Governor Gretchen Whitmer Pledges to ‘Fight like Hell’ for Abortions in Michigan

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer pledged to “fight like hell” to maintain access to abortions for women in Michigan, according to a release from her office.

The statement follows a decision from the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, which established a constitutional right for abortions.

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Michigan Senator Jim Runestad Questions Whitmer’s Donation to Democrat Causes with Excess Campaign Funds

Michigan Senator Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) questioned Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s gift to the Michigan Democratic Party.

The money was funded by excessive campaign donations from individuals collected by Whitmer through a campaign finance loophole, which allowed the governor to cite the threat of a recall to raise unlimited funds.

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New Ad Blasts Michigan Democratic Party over Controversial Social Media Post

A new ad campaign from the Michigan Freedom Fund blasts the Michigan Democratic Party over a now-deleted, controversial social media post.

Earlier this year, the political party published a Facebook post that contended parents should not have an input on what their children are taught in school.

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Michigan Lawmakers Demand Answers on Nursing Home Deaths Report

Multiple Michigan lawmakers are demanding answers to a report from the Michigan Office of the Auditor General that detailed thousands of additional COVID-related deaths in long-term care facilities across the state.

The analysis discovered more than 2,000 additional deaths than reported by Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Department of Health and Human Services.

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Republican Governors Association Blasts Whitmer over Nursing Home Deaths

The Republican Governors Association on Monday blasted Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, after a new analysis detailed thousands of additional deaths in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

The Michigan Auditor General explained in a report that roughly 2,400 more individuals died from the virus than previously reported by state agencies.

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New Report Shows Michigan Unemployment Agency Paid Out Billions to Fraudulent Claims

Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance agency paid out more than $8 billion in fraudulent claims from March 2020 to September 2021, according to a new report from Deloitte.

According to the consulting agency, an estimated 10.16 percent of the funds were paid out to individuals “involving likely imposter fraud.” Furthermore, an additional 20.21 percent to people “involving likely intentional misrepresentation fraud.”

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Governor Whitmer Signs Bill to Address Michigan Substitute Teacher Shortage

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Monday signed legislation that aims to limit the state’s substitute teacher shortage.

House Bill 4294, sponsored by State Representative Brad Paquette (R-Niles), will allow certain school staff members, like secretaries, to fill open substitute teacher positions through the end of the current school year.

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Michigan Secretary of State Rules Whitmer Did Not Violate Law with Excessive Campaign Contributions

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Tuesday resolved a campaign finance complaint against Governor Gretchen Whitmer, ruling the governor did not violate campaign finance laws.

The original complaint, filed by the Michigan Freedom Fund, alleged that Whitmer used threat of a recall to collect campaign donations beyond the established individual limits. However, no recall attempt materialized into a credible challenge, making the donations illegal.

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Michigan Governor Whitmer Calls for Special Elections to Fill Legislative Vacancies

Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday sent a letter to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, requesting special elections to fill multiple legislative vacancies.

According to Whitmer, the elections are needed to ensure that all residents of the states are equally represented in government.

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Michigan Lawmaker Introduces Bill to Close Campaign Finance Loophole Used by Whitmer to Raise Millions

Michigan State Senator Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) on Thursday introduced a bill to close a campaign finance loophole that has allowed Governor Gretchen Whitmer to rake in millions of dollars through questionable donations.

Whitmer, pointing to a ruling from 1983, claims she had the right to haul in donations over the $7,150 individual limit due to a threat of a recall campaign.

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer Withdraws Federal Lawsuit Against Line 5, Seeks to Shut Down Pipeline Through State Court

Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday withdrew a federal lawsuit against Enbridge, a Canadian company that owns the Line 5 pipeline.

Instead, the Democratic governor detailed that the state is “shifting its legal strategy,” to use a state lawsuit filed by Attorney General Dana Nessel to shut down the pipeline.

Whitmer called for Line 5 to be terminated “as soon as possible.”

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Michigan Legislative Committees to Investigate Unemployment Agency Following Auditor General’s Report

Michigan State Senator Ed McBroom (R-Waucedah Township) on Friday pledged to utilize the state legislature’s Oversight committees to investigate the mistakes of the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA).

McBroom, who serves as the chair of the Senate Oversight Committee, promised a joint hearing with his counterparts in the Michigan House.

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Senate, House Pass Michigan Opportunity Scholarship Bills

In what was characterized as a blow against the state constitution’s Blaine amendments, members of the House and Senate on Tuesday passed a slate of bills aimed at providing opportunity scholarships for Michigan students.

