House Seat Race Between Darany, Sareini Gets Ugly
With just over a week to go before the election, the race between Dearborn Council members George Darany and Suzanne Sareini for the 15th District seat in the Michigan House of Representatives is getting ugly.
Darany’s Democratic Party recently mailed a flyer to homes that labeled Sareini “Suzanne Chapter 7 Sareini,” claiming she had to file for personal bankruptcy twice. “And she thinks she knows how to fix Michigan’s economy?,” the flyer states.
On the other side of the ticket, Sareini’s Republican Party called out Darany for voting against a project in Dearborn (the Dearbor
n Town Center at Michigan and Schaefer that is nearly complete) “to keep and create over 500 jobs . . . Darany now claims that jobs are his top priority.”
It’s hard to determine just how severe damage from either flyer will be to the candidates’ respective campaigns but it’s likely the flyers will cost each candidate some votes on Nov. 2.
Separately, Sareini, who has been endorsed by the Detroit Free Press, recently picked up the endorsement of The Detroit News, as well. The News said “Republican hopeful Suzanne Sareini should succeed term-limited Democrat Gino Polidori.
October 25th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Absolutely, Dearborn should elect a candidate to state office whose main contribution to job creation is the employment of debt collectors, bankruptcy judges, lawyers, and process servers.
I also fully support and endorse the Dearborn Town Center, state funded jobs project. What says smaller government better than a state and city funded 61 million dollar development project purchased from international fugitive Talal Chahine.
It is also important to support family values, such as closing Dearborn small pools, and replacing them at a financial loss with splash parks.
What was the Saul Anusis thinking? Why is this paragon of Republican thrift not running for Governor?
October 25th, 2010 at 11:55 am
Ah, nothing ever changes in Dearborn politics, or for that matter, politics in general. It really is a shame that the worst comes out when power and money comes into play.
I wonder if there would be as much fighting if the job was part-time and the pay and benefits weren’t as good.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:20 pm
classy commercial response: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wHATJpoayQ
October 25th, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Get a real job Darany (you have never had one). You should be thankful for being on the Council, but right after u get elected, u already try for a new job, u should be satisfied, however your being ungrateful. U should be ashamed of yourself. U aren’t qualified 4 anything, other than driving a trolley, with that trenchcoat of yours.
October 25th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Why hasn’t Mr. Darany explained the crash of his trolley business? Claims to be a highly successful business man but he has not told us what happened. Did he throw any creditors under the bus? Has he had any liens or judgments filed against him or his companies.
He has said a lot about his opponent…time for him to come clean.
October 25th, 2010 at 6:10 pm
reality bites id like to foia everything on ur personal life and assign a team of pi’s to follow u around with millions in special interest labor money and see if i cant find financial issues, a rotten child, or some moral ambiguit. i could use to defame u repeatedly. your pretentious attitude doesnt fool me–you dont know half as much about politics as you claim to know. a bankruptcy doesnt make you a bad leader (esp when the bankruptcy is related to her childrens skyrocketing college costs and the death of her longtime business partner and husband–personal experiences mr darany kniws nothing about) and takig votes out of context wont convince anyone that suzanne isnt in this for dearborn. no matter what your insignificant brain childishly blogs behind the cover a computer screen, suzanne deserves to represent us in the legislature because she has invested more in this city than geirge ‘give me a better job 60days into my first term’ darany does
October 25th, 2010 at 8:31 pm
What is ugly is the type of personal attack campaign that Mr. Darany has run. I am just tired and disgusted with this type of political campaign. All I have seen on TV are ads attacking Sardine. At least Seraini is trying to have a campaign where issues matter. In the mailers posted above, it is nasty to bring up a candidates voting record, No! What we should all be asking Mr. Darany is why he voted against bringing so many jobs to Dearborn.
Also, is it true that Mr. Darany formed a committee to run for state rep. less than 60 days after being sworn in for his first elected term on the city council like they said in the Press and Guide yesterday?
