ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 1 (UPI) -- A Michigan assistant attorney general is on leave and faces discipline for online attacks against a gay university student government leader, officials said.
Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell is on paid sick leave following controversy arising from a blog he operates accusing University of Michigan istudent body President Christopher Armstrong of being a "radical homosexual activist."
During an interview on CNN Tuesday, Shirvell acknowledged he has shot video outside Armstrong's home and tracked his social networking activities, but maintained he did it on his own time and not in his capacity as a state prosecutor.
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox told CNN Wednesday Shirvell was "clearly a bully" but he insisted there was nothing his office could do about it.
"Here in America, we have this thing called the First Amendment, which allows people to express what they think and engage in political and social speech," Cox told CNN's Anderson Cooper.
Joy Yearout, a spokeswoman for Cox's office, said Friday Shirvell's paid leave began Thursday and he will face a disciplinary hearing when he comes back to work, the Detroit Free Press reported. Yearout said Shirvell has not been suspended.
"It was a personal decision on his part," she said.
Cox spokesman John Sellek told the newspaper the attorney general's office is looking at Shirvell's conduct, not his speech.
"On his blog where he has a video of himself standing in front of Mr. Armstrong's house at 1 in the morning, (Cox) said that's not behavior he'd recommend for any state employee," Sellek said.
Armstrong has asked for a restraining order against Shirvell, annarbor.com reported. A hearing on his request has been set for Monday.
University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman said in a statement Friday the school "has called upon others in positions of authority to take all appropriate action to address this situation."
