, writes bizarre editorials, is looking to pick a fight. It's sad to say that we have bullies in society like that."

Fealk won the Progressive Activist of the Year award earlier this year, given by Blogging for Michigan, and he has been known to confront District 9 Congressman Joe Knollenberg (R-Bloomfield), who is running for re-election against Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township).

Gosselin introduced Clark to the Troy City Council at Monday's public meeting.

"He's a liberal Democrat, I'm a conservative Republican," Clark said, when asked about Fealk's protest. "If he doesn't care for me, that's his right. America is a great place and the First Amendment right is a great concept."

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