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Cox: CRC Report On Prop 2 Political Document In an interview today with MIRS, Attorney General Mike COX called a 66 page report released yesterday by the Civil Rights Commission (CRC) that examined the impact of Proposal 2 on state programs, a "political document" that if followed could result in more legal challenges to the state. "To me it's pretty clear that it's a political document it's not really a serious analysis," Cox told MIRS. "If you look at the beginning of it, they talk about the history and they start throwing mud at Ward CONNERLY and they talk about rulings made at the Board of Canvassers before it was submitted to the voters." Cox remarked that from the very beginning the report is about political rhetoric and "not really about seriously addressing the issues." Harold CORE, public information officer for the Department of Civil Rights, said he can only reconfirm what the department said when it released the report (See "CRC Finds Most Programs Unaffected By Prop 2," 03/07/07). "We were asked by the Governor to conduct a statewide review," Core said. "To publish specifically what we thought the impacts of Proposal 2 would be and how we could continue to pursue diversity." When pressed about whether there was a political agenda behind the report, Core said "I guess if there was an agenda, it was the one stated in the report, looking at how Michigan could continue to promote diversity and equal opportunity in compliance with Proposal 2." The Attorney General also took issue with some of the report's recommendations. "If you read some parts of it [the report], they want to take some of the exceptions in the amendment and make them the rule," he said. "Like they have this idea if in the future, you're a state agency and you might get federal funding than you should have a diversity plan, in case you might. Of course that's just logic that's meant to get around the strictures of Proposal 2." On whether following the report could lead state agencies into political hot water, Cox said "yes." "If they rely on this political document, then yeah, they will be facing more litigation over the years," he said. The AG added that the experienced civil servants and the smart political appointees will "come to us and that's just how it's going to work out." "If they do that, we'll help keep them out of trouble, or help them change what needs to be changed," Cox added.