A civil rights attorney announced her run for state Attorney General today.
Dana Nessel was an attorney for a same sex couple whose case went on to be part of the U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage.
More recently, the Democrat is part of a task force with the Wayne County prosecutor’s office to investigate hate crimes against the LGBT community.
Nessel is a former prosecuting attorney. She says she isn’t worried about only being viewed as the LGBT candidate.
“You name it, I handled it," Nessel said. "So I think I have the depth and the breadth of experience for this job. And yes I feel like I’m going to work very hard on behalf of the LGBT community, but I’m going to work hard on behalf of all kinds of communities.”
Nessel has a list of issues she hopes to tackle as Attorney General – from hate crimes to marijuana. But she says a top priority is shutting down Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline. That’s the controversial line that carries crude oil and natural gas liquids under the Straits of Mackinac.
Current Attorney General Bill Schuette is term limited and cannot run for this seat again. But he is widely expected to run for governor in 2018.
Democrats and Republicans pick their attorney general candidates at party conventions next year.
Correction: An earlier version of this story reported Enbridge Line 5 transports liquid natural gas. That is not correct. It transports light crude and natural gas liquids.
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