The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan last year
filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Grand Rapids and the state on behalf of two
homeless men.
According to mlive.com, the judge's ruling struck down Michigan 's law barring peaceful panhandling and in Grand Rapids , police
officers have stopped citing panhandlers.
The practice of peaceful panhandling in the city is protected as free
speech.
While the city is working to appeal the ruling to the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the Free Beer and Hot Wings morning
show on WGRD 97.9 FM sent one of their cast members to the street corners to
confront the legitimacy of one panhandler's claim.
The show's producer, "Producer Joe", was sent to
see Rudy - a middle-aged man who occupied a busy street corner with a cardboard
sign that read "Homeless Vet" - on a mission they called Producer
Joe's Hobo Truth Brigade.
The radio hosts caught wind of Rudy after seeing local ABC
affiliate WZZM-13's report on the phony claims of numerous panhandlers around
the area. Rudy admitted to the news outlet of never having served in the
military but was quoted as saying it was "better than robbing people or
doing drugs."
Meanwhile, Joe returned the next day to do some
panhandling/fundraising of his own.
The producer stood on the same corner and collected $1,085
for Grand Rapids Home for Veterans which the radio station matched to bring the
total donation to the home to $2,170.
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