The very first week in office, Schuette launched a new Public Integrity Unit to crack down on corruption at all levels of government. In just the first year, the AG’s Office has filed more than 115 charges and secured six convictions.
Schuette also moved swiftly to appoint the first Crime Victim’s Advocate in the Attorney General’s office, to serve as a voice and advocate for crime victims, who all too often are forgotten in the criminal justice system. In conjunction with that, the AG’s office is also reaching out to law enforcement, advocate groups and other local officials to build a stronger statewide support system for the victims of crime.

Public Safety is the number one function of government. To make Michigan neighborhoods and schools safer, Schuette has proposed stronger sentences to get repeat violent offenders off the streets. And, as the number one voice for law enforcement at the State Capitol, Schuette has been outspoken in calling for more funding for police and law enforcement officials at both the state and local level, to make up for a decade of cuts that have cost the state more than 3,000 officers dating back to 9/11.

Michigan is the only state in the nation entirely within the Great Lakes watershed. Michigan is defined by the Great Lakes, which comprise 90 percent of America’s fresh water. As a result, Schuette has been the leading advocate to protect these waters from invasive species, building a national coalition to raise the alarm about the threat of Asian Carp entering the Great Lakes. Schuette has also gone to court to force higher standards to govern ballast water discharge in order to protect the environment and the sports fishing industry throughout the Midwest.
Attorney General Schuette has also been a strong Constitutional Conservative, helping to spearhead the fight against President Obama’s health care initiative. In fact, Michigan was one of the first thirteen states that filed the complaint against the President’s proposal. Schuette believes strongly that the individual mandate in the Affordable Care Act is an unprecedented imposition on an individual in violation of the federal government’s limited powers.
A strong conservative, Schuette has permanently closed two abortion clinics that were operating in violation of the state’s regulations, in order to protect the health and safety of mothers and their children. In addition, Schuette filed an amicus brief in the United States Supreme Court on behalf of several other states in support of religious liberty. In a landmark ruling, the court positively responded to Schuette’s constitutional concerns about federal intrusion in employment decisions made by religious organizations.

Schuette is part of a rare and distinguished group of leaders to have served in all three branches of government – legislative, judicial and executive. In addition, Bill Schuette has served at both the federal and state levels.
Arguably Attorney General Bill Schuette’s most enduring legacy is the Michigan Harvest Gathering. A food and fund drive to help feed hungry people throughout Michigan, the Harvest Gathering was started by Bill and his wife Cynthia more than two decades ago. Since then, the Michigan Harvest Gathering has raised more than $8.2 million and 8.5 million pounds of food for Michigan families and the Food Bank Council of Michigan. The Michigan Harvest Gathering has been recognized nationally for its innovative public-private partnership.

Bill Schuette has been a member of various boards and organizations in his community and throughout Michigan. Currently, he serves as vice president of the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation and is a trustee of the Elsa U. Pardee Foundation. Bill is also a Fellow of the Michigan State Bar Foundation.

A native of Midland, Michigan, Bill Schuette graduated cum laude from Georgetown University in 1976, receiving a Bachelor of Science in the Foreign Service. He also studied at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Bill earned his law degree from the University of San Francisco in 1979. In 2005, Bill received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Northwood University.

Schuette and his wife Cynthia are the parents of Heidi and Bill.