KALAMAZOO, MI

— House Speaker

said he didn't lie in May about his role in getting

for the 76th State House seat.

And while he acknowledged using poor judgment in the election scandal, he said voters should judge him on "the full record."

"I'm very disappointed in myself," Bolger said in an interview with the Kalamazoo Gazette/MLive. "This is so contrary to what we're trying to do."

Bolger, R-Marshall, has been battling

and quieter criticism from fellow Republicans since Tuesday, when Kent County Prosecutor Bill Forysth released an eight-page report detailing Bolger's central role in lining up Matt Mojzak as a sham candidate to run against state Rep.

in the 76th District in Grand Rapids.

Many of Bolger's critics, such as Michigan Democratic Chairman Mark Brewer, say that Bolger violated the public trust, not only in putting Mojzak on the ballot, but also by denying his involvement to reporters in May.

"The people of Michigan can no longer rely on anything that comes out of his mouth," Brewer said in a statement calling for Bolger's resignation.

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Copy of Kent County prosecutor's eight-page report: Forsyth decision.pdf

In Thursday's interview with the Gazette, Bolger said, "I did not lie."

"I'm saying I didn't answer the question," Bolger said. "I was evasive."

In a May 16 interview with the Michigan Information and Research Service, or MIRS, a political newsletter, Bolger was asked directly if he had a role in helping Matt Mojzak file for office the day before.

"My conversations have been focused on Roy Schmidt and the people of Grand Rapids," Bolger told the reporter, according to the MIRS story.

But Forsyth's report provides clear evidence that Mojzak's candidacy was orchestrated by Bolger and Schmidt. In fact, it was Bolger's deputy chief of staff who submitted the paperwork for Mojzak's candidacy and paid the filing fee.

While the actions of Bolger and Schmidt were not illegal, Forsyth's report said, "they were clearly designed to undermine the election and to perpetrate a 'fraud' on the electorate."

Political observers say the controversy is unlikely to derail the re-election of Bolger, who represents 63rd House District, which includes parts of Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties. His Democratic opponent in the Nov. 6 election is Scotts resident Bill Farmer.



Bolger said he "takes responsibility for disappointing" his constituents.

But, he added, "I ask them to judge me on the full record of what I've done... Overwhelmingly, my body of work is solving problems."

Bolger's role

It appears to be his skills as a problem-solver that got Bolger in trouble.

Last spring Schmidt, a longtime Democrat, had conversations with Bolger about switching to the Republican Party because, Bolger said, Schmidt was "tired of the Democrats' partisanship and political games."

But Schmidt, who has represented the 76th House District since 2008, worried that switching political affiliation might threaten his re-election, Bolger said.

So the two decided that Schmidt wouldn't announce the switch until the last minute — and Schmidt would recruit someone to file as his Democratic opponent.

That person was Matt Mojzak, a 22-year-old GNC nutrition-store employee and part-time college student. According to Forsyth's report, Mojzak was contacted by Schmidt's son and told he would be paid $450 if he filed the paperwork to become a candidate, and he would not have to raise money or actively campaign.

Bolger maintains that he was not involved in recruiting Mojzak, nor did he know that Mojzak was offered money.

But Forsyth's report includes a string of text messages between Schmidt and Bolger that makes it clear the house speaker played a central role in managing the details.

On May 14, the day before the filing deadline for candidates, Bolger sent this text to Schmidt: "Any luck finding ur Dem in ur district? That's the last piece we need."

When Schmidt said that a candidate had been recruited, Bolger responded: "Can they get the paperwork to u and u get it to me so we can get it in our hands, show the GOP we're all set."

The text messages show that Bolger gave detailed instructions on finalizing Mojzak's candidacy, including the fact that Mojzak needed to change his address to one within the 76th House District.

Bolger also indicated that he had checked with "our atty and there is no requirement for a phone # or email on affidavit of identity. So, leave those two blank on Matthew's form."

"I don't like leaving anything to chance, thus my anxiousness to this last piece wrapped up," Bolger texted to Schmidt. "All will then b perfect!"

The text messages show that Bolger monitored events right up until when Phil Browne, his deputy chief of staff, filed Mojzak's paperwork in Kent County.

On Thursday, Bolger acknowledged the irony that Schmidt was switching parties because he was supposedly tired of Democrats' political games, but his first interactions with Bolger as a Republican involved exactly that.

"I'm disappointed I allowed myself to play politics like that," Bolger said.

"Some see politics as a game, a battle where you're always just looking to prevail," when in fact it's much more important than that, Bolger said.

"But there's such strong competition" that it can be tempting to give into dubious strategies to win, he said.

Schmidt was fearful that his political switch would lose him the election, Bolger said, "and I was reacting to his fear."

GOP leaders

Leaders of the Republican Party of Kalamazoo County say they are troubled by Bolger's actions as detailed in Forsyth's report, but they ultimately stand behind him.

"It's a bit troubling," said Mary Balkema, Kalamazoo County treasurer and vice chairwoman of the county GOP. "His motives may have started out good, but it certainly didn't pass the sniff test."

But, Balkema added, "You don't judge a person on one thing, you judge them on the whole. And on the whole, I think he's done a good job. ... Smart people do apologize and move on."

Kalamazoo County GOP Chairman Al Heilman sounded a similar note.

"I'm disappointed in the activity," Heilman said. "It was dumb."

"But Jase is a talented and effective leader," Heilman added. "Leaders sometimes make bad judgment calls. This shouldn't overshadow the tremendous work that he, the Legislature and the governor have done in turning the state around."

Balkema said the scandal serves as an object lesson for state and local candidates this election season.

"We're telling our candidates over and over and over" that their behavior has to be above reproach on every level, she said.

"We're telling them that their campaign finances need to be squeaky clean, and if they have any junk in their closet they need to get it out now. And if it's serious junk, maybe they need to reconsider whether to run this year," Balkema said.

"The public is watching our every move."

Julie Mack is a reporter for the Kalamazoo Gazette. Contact her at jmack1@mlive.com or 269-350-0277, or follow her on Twitter at Twitter.com/kzjuliemack For all posts by Julie Mack, click here.