Ex-Con Sworn In To Michigan House of Representatives
LANSING (WWJ) - Brian Banks (D-Detroit), who has been convicted eight times for felonies involving bad checks and credit card fraud, was sworn in Wednesday to the Michigan House of Representatives.
Banks, a Democrat and lifelong Detroiter, won a seat in Lansing as a state representative for the 1st District, representing the east side of Detroit, Harper Woods, and the tony Grosse Pointes. He won 68 percent of the vote to Republican Dan Schulte's 32 percent.
The lawmaker, along with the other 109 members of the Michigan House, took the oath of office during a ceremony at the state Capitol, marking the beginning of the 97th Legislature.
"I'm honored to be a member of the Michigan House," Banks said. "I can't wait to join my colleagues and get to work on behalf of the residents of the 1st District."
Michigan voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2010 that bans anyone convicted of a felony in the last 20 years from running for office — but the caveat is the conviction has to be "related to the person's official capacity while holding any elective office." This was Banks first run at elected office.
Banks, 35, told WWJ Newsradio in September that he had made "many poor decisions," adding "I would ask them to look at what I've accomplished professionally and academically, since my poor decisions."
His convictions took place between 1998 and 2004.
