By Laura Weber, Michigan Public Radio Network
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkar/local-wkar-855662.mp3
LANSING, MI – The state Senate Judiciary Committee took testimony Tuesday on whether the Standish maximum security prison should house Guantanamo Bay prisoners. Among those who testified were two Republican gubernatorial candidates who have different opinions.
AUDIO: State Senator Tom George submitted written testimony and implored Governor Granholm to keep discussions open with the federal government. He says Michigan has a history of housing federal prisoners during times of war, even when it made the state a target.
But Congressman Pete Hoekstra says the state doesn't know enough about Guantanamo prisoners. He says as the ranking Republican on the U.S. House Intelligence Committee he has more access to information about the danger posed by Gitmo detainees.
"Sure, I'd like to go and say 'We're going to move into Standish and we're going to show radical jihadists they can't attack us in the United States,'" he said. "I can't carry forward on that claim."
Hoekstra says Standish would be a target, and housing the detainees would create a long-lasting, negative image of the state.