LANSING – Michigan’s top 150 political action committees (PACs) have raised $12,651,003 since January 1, 2011, according to reports filed with the Michigan Department of State and compiled by the nonpartisan Michigan Campaign Finance Network. That figure is up by 4.9 percent compared to the s... read more

posted on 10/27/2011

Michigan easily had the nation’s costliest judicial elections in 2009-2010, fueled by a nasty TV ad blitzkrieg funded by special-interests group, a new report by three nonpartisan legal reform groups discloses. Campaign spending for Michigan Supreme Court seats was estimated at as high as $11.1... read more

posted on 10/27/2011

LANSING – Independent spenders overshadowed candidates’ committees in financing Michigan’s most prominent 2010 election campaigns. Details are contained in the 2010 Citizen’s Guide to Michigan Campaign Finance, released today by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. In campaigns for stat... read more

posted on 09/28/2011

LANSING – The Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC) has spent $4.7 million so far this year for a grassroots-lobbying television advertising campaign opposing the proposed New International Trade Crossing. That figure is gross sales. Data on the ad campaign were collected by the Michigan ... read more

posted on 09/19/2011

LANSING -- It appears that the recession has ended, at least for Lansing lobbyists. They reported spending $19,664,879 in the first seven months of 2011. That figure is up by 11.6 percent compared to the first seven months of 2010, and it exceeds the spending pace of 2008, the record year for lobbyi... read more

posted on 09/14/2011

LANSING – Michigan’s top 150 political action committees (PACs) have raised $8,587,412 since January 1, 2011, according to reports filed with the Michigan Department of State and compiled by the nonpartisan Michigan Campaign Finance Network. That figure is down by 3.2 percent compared to this... read more

posted on 07/26/2011

LANSING – Nearly $23 million in unreported television advertising in 2010 statewide election campaigns pushed the state total of undisclosed candidate-focused “issue” advertising to almost $70 million since 2000. Those data were compiled by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network in a new rep... read more

posted on 06/13/2011

LANSING -- The 2010 election cycle was widely noted for spending by interest groups acting independently of candidate committees. The Center for Responsive Politics reports that committees other than candidate committees spent $483 million in federal campaigns, with non-party groups accounting for m... read more

posted on 03/15/2011

LANSING -- Reported Lansing lobbying expenditures totaled $31,811,476 in 2010, according to figures compiled by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network from reports filed with the Michigan Department of State. That amount is down by $38,440, or one-tenth of a percent, compared to 2009 figures. Afte... read more

posted on 02/24/2011

LANSING – Michigan’s top 150 political action committees (PACs) raised $48,353,506 in the 2010 election cycle, according to data compiled by the nonpartisan Michigan Campaign Finance from reports filed with the Michigan Department of State. That figure is up by 16.8 percent compared to the $4... read more

posted on 02/03/2011

This commentary first appeared in The Center for Michigan eNewsletter By Rich Robinson In one of her last interviews as Michigan’s chief executive, Gov. Jennifer Granholm told Michigan Public Radio’s Rick Pluta that the public is largely unaware of interests influencing laws and public pol... read more

posted on 01/20/2011