Press and Guide editorial said, “Sareini’s experience and accomplishments as a community leader make her the best choice. The Detroit Free Press’ endorsement of Sareini recognizes that her 20-year history of service on the Dearborn City Council has better prepared her for the legislative process than her opponent.
It is painfully clear to all Darany’s limited experience in government has handicapped him in this election. Darany began serving his first elected term as a councilman after being sworn in around the first of the year.
It is troubling that less than 60 days later; he filed paperwork to run for the State House. Where is his commitment to the voters? Did he ever intend on completing his first elected council term if a better office or larger salary came along? Obviously not.
It appears the only job Darany is concerned about is his own. Dearborn residents deserve, and will get, someone who knows the meaning of commitment to the community with Sareini, 20 years of service and counting.”
Mr. Daranys leap-froging from office to office speaks volumes about his character and represents everything that is wrong in politics.
October 25th, 2010 at 8:50 pm
As i said before,there needs to be an option on the voting ballot like in Las Vegas where the voter can check “neither”,both of them are phonies. Just like how most candidates have voted with Nancy Pelosie 95 percent of the time,both Darany and Sareini have voted with the Mayors 95 percent of the time and that tells me they are your typical useless politician that is there to collect a check. I think the city should go to splash parks instead of the pools,it will save a ton of money and i think more kids will get a better use from them than the pools. Splash Parks offer a lot more variety and fun than a swimming pool and a lot less to maintain them as well.
October 25th, 2010 at 8:58 pm
Darany and Sareini do no care about jobs, both recently voted for 3 temp services to replace city employees. They fall in with the adminstration lock & step. first encuraging reirements, offering early packages and if enough don’t go they plan to start layoffs and use the temps to replace them. Done of our politicians our for jobs except thier own.
October 25th, 2010 at 9:41 pm
What is ugly about this campaign is that both sides have only been negative. The only campaign mail I have received has been telling me what is wrong with the other candidate. I have plenty of information why I shouldn’t vote for a candidate, but no information about why I should vote for a candidate.
Until now, I have respected Darany. Sadly, he has become the lesser of two evils, and with one week before I vote, I may just vote for someone other than either of these two party pawns.
October 25th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Jack, the Press & Guide “editorial” said no such glowing things about Sareini. That was not the newspaper’s assessment of Sareini, it was a “Be Our Guest” column written by Carl Meyers, treasurer of the Michigan Republican Party, obviously not an objective assessment.
And why is Darany’s candidacy “leap-frogging from office to office” and Sareini’s is not? Both were elected just last November to 4-year council terms that began Jan. 1. Both represented to voters that they wanted to sit on the council for the next four years, and within a short period of being sworn in, both became candidates for state office.
Yes, this was the first term Darany was elected to, but he has served nearly four years, appointed by virtue of his finish in the previous election as outlined in the city charter. Sareini has served longer. But both announced their hopes to leave the offices they were just elected to a couple months earlier.
October 26th, 2010 at 12:01 am
Milwood Fordson You make a valid point.
Hey Jack Martin great questions, maybe if Sareini was not a chronic underachiever you would have your answer. So let me help you.
Why did Darani vote against buying a toxic brownfield from a tax evader and international fugitive ?
Answer.. Because it was a toxic brownfield, owned by a tax evader, and international fugitive.
Is it true Darani formed an exploratory committee just 60 days after his election?
Answer… I dont know, however he did no wait 20 years and stand in line behind Doug Thomas either. George ran a contested primary that shows courage and initiative.
Is it true Darani’s Trolly car business threw creditors under the bus.
Answer… No. Why would Darany throw creditors under a bus? he drove a trolley.
Where is Darani’s commitment to voters?
Answer…. Darani’s commitment to voters is evident when he shows up at PTA events, neighborhood association meetings, answers the phone, returns emails, votes to keep open pools for kids, and votes down buying a 4 million dollar toxic brownfield from an international fugitive.
As for The Free Press endorsement, They Endorsed Kwame Kilpatrick. How did that endorsement work out. Good reason to vote for Darani.
As for twenty years on city council with the experience to make tough decisions.
