Bill Schuette, Petitioner
John J. Bursch, Michigan Solicitor General
In November 2006, 58 percent of Michigan’s voters adopted Proposal 2, which amended Michigan’s Constitution to prohibit discriminating or granting preferential treatment in public education, government contracting, and public employment based on race, sex, ethnicity, or national origin. The day after the election, a group of plaintiffs, led by the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality by Any Means Necessary (BAMN) filed suit against State Attorney General Bill Schuette, alleging that the measure violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. They argued that the amendment imposed unequal burdens on racial minorities who…
