Bert Johnson (Michigan politician)
Bertram "Bert" Johnson, Jr is a Democratic former member of the Michigan Senate. Johnson previously represented the 2nd district, which comprises northeast Detroit, Highland Park, Hamtramck, Harper Woods and all five Grosse Pointe Communities. From 2007 to 2010, Johnson served as a member of the Michigan House of Representatives.
Personal life
Johnson is single with four children. He has one daughter, India and three sons, Bertram, Nicholas and David.Education
Johnson attended University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy. He subsequently attended the University of Detroit Mercy, where he studied Criminology and Security Administration.Criminal and civil history
Armed robbery
On May 27, 1993, Johnson participated in the break-in and armed robbery of a cash box from the Oakland Hills Country Club, where he worked a caddy. Johnson pled 'no contest' to felony charges of armed robbery and breaking & entering and was sentenced to eight months in prison, followed by three years on probation.Driving on a suspended license
In April 2007, Johnson was spotted leaving the state Capitol behind the wheel of a 2001 Jaguar even though he had a suspended license and an invalid plate.Conspiracy and theft
On March 27, 2017, Johnson's home and Senate office were searched in a raid jointly conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Michigan State Police. During the raid, FBI agents seized a Western Field 12-gauge shotgun and a Remington 16-gauge shotgun. Johnson is not allowed to own firearms due to his 1993 felony conviction.In April 2017, Johnson was indicted by a grand jury on federal charges of conspiracy and theft, for using federal funds to pay a "ghost employee" on his Senate payroll who did no actual work. Due to his indictment, a recall petition was filed against Johnson by Robert Davis. On April 18, 2017, Johnson was arraigned in front of Magistrate David R. Grand in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, pleaded not guilty and was released on a $10,000 personal recognizance bail.
In February 2018, federal prosecutors offered Johnson a plea deal. The deal involved Johnson pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit theft from a federally funded program, a charge punishable by up to five years in federal prison. In return, prosecutors would have dropped a second theft charge, a 10-year felony. Johnson rejected this plea deal and requested to go to trial.
On March 2, 2018, Johnson pled guilty to conspiracy to commit theft, admitting that he put a "ghost employee" on the Senate payroll for almost a year, paying her $23,000 for no work. The "ghost employee", Glynis Thornton, cooperated with authorities after getting targeted in another corruption scheme involving state-run Detroit Education Achievement Authority principals who took bribes. Thornton secretly recorded a conversation with Johnson regarding the scheme at his home in November 2015.
In October 2013, Johnson asked Thornton for a $30,000 loan, she said no. Johnson then asked Thornton for $20,000. Again, the answer was "no." Johnson tried a third time asking for $10,000, which Thornton granted. Over the next five months, Thornton sought repayment for the loan, but Johnson didn't have the money. Sometime in March 2014, Johnson proposed to Thornton that he could repay her his personal loan by putting Thornton on his Michigan Senate Office payroll for repayment. Thornton agreed to Johnson's plan and Thornton was hired as a "community liaison" on March 28, 2014. Thornton was paid $22 an hour for her no-show job.
Three days after putting Thornton on his Senate payroll, Johnson asked her for an additional $4,000. Thornton had an employee issue a check, cash it and give the money to the Johnson. By October 2014, the Johnson needed more money. He asked Thornton for $3,000 cash for a "last-minute payment of his property taxes. Johnson picked up the cash at Thornton's home and soon repaid this loan."
Thornton remained on the Johnson's payroll until January 2015. In all, she received $23,205 but provided no work.
Three hours after admitting he stole from the taxpayers, Johnson submitted his resignation from his Senate seat. In a one-sentence letter, Johnson wrote: "It is with profound regret that I tender my resignation, effective March 2, 2018."
As part of Johnson's plea deal, he has to pay $23,133 in restitution to the state of Michigan. He faces a statutory maximum penalty of ten years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 7, 2018.
During his legislative tenure, Johnson possessed the worst attendance record in the state Legislature. No state legislator missed more votes than Johnson, who has missed 712 of 5,115 roll calls, according to data compiled by MichiganVotes.org.
Civil judgements
Johnson was evicted from his campaign office in 2010. In 2015, Johnson paid the $7,446 bill after a nearly five-year legal battle with the landlord ended in a court order. The company had been unable to collect in 2011 because Johnson owed child support to multiple women in Oakland and Wayne counties.The Southfield-based Foster McCollum White and Associates consulting firm sued Johnson in 2012, alleging he stiffed it on a $10,000 bill and then hurt the business by badmouthing it as the firm sought another contract. A court eventually ordered Johnson to pay $2,500, but it took 15 months for him to settle the debt.
Johnson owes the Chicago-based Paladin Political Group more than $29,000 for 2013 fundraising work. His failure to pay a court-ordered judgment prompted a bench warrant for his arrest in 2015, which he resolved, but Paladin Political Group says he still hasn't paid up. "We tried to put him under collections, but we were told to get in line," Managing Partner Dave Seman said.
Johnson also failed to disclose campaign finances as required under state law, accumulating nearly $16,000 in late fees between his candidate committee and a political action fund. Michigan secretary of state records show Johnson's official candidate committee failed to file three required reports in 2016 and the first report of 2017. The committee owes $4,000 in late fees, including $1,000 that has been reported to the Treasury Department in an attempt to force collection.
The "Consensus PAC" linked to Johnson and started by a former staffer owes $11,775. The Secretary of State's Office has referred $9,775 of that amount to the state Treasury Department for collections.
Political career
From 2001-2006, Johnson worked as chief of staff to then-Representative Bill McConico.2007 House election
Term limits forced McConico out of office at the end of 2007, and Johnson won a 12-candidate primary to succeed him in the heavily Democratic state House District 5. Former House Speaker Craig DeRoche considered not seating Johnson in the state House because of his felony criminal record, but the Highland Park Democrat was sworn in and seated by January 2007.While serving in the State House, Johnson was named Chair of the "Detroit Caucus", which is composed of the twelve State Representatives and five State Senators whose districts include Detroit. He was also Chair of the House Committee on Regulatory Reforms and sat on the Health Policy, Energy and Technology, Banking and Financial Services and Public Employee Health Care Reform committees.