The only tough decisions Sareini made was whether to buy the purse at Sax or Neiman’s. Obviously Neiman’s. Sareini does not shop her block. That being said in hindsight it’s better she shopped outside of the city.
Unless Sareini has invented a miracle fertility drug, she is not a single mother with school age kids and has not been one for a long time. Her kids are like 40 years old. This line is really disrespectful to single mothers with young children, who struggle to pay their bills.
To Grace…I agree Bankruptcy does not make you a bad person. That being said two personal bankruptcies with charges to high end department stores shows a very warped sense of responsibility.
As for the Rocketing cost of college tell me about it. My wife and I are paying for two Bachelors, one MPA, an MBA and a Law Degree. Does that give me an excuse to become a habitual deadbeat ?
As for millions of special interest labor money digging up dirt on Suzanne, well thats crazy. All it takes is a bus ticket downtown, and a filing fee with the Bankruptcy Court to get all the information you need.
Grace the question you need to ask yourself is, why someone with so much dirt, think they can get away with it. Oh!! Yah!! I forgot she got away with it twice.
So all the Sareini campaign workers… keep on putting signs on public property, and at gas stations just remember to get paid in cash!
PS. Jack Martin in your post you misspell Sareine as Sardine.
Is that because even you know that she is a small, distasteful, fish in a big sea?
October 26th, 2010 at 8:24 am
I’m going with Sardine in this election. For me it comes down to the endorsements. Sareini got the Detroit Free Press endorsement and they usually endorse the democrat. There must be some compelling reason why they did not endorse Darany. Probably his short experience and the mess from his failed trolley business.
Saraini also received the Detroit News endorsement. Both papers make a strong case for Sareini.
Glad I have made my decision on Sareini. Now I have to figure out who to vote for Congress???
October 26th, 2010 at 12:27 pm
Wonder who Darani is????
October 26th, 2010 at 1:07 pm
Eastender, your voting for Sardine to. Thats kinda fishey.
Hey way to get the word out for Sardine about the two poorly reasoned and totally bogus robo endorsements.
All I can tell ya is take your pay in cash. Cuz the bank aint cashin that check
October 26th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Reality Bites…..”PS. Jack Martin in your post you misspell Sareine as Sardine.
Is that because even you know that she is a small, distasteful, fish in a big sea?”
You misspelled Darany’s time all through your post. What does that mean? Darany does not have enough history to be judged on whether or not he is there for the voters. His presence at meetings, etc. certainly means he is there to win the election. Whether or not it is his desire to SERVE the voters remains to be seen, be it local or state. He has not history and he does walk in lock step with the Mayor. His handling of the Marge Powell issue very telling. That is not to say that Sareini is the choice. I vowed to write in Throw the Bums Out, and I stand by that.
October 26th, 2010 at 5:24 pm
Eastender your voting for Sardine to? So is Jack Martin. You two sound very similar. Thats kinda fishy. As for the robo endorsement you mention, its about as hair brained as their other endorsements. You gonna vote for Bernero ? because they said so.
October 26th, 2010 at 6:19 pm
Lighten up people- this is the same garbage we get every election season!
The game doesn’t change- just the players-
Smearing someone to cover your faults is nothing new to this world-
Vote and stop whining-
Highest votes wins-
my .02
October 27th, 2010 at 9:55 am
Grace says Sareini’s bankruptsy is due to her children’s skyrocketing college costs. It sure would have been nice for me to rack up college fees and have my parents take the bankruptsy, but that is not the way morally and fiscally responsible people do things. I worked and put myself through college and no one filed bankrutsy on my behalf. I think what I said in the beginning of the race, neither one of the yahoos are worthy to represent us in Lansing. The “classy” commercial on YouTube where Sareini says she is trying to stick with the issues, my question there is – when did Sareini ever know what the issues are? Her continued election to Council is a joke she is the next Nancy Hubbard! Why does Dearborn continue to elect these jokers. I would like to elect a Republican to represent me in Lansing, but I think this is the first time in as long as I can remember that I will split my ballot and cast my vote for Darany! I am no big supporter of George, but I don’t find the oppostion on this blog convincing. I wasn’t behind the city developing the Mich/Schafer corner either, nor the empty parking structures, nor the Chicago Road House. How much has this city spent and lost on “developments”. Darany has shown tenacity to want to help the city in any capacity. He isn’t my preferred choice, but with the choices given – he is my man in 2010.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
I am not happy with either of these candidates. However, if something posts something, I would like them to back it up with facts. Unfortunately, the bankruptcy stuff about Suzanne is objectively verifiable. However, I have not been able to find anything at all about Darany’s trolley business closing and “owing creditors,” as some of you insist; where did you find this? Please post a link to support your claims. Otherwise, please stop it.
