Community | November 08, 2010 | 131 comments

Andrew Shirvell fired for attacks on gay U-M student

source: http://www.freep.com/article/20101108/NEWS06/101108039/1001/NEWS/Shirvell-fired-for-attacks-...

Image
SageRockandRoll

http://www.freep.com/article/20101108/NEWS06/101108039/1001/NEWS/Shir...

Another title to this story could have been: It's about freaking time.

This guy's idiocy blows my mind. What did he expect treating another person like this and then going on all those TV shows?
  1. groups:
    Community,   Current Tonight,   US Politics,   Webmash,   8 more
  2. tags:
    News,  Human Rights,  LGBT,  Gay Rights,  26 more
  3.     
    |

131 comments // Andrew Shirvell fired for attacks on gay U-M student

  • KSirys
  • EdJoyProductions
  • bike10
  • good_stuff
    • +4
      good_stuff  

    • No mention of him working on "anti-cyberbullying" legislation while working for the atttorney general's office? That is the best part of the story in my opinion. The Daily Show or Colbert Report did the best reporting on this guy's craziness.

    • 2 years ago
  • Nick19
  • noxidereus
  • EthicalVegan
  • bike10
  • donkeyfly69
  • bailey78
  • juicie
  • EthicalVegan
  • EthicalVegan
    • +3
      EthicalVegan  

    • http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/11/08/michigan.asst.attorney.general/index.html?hpt=T...

      Michigan assistant AG fired after targeting openly gay student leader

      VIDEO!!!

      AC360
      By the CNN Wire Staff

      Interview with gay student's lawyer

      STORY HIGHLIGHTS

      * NEW: The University of Michigan student leader's lawyer lauds the firing of Andrew Shirvell
      * NEW: Shirvell's lawyer tells a Detroit paper the "liberal media" is to blame for the dismissal
      * The Michigan AG said Shirvell "engaged in borderline stalking" and "violated office policies"
      * Armstrong is openly gay and the president of the University of Michigan's student body

      (CNN) -- An assistant attorney general in Michigan is out of a job, fired after targeting an openly gay University of Michigan student leader online and in person -- then lying about his actions to investigators -- state Attorney General Mike Cox said Monday.

      Andrew Shirvell "repeatedly violated office policies, engaged in borderline stalking behavior and inappropriately used state resources," Cox said.

      The lawyer for Chris Armstrong, the university's student body president, lauded the decision by Cox to axe Shirvell.

      "It's inexplicable -- he knows nothing about Chris," attorney Deborah Gordon said on CNN's "AC 360" about Shirvell, who claimed that Armstrong was a "racist, elitist liar" and "privileged pervert."

      "We're very gratified that justice was done ... and, for the time, Shirvell is going to be held responsible," Gordon said.
      Assistant attorney general fired
      Blog targets gay college student

      Shirvell's lawyer, Philip J. Thomas, acknowledged his client's termination to CNN but did not comment further. He told the Detroit Free Press that his client was "devastated" by Cox's announcement, claiming that Shirvell's bosses gave him positive reviews and knew of his activities outside work.

      "This smells political to me," Thomas told the newspaper. "There's been a tremendous piling-on against Andrew. The liberal media started this tempest in a teapot."

      Gordon responded by telling CNN's Anderson Cooper on Monday night that she felt it was "pathetic and lame for (Shirvell) to be whining about being bullied."

      In late September, Cox defended Shirvell's authoring of a blog titled "Chris Armstrong Watch" that railed against the college senior and sociology major.

      "Here in America, we have this thing called the First Amendment, which allows people to express what they think and engage in political and social speech," Cox told CNN. "He's clearly a bully ... but is that protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution? Yes."

      But in Monday's announcement, Cox said he concluded that Shirvell's dismissal was warranted due to actions "unbecoming a state employee" that went beyond the blog.

      Cox said he wasn't firing Shirvell for "exercising ... First Amendment rights, (however) unpopular (the) positions might be," but for persistent and personal harassment.

      According to Cox, Shirvell showed up at Armstrong's home three times -- including once at 1:30 a.m. Cox said that this early morning visit, especially, showed that Shirvell was intent on harassing Armstrong, not just exercising his right to free speech.

      While Shirvell may not be charged criminally with stalking, Cox said that he behaved in a way that "was harassing, uninvited and showed a pattern that was, in the everyday sense, stalking." He cited numerous examples, including:

      -- Calling the office of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, where Armstrong worked, "in an attempt to slander Armstrong" and get him fired.

      -- Trying to "out" Armstrong's friends -- some of whom were not gay -- as homosexual.

      -- Harassing Armstrong's friends while out socializing in Ann Arbor, the home of the University of Michigan.

