( CNN ) -- Michigan Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell -- who for nearly six months has blogged about an openly gay college student -- has taken a voluntary leave of absence , the state 's attorney general 's office confirmed to CNN Friday . The office does not know the length of Shirvell 's leave , but says that it will hold a disciplinary hearing upon his return . Earlier this week , Attorney General Mike Cox defended his assistant 's constitutional right to wage the internet campaign against Chris Armstrong , even though he said he considers Shirvell a `` bully . '' `` Here in America , we have this thing called the First Amendment , which allows people to express what they think and engage in political and social speech , '' Cox told Anderson Cooper on CNN 's `` AC 360 '' on Wednesday night . `` He 's clearly a bully ... but is that protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution ? Yes . '' `` Mr. [ Andrew ] Shirvell is sort of a frontline grunt assistant prosecutor in my office , '' Cox said . `` 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 rule . '' But Gov . Jennifer Granholm disagreed . Late Thursday she tweeted , `` If I was still attorney general and Andrew Shirvell worked for me , he would have already been fired . '' For nearly six months , Shirvell has blogged about Armstrong , an openly gay student assembly president at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor . Shirvell has been banned from the Ann Arbor campus , said university spokeswoman Kelly Cunningham . The ban was in the form of a `` trespass warning '' issued by the university on September 14 . Shirvell launched his blog in late April using the online moniker `` Concerned Michigan Alumnus . '' `` Welcome to 'Chris Armstrong Watch , ' `` Shirvell wrote in his inaugural blog post . `` This is a site for concerned University of Michigan alumni , students and others who oppose the recent election of Chris Armstrong -- a RADICAL HOMOSEXUAL ACTIVIST , RACIST , ELITIST , & LIAR -- as the new head of student government . '' Among other things , Shirvell has published blog posts that accuse Armstrong of going back on a campaign promise he made to minority students ; engaging in `` flagrant sexual promiscuity '' with another male member of the student government ; sexually seducing and influencing `` a previously conservative [ male ] student '' so much so that the student , according to Shirvell , `` morphed into a proponent of the radical homosexual agenda ; '' hosting a gay orgy in his dorm room in October 2009 ; and trying to recruit incoming first-year students `` to join the homosexual 'lifestyle . ' `` In a written statement from his office on Tuesday , Cox distanced his office from Shirvell 's comments . `` Mr. Shirvell 's personal opinions are his and his alone , and do not reflect the views of the Michigan Department of Attorney General , '' Cox said in the statement . `` But his immaturity and lack of judgment outside the office are clear . '' Shirvell said he works on the blog during his off-hours . On `` AC 360 '' on Tuesday , Shirvell made no apologies for his blog postings , which include a picture of Armstrong with `` Resign '' written over his face . The same picture also had a swastika superimposed over a gay pride flag , with an arrow pointing toward Armstrong . Shirvell acknowledged protesting outside of Armstrong 's house and calling him `` Satan 's representative on the student assembly . '' `` I 'm a Christian citizen exercising my First Amendment rights , '' Shirvell told Cooper . `` I have no problem with the fact that Chris is a homosexual . I have a problem with the fact that he 's advancing a radical homosexual agenda . '' Armstrong has supported gender-neutral housing at the university for transgender students who have n't had sexual reassignment surgery . Armstrong told CNN he has hired an attorney and is pursuing legal action against Shirvell . Watch Anderson Cooper 360° weeknights 10pm ET . For the latest from AC360° click here .
NEW : University of Michigan wo n't allow blogger on campus . Michigan assistant attorney general takes leave of absence . He 's been under fire for blogging about gay college student . Attorney general previously defended Andrew Shirvell 's right to blog on own time .