COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – A second recall petition against Branch County Prosecutor Ralph Kimble has been filed by Alexia and Stephen Rish of Coldwater after an earlier petition was turned down by the Michigan State Board of Canvassers.
The board voted 4-0 January 30, 2018 that parts of the petition did not state factually and clearly each reason for Kimble’s recall.
They also felt some of the language was ambiguous and it went to motivation and state of mind as opposed to being clearly factual.
Another hearing will have to be held on the second petition next Tuesday at 10:00 a.m..
If approved, over 2,800 valid signatures would have to collected from Branch County registered voters for the recall to get on the ballot which was 25 percent of the ballots cast in the county during the 2014 gubernatorial election. According to state law, a county prosecutor can only be removed from office by the governor or by a recall election.
Kimble has been investigated over his conduct in recent months by the State Attorney General’s Office and the Michigan State Police. He has denied accusations made in a sexual harassment lawsuit that named him and Branch County as defendant which was filed last October by former county employee Evon Staley.
Kimble claims Staley filed the sexual harassment suit in retaliation after she was fired over a marijuana bust conducted on her property by the Southwest Michigan Enforcement Team. That investigation led to criminal charges for an alleged marijuana grow operation that were filed against Staley and three others including her son and daughter.
