While lobbyists' overall spending on food for state officials is less than half of what it was last year, the expensive meals that require disclosure are only down slightly. read more

posted on 09/16/2020

Fundraising committees tied to nearly half of Michigan’s current state officeholders have had to pay financial penalties — called late filing fees — for failing to meet donor disclosure requirements, according to an analysis of campaign finance records. Current state officeholders’ campaigns and political action committees (PACs) have combined to pay penalties of at least $112,695 throughout the officeholders’ political careers. read more

posted on 07/09/2019

Ten state lawmakers raised more than $30,000 through their own political action committees over the first months of 2019, according to new campaign finance disclosures. Individual contributors gave as much as $40,000 to the leadership PACs, a growing form of fundraising in Michigan. read more

posted on 04/30/2019

While there are limits on what donors can give directly to state officeholders' campaigns, those same officeholders can accept unlimited amounts of money through leadership PACs. Some of the state's highest ranking officials are receiving big contributions through their PACs and using the money to fund like-minded candidates. We track which donors have been contributing the most to lawmakers' PACs. read more

posted on 08/14/2018

Leadership PACs are becoming a more powerful player in Michigan politics. It's a trend that gives donors the ability to make unlimited contributions to a wider array of elected officials and that gives lawmakers who can attract donors the ability to wield more influence. read more

posted on 03/16/2018

With individual donations reaching as high as $100,000, political action committees tied to 25 top Michigan officeholders raised $799,522 over the first months of 2017. Traditionally, interest groups use PACs to raise money and then to make contributions to candidates they prefer. But state officeholders, seeking to advance their own influence within Lansing, also use them. read more

posted on 05/11/2017