October 27th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
I’m not from Dearborn, so let me ask: When is the next mayoral election in Dearborn?
October 27th, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Oops I meant “someone” instead of “something.”
October 27th, 2010 at 5:12 pm
LOL Darani and Sardine!
October 27th, 2010 at 10:41 pm
The negative campaigning taking place…is any of it generated by our two candidates? The state parties are sending it out, and neither candidate would be able to tell them no…that is, if they want to keep the support of the party.
Does anyone have evidence that Darany or Sareini actually shaped this literature?
October 28th, 2010 at 1:45 am
D,
The next mayoral and council election in Dearborn is November 2013.
Dearborn Citizen,
I have found no evidence at all that Darany or Sareini shaped the extremely negative literature bashing each other that comes from their parties. But both have total control over the literature voters have received from Darany and Sareni’s own local campaign committees.
October 28th, 2010 at 12:37 pm
Sareini is a disgrace. Sit in on one council meeting and you’ll see she’s in way over her head. She is funded and takes her orders from Osama Siblani and his ilk.
She will be a major liability in Lansing.
October 28th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
I’d never vote for a politician who walked away from a loan with no intention of paying it back like so many Detroit politicians have done. How many of our locals have walked away from debts that they agreed to pay? How can you manage a city if you can’t manage your own house? Maybe they’re great people but if they take on more debt than they can handle personally under ANY circumstances, they have no business playing with MY money.
October 29th, 2010 at 10:19 am
Speaking of not being able to pay their debts — Darany still owes plenty of people for things he promised while in the trolley business, and to this day has never done, and doesn’t intend to do, now that he is out of the business. Darany was nothing but an ungrateful businessman, who attempted to go along to get along. Say all u want about Sareni, but at least she tried to pay her inherited debts, that is more than can be said about Darany.
October 29th, 2010 at 11:28 am
My children put themselves through school by working full time and going to school full time and still managed to make Phi Beta Kappa. I can not tell you how proud we are of them. They both hold wonderful jobs and have wonderful families.
Shame on Sareini. She is a part of the problem not a part of the solution. She should be ashamed for using her children as an excuse.
October 29th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Hmmm, in reference to playing with your money, it sounds a bit like the current federal administration. Passing a 2000+ page health care bill without knowing the mechanics or impacts of the law is mind boggling. Now that premiums are increasing, and unionized corps are getting waivers, it’s almost as if it would have been better for the administration to take $800B from the so called stimulus and put in on either red or black at the local casino.
October 30th, 2010 at 8:13 am
I think it is time for a (NOTA) “NONE OF THE ABOVE” ballot choice in Michigan.
I cannot bring myself to vote for either of these candidates. It is a shame that they are the best Dearborn has to send to Lansing.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:42 am
I’m with MyTwoSenseToo, I’d like to vote “None Of the Above” !
I don’t like either person to represent me, or Dearborn. I really wish there was someone else in the race. Can we vote for a recall vote on them already?!
I need someone who is more fiscally responsible and someone who know a little of what they are doing in politics.
As for dirty campaigns…it looks like everyone one running in Michigan is doing it.
