The Michigan legislature, with two-thirds majorities, sent a proposed constitutional amendment to the November ballot. It'd augment term limits and institute financial disclosure requirements, but with considerably more exceptions than what the original proponents had proposed.
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posted on 05/12/2022
It is an ambitious package of legislation that involved more than 70 stakeholders and years of negotiations. After passing the House with bipartisan majorities, it's sat in the committee Sen. Aric Nesbitt chairs for nearly a year without a hearing.
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posted on 04/19/2022
Key takeaway as U.S. House candidates submit campaign finance filings covering the first quarter of 2022.
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posted on 04/15/2022
Mail from anonymous organizations is being sent to Republicans who may help decide their party's nominee for attorney general. Some delegates haven’t enjoyed the appeals.
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posted on 03/30/2022
MCFN found at least two dozen instances where donors reported giving to Chatfield-connected accounts, totaling more than $100,000 in contributions, and the donations were never reported. Michigan's Department of State didn't ask after them.
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posted on 02/21/2022
The former House Speaker and associates raised millions in campaign cash and dark money. Now, spending on food, travel and a connected company is under scrutiny as he faces assault claims.
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posted on 01/25/2022
Spending reached $150 million in ads on broadcast, $23 million spent on Facebook and $15 million spent on political mail. At minimum.
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posted on 09/16/2021
The cost of Michigan's state legislative elections have been increasing for years. But even this increase is unprecedented. Thank party spending and the outside money that inundated the state's few competitive districts.
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posted on 08/31/2021
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer raised more than $8 million in the first half of 2021. A big chunk of it came from wealthy donors who otherwise would've violated campaign finance limits.
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posted on 08/02/2021
While no races were as expensive as the most competitive in 2018, costs were were up.
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posted on 06/21/2021
After weeks of speculation, the Governor's office disclosed that a nonprofit used to fund her inauguration had mostly paid for a private flight to Florida in March. Her staff characterized the nonprofit as an administrative account, and despite pledging transparency, the picture offered of the nonprofit's finances is far from complete.
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posted on 05/14/2021
Michigan has no requirements for financial disclosures for anyone in the legislature or executive branch, and is one of just two states without any requirements for the legislature. Without them, it becomes much more difficult to determine if government officials have made self-serving decisions.
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posted on 05/04/2021
Amid pressure, special interests largely withheld contributions to the five U.S. Representatives from Michigan who took action to delay or block the certification of the November election.
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posted on 04/23/2021
More than $200 million was spent in the race between John James and Gary Peters, easily making in the most expensive single election in Michigan's history.
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posted on 03/03/2021
