Meijer Admission

The Meijer retail chain has issued a public apology, admitting that it "likely violated campaign finance and reporting laws" and pledging to "comply with any and all direction, penalties, fines or other actions required by the Department of State" in connection with its covert effort to manipulate elections in Acme Township, Michigan, where local officials opposed its plan to build a store. Meijer used Seyferth, Spaulding, Tennyson Inc., a public relations firm based in Grand Rapids, to set up several front groups for the purpose of harassing local officials and orchestrating a recall election. Ginny Seyferth, the president of the PR firm, responded to Meijer's statement by saying, "We stand by Meijer and look forward to the complete resolution of this matter."