      Cox had originally defended Shirvell in part because he believed his blog was being done when he wasn't at work. But he said Monday that Shirvell had, in fact, posted online "attacks" on Armstrong and called Pelosi's office while he was on the job as an assistant attorney general.

      In his statement, Cox also said that Shirvell lied to investigators "on several occasions during his displinary hearing."

      After his blog garnered national media attention, Shirvell placed it behind a privacy firewall, making it available only to invited readers.

      In early October, he took a voluntary leave of absence from his job. Around that time, Shirvell, a graduate of the University of Michigan, was barred from the Ann Arbor campus.

      Shirvell defended his postings on "AC 360" on September 28, acknowledging that he protested outside Armstrong's house and called him "Satan's representative on the student assembly."

      "I'm a Christian citizen exercising my First Amendment rights," Shirvell told Cooper. "I have no problem with the fact that Chris is a homosexual. I have a problem with the fact that he's advancing a radical homosexual agenda."

      Armstrong, who said he has never spoken with Shirvell, told CNN days later that his principal issues as the school's student body president was longer cafeteria hours, gender-neutral housing and lower tuition costs.

      "The things that are said about me are not my issues," Armstrong said.

      Gordon said that she and her client aren't done going after Shirvell. That includes trying to have him disbarred as a licensed attorney in Michigan. She said investigators' finding that Shirvell lied to the attorney general's office is central to their case.

      "This man is a loose cannon with a law license," said Gordon.

      CNN's Anna Gonzalez contributed to this report.

    • 2 years ago
  • cbsrf
  • EthicalVegan
  • Nephwrack
  • bailey78
  • lnlm16r
  • Nephwrack
  • Stoneyroad
  • EthicalVegan
  • bailey78
  • hvjkuhh
  • bailey78
  • Stoneyroad
  • bailey78
  • EthicalVegan
    • +3
      EthicalVegan  
    • Image

    • http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/11/08/michigan.asst.attorney.general/index.html?hpt=T...

      Here's CNN's "front page" story...

      Michigan assistant AG fired after targeting openly gay student leader
      By the CNN Wire Staff
      November 8, 2010 10:56 p.m. EST

      Tonight on AC360°, Deborah Gordon, attorney for college student Chris Armstrong, speaks with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Tune in beginning at 10 pm ET.

      An assistant attorney general in Michigan is out of a job, fired after targeting an openly gay University of Michigan student leader online and in person -- then lying about his actions to investigators -- state Attorney General Mike Cox said Monday.

      Andrew Shirvell "repeatedly violated office policies, engaged in borderline stalking behavior and inappropriately used state resources," Cox said.

      The lawyer for Chris Armstrong, the university's student body president, lauded the decision by Cox to axe Shirvell.

      "It's inexplicable -- he knows nothing about Chris," attorney Deborah Gordon said on CNN's "AC 360" about Shirvell, who claimed that Armstrong was a "racist, elitist liar" and "privileged pervert."

      "We're very gratified that justice was done ... and, for the time, Shirvell is going to be held responsible," Gordon said.

      Shirvell's lawyer, Philip J. Thomas, acknowledged his client's termination to CNN but did not comment further. He told the Detroit Free Press that his client was "devastated" by Cox's announcement, claiming that Shirvell's bosses gave him positive reviews and knew of his activities outside work.

      "This smells political to me," Thomas told the newspaper. "There's been a tremendous piling-on against Andrew. The liberal media started this tempest in a teapot."

      Gordon responded by telling CNN's Anderson Cooper on Monday night that she felt it was "pathetic and lame for (Shirvell) to be whining about being bullied."

      In late September, Cox defended Shirvell's authoring of a blog titled "Chris Armstrong Watch" that railed against the college senior and sociology major.

      "Here in America, we have this thing called the First Amendment, which allows people to express what they think and engage in political and social speech," Cox told CNN. "He's clearly a bully ... but is that protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution? Yes."

      But in Monday's announcement, Cox said he concluded that Shirvell's dismissal was warranted due to actions "unbecoming a state employee" that went beyond the blog.

      Cox said he wasn't firing Shirvell for "exercising ... First Amendment rights, (however) unpopular (the) positions might be," but for persistent and personal harassment.

      According to Cox, Shirvell showed up at Armstrong's home three times -- including once at 1:30 a.m. Cox said that this early morning visit, especially, showed that Shirvell was intent on harassing Armstrong, not just exercising his right to free speech.

      While Shirvell may not be charged criminally with stalking, Cox said that he behaved in a way that "was harassing, uninvited and showed a pattern that was, in the everyday sense, stalking." He cited numerous examples, including:

      -- Calling the office of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, where Armstrong worked, "in an attempt to slander Armstrong" and get him fired.

