University of Michigan alum, conservative political consultant Chetly Zarko dies at 39
Chetly Zarko, an honors graduate of the University of Michigan and alum of the conservative-libertarian Michigan Review, was found dead Tuesday in his apartment. He was 39.
Chetly Zarko was found dead in his apartment on July 20 at the age of 39.
Zarko, founder of the watchdog site OutsideLansing.com and an aide to state Rep. Marty Knollenberg, R-Troy, is remembered by allies and opponents alike as a dedicated conservative activist and a regular filer of Freedom of Information Act requests at governmental bodies across the state of Michigan.Â
According to the Livingston Daily Press and Argus, Zarko was the plaintiff in a FOIA lawsuit against the Howell school district at the time of his death, a cause he was supported in by the Mackinac Center and the Michigan Press Association. That case might proceed despite Zarko's death, the Argus reports.
Zarko of DeWitt reportedly died while reading in his apartment, but the cause of death isn't yet known, WHMI radio reports. Howell school board member Wendy Day told the radio station Zarko had his finger on the pulse of the Tea Party movement and often worked behind the scenes, conducting research and offering advice.
Visitation is from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 25 at the Lansing chapel of Palmer, Bush and Jensen Family Funeral Homes, according to an obituary published in the Lansing State Journal.
Comments
Snarf Oscar Boondoggle
Sat, Jul 31, 2010 : 12:18 p.m.
Muskegon native remembered as key to '06 proposal to end affirmative action Published: Friday, July 30, 2010, 5:15 AM Chetly Zarko MUSKEGON -- The life of a Muskegon-area native described by family as "instrumental" in ending race-based affirmative action in Michigan will be celebrated Saturday. Chetly Zarko, 39, of DeWitt, was found dead in his apartment July 17. The cause of his death is unknown. His family will celebrate his life with a luncheon, open to the public, 2-5 p.m. Saturday, at 1674 Southland, Muskegon Township, off Harvey Street. Zarko was treasurer and spokesman for the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative, and helped to get a proposal banning race-based affirmative action in university admissions and state hiring placed on the Michigan ballot. The proposal passed in 2006. Zarko founded the website OutsideLansing.com, an investigative political site with a conservative slant. He also founded a website dedicated to transparency in local government, and one on Oakland County politics. He had served as an aide to state Rep. Marty Knollenberg, R-Troy, since February 2009, and ran Zarko Research and Consulting. At the time of his death, Zarko was leading an appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court to make more than 5,000 Howell Education Association teachers' union e-mails public. Zarko had said he was "investigating whether taxpayer-funded lobbying was occurring" in the teachers' union. He also was investigating the group filing for recognition as the Tea Party. Some online posters speculated Zarko had been murdered by political opponents. His aunt, Starla Willea, of Muskegon Township, confirmed that he died of natural causes. "He would have laughed at that one," she said of the murder theory. Both conservative and liberal Michigan political bloggers paid their respects to Zarko through online posts, with some who disagreed with him remembering his integrity and civility. Eric Baerren, who writes on The Michigan Liberal, described Zarko as "one of the decent people in Michigan politics." The staff of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy called him a "stalwart freedom fighter." He received a National Merit Scholarship from Pechiney Corp. as a high school senior at Holton High School in 1989, and was a Regents-Alumni Scholar at the University of Michigan and a Frauenthal Scholar. Zarko graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor's degree in political science with honors in 1993. He was buried in Sunrise Memorial Garden in Muskegon on Monday, following a funeral in Lansing, Willea said. He is survived by his brother, Tony Zarko, of Muskegon; mother, Sharon Conner, of White Cloud; and father, Larry Zarko, of Norton Shores. E-mail Megan Hart: mhart (at) muskegonchronicle.com
Roadman
Mon, Jul 26, 2010 : 10:05 p.m.
A sad end to one of the great tireless behind-the-scenes leaders of the Michigan Republican Party. Mr. Zarko will be sorely missed.
Snarf Oscar Boondoggle
Fri, Jul 23, 2010 : 9:49 p.m.
*&^%$#@!... didn;t chet also have a few ground-shaking reports in teh michigan review abuut computer corruption at umich & abuse of email access as well as umich private conference scandals?.. http://www.mackinac.org/13212.. and, yes he was involved in umich admission practices vis-a-vis affirmative action, iirc. 39 is way too early regardless.
bhall
Thu, Jul 22, 2010 : 4:27 p.m.
If you have the old Ann Arbor News archives, I do believe you'd find that Chetly was involved with the anti affirmative action ballot question that was aimed at the University of Michigan.
Drake
Thu, Jul 22, 2010 : 3:22 p.m.
Poor reporting.Very little information for what possibly is a homicide or murder.Amateur wannabe journalist should steer clear of real stories if they are incapable of gathering the necessary information themselves.
seldon
Thu, Jul 22, 2010 : 10:03 a.m.
@Robert M.: because he's been in the news around here a lot over the past couple decades, filing FOIA requests against the University. He's a local public figure, even if he wasn't on your radar. I agree that the article should have given more context.