Jerry Cannon

Nelson "Jerry" Cannon[1] is a retired military general and the former sheriff of Kalkaska County, Michigan.[2] In 2014, Cannon ran for Congress in Michigan's 1st congressional district, losing to Dan Benishek. Cannon is a member of the Democratic Party.

Jerry Cannon
Born
Nelson Jerry Cannon[1]
Alma materUniversity of Detroit
Central Michigan University
US Army War College
OccupationSoldier
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Elizabeth
Children4
Websitewww.cannon4congress.com

Education

Cannon holds an associate degree from Wayne County Community College, as well as a B.A. in criminal justice from the University of Detroit, obtained in 1976.[3] Cannon holds a master's degree in public administration from Central Michigan University and a master's degree in strategic studies from the US Army War College. Cannon has taught criminal justice at Northwestern Michigan College.[4]

Military career

After graduating from high school in 1967, Cannon served in the Vietnam War as a Marine. Cannon was honorably discharged as a sergeant in 1970, after which he joined the River Rouge Police Department. In 1977, Cannon enlisted in the Michigan Army National Guard and joined the Kalkaska County Sheriff Department. Cannon served as sheriff of Kalkaska County from 1987–2004.[1][5]

From 2003-2004, Cannon served as the commander of the Joint Detention Operations Group Joint Task Force Guantanamo. Roll Call reported that Cannon doesn't think his service at Guantanamo should be seen as unpatriotic, saying of it, "I've done that gladly. I've done that proudly. I would do it again."[6] He was promoted to Brigadier General in 2004, assuming command of the 177th Military Police Brigade in Taylor, Michigan. He was promoted to Major General in 2006 as Commanding General of the 46th Military Police Command in Lansing, Michigan.

Cannon served two deployments in Iraq during the Iraq War. His first deployment was 2008-2009 where he served as Deputy Commanding General responsible for developing Iraqi police forces. His second deployment to Iraq was 2010-2011 where he served as U.S. Forces-Iraq Provost Marshal General and Deputy Commanding General for Detention Operations. After his last deployment in Iraq, he returned to the Michigan Army National Guard and in February 2012 was placed in the Army Retired Reserves, effectively signaling his retirement from the military.[5]

2014 congressional candidacy
Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in Michigan, 2014 § District 1

In August 2013, Cannon announced that he would challenge Republican Congressman Dan Benishek in Michigan's 1st congressional district.[7] Cannon ran unopposed in the Democratic primary on August 5, 2014. He was defeated by Benishek in the general election.

Cannon was endorsed by the Sierra Club,[8][9] and the League of Conservation Voters.[10] Nancy Pelosi's campaign committee has donated to Cannon's campaign.[11]

In January 2014, Cannon was interviewed by a reporter from the Daily Mining Gazette. The day after the interview, the reporter called Cannon to ask follow-up questions. The person who answered the phone identified himself as Cannon, and went on to express his dislike of the Affordable Care Act. Cannon's campaign denied that he had made the anti-Affordable Care Act comments, and the newspaper later revealed that the reporter had dialed the wrong number and had spoken with a Cannon impersonator, and not Cannon himself. Cannon's campaign subsequently confirmed his support for the Affordable Care Act.[12][13][14] Cannon has noted his belief that the "worst thing that could be done" to the Affordable Care Act is to "throw it all away."[15]

Personal life

Cannon has a wife, Elizabeth. The Cannons live in Fife Lake, Michigan.[16]

Cannon is a member of the Kalkaska Memorial Health Center Board of Trustees, chairman of the Garfield Township Parks and Recreation Committee, and a board member of the Northern Michigan Law Enforcement Training Group.[5]

Controversy

Cannon came under public scrutiny in November 2018 after a widely shared online police body camera video depicted Cannon offering to "take responsibility" for Midland County Sheriff Scott Stephenson - after he had been found drunkenly slumped over in his car on the side of a Kalkaska County Road - in an apparent attempt to stop Stephenson from being arrested and jailed for drunk driving.[17]

The body camera footage depicts Stephenson begging the responding Midland officer and Cannon, the Garfield Township Police Chief who was off duty at the time, to not send him to jail. After Stephenson's pleas, Cannon can be seen stepping away from the scene to make a phone call, only to return and explain nothing could be done, saying: "I'm not the sheriff anymore...[a]nd the old days and ways are gone."[17]

References
  1. Spangler, Todd (June 8, 2013). "Ex-Kalkaska County sheriff to run as Dem for Benishek's seat in Congress". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  2. Klug, Fritz (June 8, 2013). "Retired general, Gitmo commander Jerry Cannon to challenge Dan Benishek for U.S. House seat in 2014". MLive. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  3. "Major Gen. (Ret.) Jerry Cannon to speak at Progressive women's group meeting". Petoskey News. March 10, 2013. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  4. "Maj. Gen. Jerry J. Cannon" (PDF). United States Department of Defense. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  5. Keeton, Matt (March 7, 2012). "A Life of Service: Former county sheriff retires from National Guard". The Leader and the Kalkaskian. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  6. Bologna, Giacomo (October 29, 2013). "Democratic Candidate Says Gitmo Experience Is Not a Liability (Video)". Roll Call. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  7. Livingston, Abby (August 6, 2013). "Ex-Gitmo Commander to Challenge House Republican". Roll Call.
  8. Rossenwasser, Emily (May 14, 2014). "Sierra Club Endorses General Jerry Cannon for U.S. Congress". Sierra Club. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  9. Guillen, Alex (May 14, 2014). "PTC push faces tough tax extenders battle – Hundreds dead in Turkish coal mine disaster". Morning Energy. Politico. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  10. Guillen, Alex (April 8, 2014). "Four things to watch over August recess — Colorado ballot initiative signature deadline today — Miners union backs Grimes — San Onofre decommissioning could cost $4.4 billion — LCV backs Benishek chal". Politico. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  11. Cooper, Kent (October 15, 2013). "Pelosi Puts Her Money on a Dozen Candidates". Roll Call. Retrieved August 25, 2014.
  12. Woodruff, Betsy (January 20, 2014). "Dem Congressional Candidate Either Has an Impersonator or His Campaign Lied about Devastating Anti-Obamacare Quote". National Review. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  13. "Congressional candidate supports Obamacare". Daily Mining Gazette. Houghton, Michigan. January 17, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  14. Felton, Ryan (February 28, 2014). "Northern Michigan newspaper calls congressional candidate for comment, later realizes it was probably someone else". Metro Times. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  15. Strauss, Daniel (January 22, 2014). "Mystery Surrounds Who's Answering The Phone For Dem Candidate". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved August 14, 2014.
  16. "Ex-Kalkaska County sheriff to run as Dem for Benishek's seat in Congress". Detroit Free Press. August 6, 2013.
  17. "Updated: Garfield Police Chief offers to help drunken sheriff during stop". Traverse City Record-Eagle. December 19, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
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