You are viewing this article in the AnnArbor.com archives. For the latest breaking news and updates in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area, see MLive.com/ann-arbor
Posted on Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 8:02 a.m.

Andrew Shirvell says he shouldn't have been fired

By Cindy Heflin

Former assistant state attorney general Andrew Shirvell says he didn't do anything that should have resulted in his firing, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Shirvell was fired in November for using state resources for his campaign against University of Michigan student body President Chris Armstrong and for lying to investigators during his disciplinary hearing, former Attorney General Mike Cox said at the time.

Andrew-Shirvell.jpg

Andrew Shirvell speaks at a Michigan Student Assembly meeting.

Marissa McClain | The Michigan Daily

Armstrong was the first openly gay student body president at U-M and had been accused by Shirvell of pushing a “radical homosexual agenda.”

Shirvell says in his filing with the state Civil Service Commission that the charges against him were not substantiated and, "even if proved, firing him was improper and 'arbitrary and capricious,'" the Free Press reported.

Wednesday, a federal judge denied Shirvell's request to seal his videotaped deposition in a lawsuit Armstrong filed against him.

Shirvell kept a blog accusing Armstrong of pushing a "radical homosexual agenda" and appeared at several Michigan Student Assembly meetings to protest Armstrong, holding signs — including ones with a rainbow with a swatiska drawn over it. Shirvell was banned by university officials from stepping foot on campus.

Comments

dogpaddle

Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 2:24 p.m.

I agree with cmotdibbler. And, seriously, Shirvell, former AG - you know, the one who is supposed to help enforce laws - guilty of stalking and doesn't think he should've been fired? When is it ok to show up on someone's property (uninvited) at 1AM and snap photos of them? Isn't that illegal, too? Forget the use of company computers on company time for his personal agenda as many people do (I'm not saying it's right or wrong and everyone doing it doesn't make it right, just saying the bigger concern for me is his stalking behavior out of the office - for anyone, but particularly for the guy who should be enforcing the law - yes, he should be fired for that alone and I can't believe he or anyone else would question that).

DDOT1962

Fri, Jul 1, 2011 : 1:58 a.m.

Why do I get the feeling we'll be reading a story about Andrew Shirvell someday soon that reads like it was pulled from a memoir of Bob Crane?

Bill

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 4:33 p.m.

The reality is that Shirvell should have been fired much sooner than he was had the Attorney General done his job in a timely fashion.

seldon

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 2:10 p.m.

To be clear, the proposal &quot;trespass&quot; describes wasn't to make all bathrooms on campus be gender-neutral, it was to have some gender-neutral bathrooms available. The one described in the article below (which is the only one I know about) appears to be a single-seater, which should allay trespass's concerns: <a href="http://www.michigandaily.com/content/family-bathroom-sign-replaces-gender-neutral-sign-union" rel='nofollow'>http://www.michigandaily.com/content/family-bathroom-sign-replaces-gender-neutral-sign-union</a>

David Briegel

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 2:07 p.m.

Andrew, Please, just go away. Your 15 minutes are over. Don't let the door hit ya! Bye bye! Anyone find it ironic he wants the privacy HE denied to Armstrong?

trespass

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 1:57 p.m.

@smokeblwr- Armstrong's radical gay agenda included gender neutral housing and gender neutral bathrooms. I don't think either is a very good idea but I particularly don't feel comfortable sitting in a bathroom stall with a woman in the next stall.

bedrog

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 1:53 p.m.

Given all the shake -ups in middle eastern regimes ( which i suspect ,even after their supposed and much ---and prematurely ---ballyhooed&quot;springtimes', will still subscribe to 'social values' pretty much in line with Shirvells ) perhaps he'd consider taking his stellar legal mind/instincts to , say, Libya, Syria, Abu Dhabi , Gaza etc.

cmotdibbler

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 12:51 p.m.

Shrivell doth protest too much, methinks.

seldon

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 12:31 p.m.

I'm sure Shirvell does say that. He's said a lot of things, most of which don't appear to have been true.

Wolverine318

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 12:26 p.m.

What reality does Shirvell live within? With yny other position, one would be fired if they misused company time and computer hardware to stalk and harass an individual. We are also led to believe that individuals holding positions that require an individual to protect and uphold the law are held to a higher standard of ethics. With Shirvell in the office of the AG, I know I would not feel protected when if it came to protections against sexual preference discrimination. I speculate that Shirvell believes he is special and should not be held the same standard.

smokeblwr

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 12:20 p.m.

This has been a fascinating story to follow and it really makes Shirvell look like a nut. However, every article mentions his concern with the &quot;radical homosexual&quot; agenda of Mr. Armstrong but I haven't heard any details on what the agenda consisted of. Can somebody point me towards this agenda?

seldon

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 12:56 p.m.

(Or you could watch Glee.)

seldon

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 12:55 p.m.

If you want further information on what drives people to be homophobic, which may or may not apply to Shirvell specifically, there is scientific literature on the subject: <a href="http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/abn/105/3/440/" rel='nofollow'>http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/abn/105/3/440/</a>

Dot

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 12:54 p.m.

Agenda: He was &quot;out&quot;

seldon

Thu, Jun 30, 2011 : 12:32 p.m.

As far as I can tell, Armstrong's &quot;radical homosexual agenda&quot; was &quot;hi folks, I'm gay.&quot; In other words, Shirvell apparently couldn't handle seeing a gay person in a leadership position.