Senate Bills 687 and 688 and House Bills 5404 and 5405 all passed mainly along party lines, with Republicans supporting the legislation and Democrats in opposition. Each chamber’s respective education committees moved the bills forward earlier in the day.

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Commentary: Canceling Columbus at American Universities

For years, Campus Reform has covered the trend of colleges across the country replacing Columbus Day with “Indigenous People’s Day.” Fueled by concerns of honoring “colonialism” and “genocide,” universities are opting for scrapping remembrance of the explorer all together.

University of Michigan History and American Culture Professor Gregory Dowd is one of many academics who assert that the country as a whole needs to end Columbus Day recognition completely in favor of Indigenous People’s Day. His view was promoted by the university ahead of the holiday this year.

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Michigan Governor Whitmer Signs First-Time DUI Expungement Bill into Law

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed two bills into law allowing for the expungement of some first-time drunk driving convictions, which could give 200,000 Michiganders a second chance at an otherwise black mark on their records.

Lawmakers gave bipartisan support with a 92-16 vote for House Bills 4219 and 4220, which aim to allow the expungement of first-time operating while intoxicated (OWI) and driving under the influence (DUI) convictions in which no one was injured.

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Whitmer Calls on Michigan Utilities to Boost Payments to Customers Suffering Power Outages

In letter a letter collectively addressed to the state’s electricity providers, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer called for increased credits for residents who have endured power outages this summer.

“More than 750,000 Michiganders lost power over the last few weeks, with some outages lasting up to a week on some of the hottest days of the year,” the governor said in a statement. “Outages like these lead to fridges full of spoiled food, interfere with life-saving medical equipment, disrupt the workday, and exacerbate the dangers of unmitigated hot weather. We need tangible, immediate action from Michigan’s three largest utility companies to ensure the production and delivery of affordable, reliable energy to every family, community, and small business.”

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Michigan Republican House Rep Calls for Transparency in Former MDHHS Separation Deal

A Republican member of the state House of Representatives is calling for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to reveal to the public the agreement it had with former director Robert Gordon, who abruptly resigned on February 22. 

“I am calling on the Department today to release to the public the separation agreement between Governor [Gretchen] Whitmer’s administration and former MDHHS Director Robert Gordon as well as any other similar agreements made with other public officials,” state Rep. Steve Johnson (R-MI-72) said in Tuesday letter to MDHHS. 

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Unelected Group Bans Open Carrying of Guns from Michigan Capitol

Just days after unarmed, mostly peaceful protestors entered the U.S. Capitol in Washington, a group of unelected officials has banned open carrying of guns from Michigan’s Capitol building.

“The Michigan Capitol Commission voted unanimously Monday to ban these firearms from the Lansing building,” ABC said. “Concealed weapons with permits will be still allowed.”

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Viral Video Alleged Gov. Whitmer Sent Health Officials to Bar Poll Challengers in Detroit

In viral video posted Wednesday afternoon, a woman alleged that Governor Gretchen Whitmer had ordered health officials to block poll watchers and challengers from entering a Detroit ballot counting facility.

The woman, Connie Johnson, shot the video using Facebook Live. She showed herself standing on the second floor of the TCF Center in Detroit. The following is her account of the ballot counting on Wednesday afternoon in Detroit.

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Mask Mandate Goes Into Effect Monday, Residents Notified Through Emergency Alert

As of Monday, Michigan residents are required to wear a face covering while they are in an indoor public space or while in a crowded outdoor space, per an executive order signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday.

“The heroes on the front lines of this crisis have gone hours without taking their masks off every day – doctors, nurses, child care workers, grocery store workers. We owe it to them to wear our masks when we’re on a trip to the grocery store or pharmacy,” Whitmer said in a statement announcing the mandate. “Masks can reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19 by about 70 percent.

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Commentary: The Tyrannical Soul of Michigan’s Gretchen Whitmer

When Abraham Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation he was criticized by abolitionists for not issuing a more sweeping order. He refused to do so, asking “If I take the step, must I not do so . . . without any argument, except the one that I think the measure politically expedient, and morally right? Would I not thus give up all footing upon constitution or law? Would I not thus be in the boundless field of absolutism? Could this pass unnoticed, or unresisted?”

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Gov. Whitmer ‘Looking Into’ Removing Wayne State Board Members Who Voted to Oust President

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is reportedly “looking into” removing members of the Wayne State University Board of Governors who voted to oust the school’s president because of his handling of a new free tuition pledge.

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Michigan GOP Accuses Whitmer of Holding the Vulnerable ‘Hostage’ After Budget Talks Fall Apart

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Republican lawmakers were nearing a deal last week to restore more than $900 million in funding previously vetoed by the governor before negotiations broke down.

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