October 31st, 2010 at 11:50 am
I think the whole campaign between them is the sort of thing that turns people off politics. Neither one has made a strong case for themselves, and they both seem to be “go along to get along” types. Which is fine – they’re probably both party-line votes in Lansing regardless of their records here, so it should be easy to make a decision depending on which party you hate less. But their lack of individual convictions leaves nothing but personal attacks left for the ads.
I am surprised that the Dems ran such vitriolic ads, though. I suspect they shot themselves in the foot: I got an ad written by Sareini’s children defending her yesterday that I think will inspire many sympathy votes. I won’t be a bit surprised if she wins on Tuesday, despite the clear advantage Darany has on lawn signs.
October 31st, 2010 at 4:02 pm
I hope I can call the winner of the election on the phone nightly at dinnertime like they have been calling me for weeks. It is incredible that we all accept as normal people looking for a job on our money interupting our lives.
October 31st, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Is this true? I saw this on the net from a complaint to the SofS.
http://www.migop.org/index.php/details/news/george-darany-cheats-for-financial-gain/
George Darany cheats for financial gain
October 29, 2010
Lansing, MI —Democrat candidate for the Michigan House, George Darany, broke state campaign finance law in accepting thousands of dollars over the legal limit from West Village—Dearborn, L.L.C. The Michigan Republican Party filed a complaint on the matter with the Secretary of State Thursday, pursuant to MCL 169.215.
“Another desperate Democrat who can’t win on the merits,” said Michigan Republican Party Communications Director Jennifer Hoff. “Suzanne Sareini has played by the rules for years in the Dearborn City Council, serving her community and obeying the law. It’s unfortunate that she has to go up against another cheating politician in this race.
“George Darany is everything that’s wrong with politics today. People like him are the reason everyone’s so mad at government.”
Darany pays no rent for his campaign office in Dearborn, though the space markets for $1,400 per month. That money, over several months, is effectively a contribution from West Village—Dearborn, L.L.C. to Darany. The legal limit on donations is $500. Therefore, Darany has knowingly accepted thousands in illegal campaign contributions.
“For all the Democrat rhetoric, the only instance of illegal corporate spending in Michigan is in favor of Democrat George Darany,” Hoff said. “If he can’t attract support the legal way, then he should reevaluate whether or not he deserves to be in the race. Between the desperation and the cheating, the Darany campaign is falling apart in the race’s last week.”
A copy of the compliant letter: Darany
October 31st, 2010 at 10:15 pm
The Republicans were no slouches in the vitriolic ad department, jkade. The TV commercial featuring a cartoonish Darany was typical of the lowbrow dialog on both sides of this campaign (and most others).
In the mailed ad written by Sareini’s children that you referenced, it was amusing that they were pretending to take the high road by saying “our mom could have said” this and that, and then attacked Darany on a variety of issues.
October 31st, 2010 at 11:30 pm
This is a question to the five people not related to Sardine who actually think she is qualified to hold public office why?
If she cannot pass the credit check to be a city dog catcher, why should we elect her to state office?
Simple question ?
November 1st, 2010 at 10:49 am
I too received the “ads” from Sareini AND Darany! It came across my email. I assume they used the city’s data base to access my and others’ email addresses. I think this is wrong. I have never sent an email to either candidate. I did however send an email to the mayor, and other city officials to get things done. So HOW do the candidates get email addresses. Hmmmm.
November 1st, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Independent Voice….. WAH WAH WAH WAH
November 1st, 2010 at 11:36 pm
Wow, that report from the Michigan Republican Party website, in Independent Voice’s post, is so over the top. The Michigan GOP can’t outright say whether anyone broke campaign finance law, only the Secretary of State can, and just because a Republican flak filed a trumped-up complaint doesn’t mean the Secretary of State will find any problems. Who knows what arrangement Darany’s campaign has with the landlord as to how much the rent is and when it will be paid on this short-term (three months?) occupancy?
November 2nd, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Bye Bye George Darany. Go back to your full time job, as a Councilman — That is all u are good for, and be glad that u have that to fall back on, not like your trolley business.
November 5th, 2010 at 12:48 pm
Darany won this race, and Sarieni did not. Can we please have an end to the personal sniping?