Attack ad brings up Cox, rumored Manoogian Mansion party
Lansing — Attorney General Mike Cox’s investigation of the fabled Manoogian Mansion party has come back to haunt his gubernatorial bid in a second attack ad launched on Michigan radio stations.
The commercial has stirred speculation over whether a rival gubernatorial candidate could be behind the ad — or even Detroit Attorney Norman Yatooma, who represents the family of slain dancer Tamara Green in a civil lawsuit and has been critical of Cox’s investigation.
The ad — and a similar commercial which ran in April — was sponsored by Arlington, Va.-based Foundation for a Secure and Prosperous America. The foundation denies links to Michigan gubernatorial candidates or their campaigns. The ad is posted on the group’s website at www.secureandprosperous.com.
Aides for the Cox campaign claim Republican gubernatorial rival Rick Snyder is behind the new 60-second commercial — an allegation his campaign denies.
The commercial features remarks against Cox by a key witness in Yatooma’s lawsuit, and invites Detroit Police officers to call a toll-free tip line. The number leads to LSS Consulting, hired by Norman Yatooma to investigate Green’s murder.
Yatooma on Friday denied any involvement in the ad, and said he didn’t even know about it until earlier that afternoon. “What I’ve come to know and dislike about (Cox) are through this case,” Yatooma said. “What I’m doing here has nothing to do with politics.”
Garron Strohmeyer, senior investigator at LSS Consulting, confirmed his company provided the 800 number for the ads but said owner Ned Timmons made the arrangements. Strohmeyer didn’t know who the arrangements were made with. Timmons was in the Cayman Islands Friday and not available for comment.
Cox investigated the rumored stripper party in 2003, including personally interviewing then-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, and declared the party thought to be held at the mayoral residence “an urban legend.” He has given sworn testimony in a federal lawsuit brought by the family of Greene, who has been linked to the party and was later killed.