      -- Trying to "out" Armstrong's friends -- some of whom were not gay -- as homosexual.

      -- Harassing Armstrong's friends while out socializing in Ann Arbor, the home of the University of Michigan.

      Cox had originally defended Shirvell in part because he believed his blog was being done when he wasn't at work. But he said Monday that Shirvell had, in fact, posted online "attacks" on Armstrong and called Pelosi's office while he was on the job as an assistant attorney general.

      In his statement, Cox also said that Shirvell lied to investigators "on several occasions during his displinary hearing."

      After his blog garnered national media attention, Shirvell placed it behind a privacy firewall, making it available only to invited readers.

      In early October, he took a voluntary leave of absence from his job. Around that time, Shirvell, a graduate of the University of Michigan, was barred from the Ann Arbor campus.

      Shirvell defended his postings on "AC 360" on September 28, acknowledging that he protested outside Armstrong's house and called him "Satan's representative on the student assembly."

      "I'm a Christian citizen exercising my First Amendment rights," Shirvell told Cooper. "I have no problem with the fact that Chris is a homosexual. I have a problem with the fact that he's advancing a radical homosexual agenda."

      Armstrong, who said he has never spoken with Shirvell, told CNN days later that his principal issues as the school's student body president was longer cafeteria hours, gender-neutral housing and lower tuition costs.

      "The things that are said about me are not my issues," Armstrong said.

      Gordon said that she and her client aren't done going after Shirvell. That includes trying to have him disbarred as a licensed attorney in Michigan. She said investigators' finding that Shirvell lied to the attorney general's office is central to their case.

      "This man is a loose cannon with a law license," said Gordon.

      CNN's Anna Gonzalez contributed to this report.

    • 2 years ago
  • Stoneyroad
    • +8
      Stoneyroad  

    • I can't believe this idiot tried to defend himself on the Daily Show.
      He got Pwned, and not in the gay way he secretly hopes for.
      I think this clip was the nail in his coffin.

    • 2 years ago
  • EthicalVegan
  • bailey78
  • EdJoyProductions
  • pissedoffinarkansas
  • moodyblue
  • bailey78
  • flyingkick
  • Proud_Progressive
  • timetide
    • 0
      timetide  

    • Dear customers, thank you for your support of our company.
      Here, there's good news to tell you: The company recently
      launched a number of new fashion items! ! Fashionable
      and welcome everyone to come buy. If necessary, please
      input:
      sniped that from an ad before they deleted it. How can the company consider a string of words and phrases involving stuff animal did to their mothers as 'support'?

    • 2 years ago
  • EthicalVegan
  • EthicalVegan
  • EthicalVegan
    • +2
      EthicalVegan  
    • EthicalVegan:

      http://Del.icio.us

      Posted: 2:35 p.m. Nov. 8, 2010 | Updated: 4:10 p.m. today

      Cox fires Andrew Shirvell, says he used state resources in attack on gay student
      Behavior wasn't appropriate, former assistant attorney general is told

      By LORI HIGGINS
      FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

      Andrew Shirvell, the assistant attorney general under fire for his attacks on a University of Michigan student, has been fired.

      Shirvell had been criticized for his blog in which he calls Chris Armstrong, the president of the Michigan Student Assembly, a radical homosexual, a Nazi and Satan’s representative on the assembly. Philip Thomas, Shirvell's attorney, had said his client is expressing his free-speech rights.

      The firing was confirmed in a statement this afternoon from AG Mike Cox, who said Shirvell was fired for conduct unbecoming a state employee, especially that of an assistant attorney general.

      “To be clear, I refuse to fire anyone for exercising their First Amendment rights, regardless of how popular or unpopular their positions might be. However, Shirvell repeatedly violated office policies, engaged in borderline stalking behavior, and inappropriately used state resources, our investigation showed.”

      Among the examples cited by Cox in the statement:

      • Showed up at the home of a private citizen three times, including once at 1:30 a.m. That incident is especially telling because it clearly was about harassing Armstrong, not engaging in free speech.

      • Further engaged in behavior that, while not perhaps sufficient to charge criminal stalking, was harassing, uninvited and showed a pattern that was in the everyday sense, stalking.

      • Harassing Armstrong's friends as they were socializing in Ann Arbor;

      • Numerous calls to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, Armstrong's employer, in an attempt to slander Armstrong — and ultimately attempting to cause Pelosi to fire Armstrong;

      • Attempting to "out" Armstrong's friends as homosexual — several of whom were not gay.

      Cox said Shirvell engaged in his campaign against Shirvell on company time and posted attacks on Armstrong on the Internet while at work.

