State officials — including Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel — say they’re looking into whether people who tried to flip the results of the 2020 presidential election in Michigan broke any laws. “Yes. I do think laws were broken here and I do think there needs to be some sort..
Reactions to Michigan’s new district lines are all over the map
Michigan’s redistricting commission has approved new legislative and congressional district maps. But that’s just the beginning of a new chapter of court battles and political maneuvering. As part of the weekly series MichMash, Slate’s Cheyna Roth and WDET’s Jake Neher talk about what happens next. Subscribe to MichMash on iTunes, Spotify, Google Podcasts, NPR One or wherever you get your podcasts. It..
Rep. Dan Kildee Shares His Story of the Capitol Insurrection: ‘It Was Really Scary’
Even before the insurrection at the Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021 was set to be different. Rep. Dan Kildee entered the day set to defend Michigan’s Electoral College votes from a Republican challenge. The GOP goal was to deny Joe Biden the required votes needed for the presidency and keep Donald Trump in the nation’s highest office. Kildee,..
Attempts to Upend American Democracy Not Going Away Anytime Soon, Political Columnist Says
About one year ago, an armed mob broke into the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results. The mob was eventually subdued, and many Capitol stormers are being tried in court, but the events that day marked the first time a group of people attempted to disrupt the peaceful transfer of presidential..
Rep. Brenda Lawrence’s Retirement Announcement Shakes Up Michigan Congressional Races
Rep. Brenda Lawrence, Michigan’s only Black member of Congress, will not seek re-election, and her retirement announcement has shaken up the races for the 12th and 13th Congressional Districts. In a video statement posted Tuesday night, Lawrence says she knows her retirement from Congress will leave a void in African American representation in the state. “It is not lost on me that I'm currently the only Black member of..
A Defense of — and Rebuttal to — Michigan’s New Political Maps
This year, electoral politics will be critical in Michigan and across the country. Notably, however, this election will be distinct from those of the past. That’s largely because the state has new political maps that were drawn not by politicians in Lansing, but by an independent redistricting commission made up of citizens. “It really was an exercise..
What You Need to Know About Michigan’s New Political Maps
Up until now partisan politicians have been able to draw maps behind closed doors in ways that have disproportionately advantaged whichever party happened to control the state legislature. This time, the process has – by and large – played out in real time in the open. “This is what many have called an ‘experiment in democracy.’”..
Why a New Lawsuit is Seeking to Undo Michigan’s New Political Maps
Not everyone is happy with Michigan’s new legislative and congressional maps. There’s plenty of criticism coming from all sides of the political spectrum. On Monday, a group of current and former lawmakers and political activists announced their intention to file the first major lawsuit challenging the maps themselves. “We have rights in this country just like everybody..
A Look Back at 2021 In Michigan Government and Politics
From federal COVID-19 relief funds to the newly formed Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, the Michigan Legislature has faced a lot of changes in 2021. Reporter Zach Gorchow looks back at the year’s political landscape in Michigan, and what to expect from 2022. “There has been some warming of this cold war that’s been going..
Protecting Our Democracy Act Represents ‘Lessons Learned’ From Trump Era, Levin Says
Last week, the U.S. House passed the Protecting Our Democracy Act, largely along party lines. Just one Republican, Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Illinois) joined Democrats to support the legislation. Two Michigan Republicans, Rep. Fred Upton and Rep. Peter Meijer, who voted to impeach President Trump after the Jan. 6 insurrection, voted against this bill. "One of our two..