Eric Grimm is writing to express interest in hiring Jeffrey Kotinya to help manage a 2016 judicial race in Michigan. While Grimm sees Kotinya as potential competition, he acknowledges the value of Kotinya gaining experience with his current organization. Grimm provides context about his experience assisting with political campaigns in West Michigan since 2007. He criticizes the lack of government accountability in Michigan and expresses hope that Kotinya's skills can help address this issue. Grimm attests to Kotinya's strong work performance based on his observation of Kotinya's past campaign work and communicates his confidence that Kotinya would be a valuable asset to any organization.

1. SPECIAL PROJECTS, PLLC
Bespoke. Legal. Services.
Muskegon, MI 49443-0041
734.332.4900
Eric C. Grimm
Admitted to Practice:
Texas 1993*
District of Columbia 1995
Michigan 1998
December 5, 2015
Gentle Reader:
I suppose I am your competition, in a sense – because I’d like to hire your applicant, Jeffrey
Kotinya, to help manage a 2016 judicial race in Michigan. But if he can advance his career and
acquire valuable experience with your organization, that’s also for the good, and I promise not to
take it personally if he selects an opportunity you offer, over what I would have him do.
In addition to paying work, I have informally assisted with and advised several local and
Congressional political campaigns in West Michigan, since I returned to my hometown of
Muskegon, near Lake Michigan, in 2007. In Michigan we desperately need people like your
applicant, because when it comes to government accountability, Michigan is presently the hands-
down winner in the race to the bottom. The Center for Public Integrity ranks this state dead last –
50 out of 50 – not only for the Legislature and the state Executive, but also the Michigan Judiciary.
It takes a concerted effort, just for one branch of state government, to win the competition among
the least accountable, when up against the likes of Kansas, Oklahoma, or Pennsylvania. To win the
government-corruption Triple Crown for 2015, and to do so by a comfortable margin, requires
exceptional ingenuity and talent. No doubt, the DeVos family, like other supporters of the Mackinac
Institute, could not be more pleased their investments in Michigan have paid such dividends.
I had the opportunity to observe Mr. Kotinya’s work performance, although I did not
supervise him, while he was working on Collene Lamont’s campaign for re-election to the Michigan
Legislature, in 2014. Later, he managed the campaign of challenger Brenda Sprayer, against
incumbent Kathy Hoogstra, for Muskegon County Circuit Court. I was in regular communication
with both campaigns in that race. Both thought highly of Mr. Kotinya.
Mr. Kotinya can speak and write well. He has the kind of analytic and organizational mind
that can accomplish pretty much any task you may assign to him. He is a hard worker and he
understands the value of networking. I am confident your organization will consider him a valuable
asset, and key member of the team, from the minute he sets foot in the door. Let us hope, for your
sake, that I don’t persuade him to work for me first.
Very truly yours,
/s/
Eric C. Grimm
*
Membership in State Bar of Texas inactive, but in good standing. Must re-activate license to accept client matters in Texas.