      “Finally, Shirvell lied to investigating assistant attorneys general on several occasions during his disciplinary hearing.”

      A hearing that was supposed to be held Tuesday was moved up to this afternoon. Thomas, Shirvell's attorney, said he showed up for the meeting and was read one sentence.

      “They said essentially that as a result of Andrew’s conduct, it’s become impossible for him to carry out his duties as an attorney general.”

      Thomas said the attorney general’s office left a message on his office voice mail Saturday morning, telling him the hearing had been moved to this afternoon. He didn’t get the message until this morning.

      Thomas said he is shocked and confused, saying he doesn’t know what could have happened between Friday afternoon, when the hearing began, and Saturday afternoon.

      “This smells political to me,” Thomas said.

      He said Shirvell has received excellent performance reviews from his bosses, and that his employers knew of Shirvell’s off-work activities.

      “There’s been a tremendous piling on against Andrew. The liberal media started this tempest in a teapot.”

      “Andrew’s reaction is that he’s devastated over the loss of his employment,” Thomas said.

      Armstrong’s attorney, Deborah Gordon, issued a statement this afternoon in which she said the AG’s office made the correct decision. Gordon and Armstrong have filed complaints with the Michigan Grievance Commission, asking it to investigate Shirvell and possibly disbar him.

      “The next step must be a complete retraction of all the malicious lies and fabrications by Mr. Shirvell, and a public apology to Chris Armstrong, his family and the others Mr. Shirvell has slandered.”

      Gordon went on to say it’s time for Shirvell to realize there are consequences to his “reckless, outrageous statements and actions and that he is solely responsible for those consequences.”

      Until now, Shirvell has won battles. Armstrong dropped a request for a personal protection order in Washtenaw court. The Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s office declined to file a stalking charge against Shirvell, saying that while Shirvell’s comments “are offensive and mean spirited,” they don’t meet the definition of harassment under Michigan’s stalking statute.

      The University of Michigan also essentially lifted Shirvell’s ban from campus, allowing Shirvell on campus but requiring him to stay away from Armstrong.

    • 2 years ago
  • EdJoyProductions
  • EdJoyProductions
  • EthicalVegan
  • EthicalVegan
    • +2
      EthicalVegan  
    • EdJoyProductions:

      Well, looks should have nothing to do with it. It's what he IS that is unattractive.

      And I love bats, and their guano is excellent for gardens and vegetables, so perhaps "human shit" would have been more fitting.

    • 2 years ago
  • Proud_Progressive
  • bailey78
  • 1947lucymaldonado
  • EdJoyProductions
    • +1
      EdJoyProductions  
    • EthicalVegan:

      I meant no offense toward bats or guano. It is a term that I like the sound of. However, I am more than happy to replace it with fucktard because I like that one too.

      His appearance is that of a slimy, jealous little malcontent. It is not so much physical but something that oozes via his aura. Hope that clarified my statement. ;)

    • 2 years ago
  • EdJoyProductions
  • EthicalVegan
  • EdJoyProductions
  • gonzo_green
  • Deadtheist
  • bailey78
  • pukemnukem
    • +1
      pukemnukem  

    • Its good he finally got fired but my god, he is obsessed with this kid. I mean...I really hope this ends their relationship. Just really...REALLY creepy.

    • 2 years ago
  • vixxxen618
  • r0nan
    • +3
      r0nan  
    • vixxxen618:

      It WAS a classic.
      I couldn't believe it when he said he was an Assistant DA. It was obvious the guy's got a man crush on that kid he's tormenting. As soon as it was over I knew the guy would be asked to resign.

    • 2 years ago
  • bailey78
  • SageRockandRoll
  • 1947lucymaldonado
  • EdJoyProductions
  • Ricky84
  • Ricky84
  • EdJoyProductions
  • EdJoyProductions
  • jubal
    • +8
      jubal  

    • Nothing worse than a closeted gay scorned. He probably went on the war path because the UM student rejected his sexual advances. He probably thought...I will get you bitch.

    • 2 years ago
  • iin41
    • iin41 [removed]  
    • This comment was removed as a violation of community guidelines.
  • SageRockandRoll
  • treewolf39
  • SageRockandRoll
  • treewolf39
  • SageRockandRoll
  • EmperorThan
  • tommic
    • +3
      tommic  

    • Well I guess as a lawyer goes he really does not care if he ever makes the hall of fame at the Southern Poverty Law Center LOLWROTF

    • 2 years ago
  • UtopianSky
    • +11
      UtopianSky  

    • FINALLY.

      That closet case has been stalking that boy for a while, and it's been all over the news. It is amazing it has taken so long.

    • 2 years ago
more from Community:
from the community

top videos