Armstrong Tomorrow

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October 5, 2010 - 9:38pm

Armstrong scheduled to appear on "AC360" Wednesday night

By: Joseph Lichterman

Michigan Student Assembly President Chris Armstrong is scheduled to be interviewed on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360" Wednesday evening in his first media appearance since attacks levied against him by Michigan assistant attorney general Andrew Shirvell gained national media attention.

“Chris Armstrong the college student targeted for months by an asst attorney gen in michigan will break his silence on 360 tomorrow,” Cooper tweeted Tuesday afternoon.

For months, Shirvell has criticized Armstrong on his blog called "Chris Armstrong Watch," claiming he promotes a "radical homosexual agenda" on campus. Shirvell has also showed up on campus multiple times protesting against Armstrong.

The Michigan Daily first reported on Shirvell's activities on Sept. 14 and the story gained national attention last week after Cooper featured Shirvell on his show on Sept. 28 and Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox — Shirvell’s employer — one day later.

Shirvell, who is a University alum, told Cooper he doesn’t know Armstrong personally and that he created the blog as part of a “political campaign” to raise awareness of Armstrong’s agenda.

“Chris Armstrong is a radical homosexual activist who got elected partly funded by the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund to promote a very deeply radical agenda at the University of Michigan,” Shirvell said on the show.

The next day, Cox defended Shirvell by saying his criticisms of Armstrong were protected by his First Amendment right to free speech.

“Mr. Shirvell is sort of a front-line grunt assistant prosecutor in my office. He, he does satisfactory work. And off-hours, he's free to engage, under both our civil service rules, Michigan Supreme Court rulings, and the United States Supreme Court…to engage in free speech,” Cox said.

On Sept. 13 Armstrong filed for a personal protection order against Shirvell in Washtenaw County Circuit Court. Shirvell has taken an indefinite leave of absence from his position in the Attorney General’s office and will be subject to a disciplinary hearing upon his return, a spokesman in the Attorney General’s office told the Daily last week.

Armstrong declined to speak when asked at Tuesday night's MSA meeting about his planned appearance on Cooper's show.

Armstrong had previously declined a request to appear on the show, Cooper said on the Sept. 28 episode of the show.

Anderson Cooper 360 airs at 10 p.m. on CNN.

— Daily Staff Reporter Rachel Brusstar contributed to this report.