Juror Dismissed in Gov. Whitmer Kidnapping Trial for Alleged Flirting with a Defendant

A female juror was dismissed during the trial of three defendants charged in an alleged plot to kidnap the Democratic governor of Michigan, Gretchen Whitmer. The juror was allegedly flirting with one of the defendants, Fox News reports.

Jackson County Judge Thomas Wilson made an announcement on Friday that the female juror was removed from the jury because attorneys raised concerns over too much “nonverbal communication” with defendant Paul Bellar, according to the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

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Whitmer Administration to Hire ‘Sexual Orientation’ and ‘Expression’ Consultant for Foster Kids

The administration of Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed a contract for a child foster care consultant on gender identity and sexual orientation, according to documents made public by the Washington Free Beacon.

The Children’s Services Agency, which “oversees all child welfare services for children,” is seeking a “Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Consultant” as of Sept. 12, according to documents made public by the Washington Free Beacon. The consultant would be a part of the “Diversity Equity and Inclusion Unit” and would focus on determining the “needs and concerns of LGBTQ staff, families and children.”

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Gubernatorial Hopeful Tudor Dixon Pledges to Protect Line 5 from Whitmer’s ‘Attacks’

Although there are many telling differences between Michigan’s 2022 gubernatorial candidates, energy policy may be the most significant from an economic perspective for families.

Democrat incumbent Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has led the charge to close the Line 5 dual pipeline that has spanned the Straits of Mackinac since 1953, whereas Republican challenger Tudor Dixon has pledged to keep the hydrocarbons flowing through the five-mile stretch of pipeline positioned on the lakebed of Lake Michigan.

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Feds Reimburse Michigan $50 Million for Emergency Road and Bridge Repairs

The Federal Highway Administration has awarded Michigan $50 million to reimburse emergency road and bridge repairs after heavy rain and dam failures in 2020 caused widespread flooding in mid-Michigan.

The deluge caused more than 10,000 people to evacuate from 3,500 homes, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency. Whitmer welcomed the reimbursement.

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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Lauds Taxpayer-Backed Expansion of National Sewn Trades Nonprofit

A national nonprofit organization will be expanding operations at its Detroit location in order to meet the needs of one of its clients.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was joined by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to announce that sewn trades-based Industrial Sewing and Innovation Center (ISAIC) will be expanding its facility, a press release from the governor’s office said this week.

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FBI Detroit Chief During Bungled Whitmer ‘Plot’ Sting Now Runs D.C. Office That Raided Mar-a-Lago

Whitmer FBI Building

The Washington, D.C., FBI field office that raided former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and is investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol breach is led by Steven D’Antuono, who ran the bureau’s Detroit field office when, trial testimony alleges, it instigated, encouraged and facilitated what the government charges was a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The retrial of two men charged in the alleged plot, Adam Fox and Barry Croft, Jr., finished its first full week on Thursday, as the prosecution rested its case.

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Michigan’s Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Accepted over $1 Million from Billionaires, Celebrity Donors While Attacking Her GOP Opponent’s ‘Special Interests’ Ties

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s campaign has raked in donations from billionaires and Hollywood celebrities despite fundraising off her Trump-endorsed opponent’s ties to “special interests,” according to state records reviewed by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

The Michigan Democrat’s campaign has received over $1 million from billionaires and almost $48,000 from Hollywood celebrities since 2021, state campaign finance disclosures show. At the same time, the governor’s reelection campaign has criticized Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon for her ties to “special interests” and former Education Secretary and billionaire Betsy DeVos.

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer Signs $54 Billion Operating Budget

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a $54 billion operating budget that, combined with the 2023 education budget, reaches a record annual spending of $77 billion.

“Today, I am thrilled to sign my fourth balanced, bipartisan state budget that delivers on the kitchen-table issues that matter most to working families, was done on time, and does not raise taxes by a dime,” Whitmer said in a statement. “The budget will protect public health and public safety, expand mental health resources, grow Michigan’s economy and workforce, empower working families and communities, and pays down billions in debt.”

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Gov. Whitmer Signs Executive Order to Create Michigan Parents’ Council

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an executive order Friday to establish the Michigan Parents’ Council.

The council’s responsibility is to meet with parents throughout the state, gather their input on a number of themes, topics, strategies and ideas; then act in an advisory role to the state superintendent and governor when relaying information from those discussions.

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Group Submits 753,759 Signatures for Abortions Rights Ballot Initiative

A group says it has collected more than enough signatures to place a question on the Nov. 8 ballot of whether abortion rights will be enshrined into state law.

The group, Reproductive Freedom for all, says it submitted a record 753,759 signatures, an amount that exceeds the minimum required amount of 425,059 valid signatures. The group tweeted Monday morning: “This victory is YOUR victory. Countless petitions, countless volunteer hours, countless miles driven to get every last signature, and *we finally did it.* Now, we are even closer to codifying reproductive rights here in MI once and for all!”

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Confusion Clouds Michigan Abortion Legality as County Prosecutors Clash

Whether a Michigander woman can get an abortion without being criminally charged under a 1931 law might depend on the county prosecutor.

Confusion now abounds, which is why Gov. Gretchen Whitmer again urged the Michigan Supreme Court to hear her lawsuit to strike the 1931 law triggered by the United States Supreme Court overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

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Governor Whitmer’s Lost Case Sends $200,000 in Attorneys Fees to Policy Center’s Litigation Effort

Michigan’s governor, attorney general, and Department of Health and Human Services are on the hook for $200,000 in attorneys fees incurred from a lawsuit resolved by the state’s Supreme Court.

The Mackinac Center for Public Policy will collect the $200,000 after the state Supreme Court ruled against the government principals on Oct. 2, 2020, declaring Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s exercise of emergency powers under a 1945 law unconstitutional. The court’s ruling nullified every COVID-19 executive order issued by the governor after April 30, 2020.

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Whitmer Signs Bill to Require High Schoolers Take Personal Finance Class

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bipartisan bill requiring Michigan high schoolers to take a financial literacy class before graduating.

“As a mom, I want every kid who graduates in Michigan to enter the world with a diverse set of skills and knowledge, and that must include financial literacy,” Whitmer said in a statement. “I am proud to sign this bipartisan bill requiring all public school students to take a personal finance course. Every young Michigander deserves to know how to budget, save, and invest their money wisely so they can get off a great start after high school, whether they go to college, start working, or open a small business.”

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer OKs 17-Year-Olds Serving Alcohol, Swim-Up Bars

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed nine bills, including specific pieces of legislation that allow 17-year-olds serve alcohol under certain conditions, increase carnival safety requirements, and legalize swim-up bars.

“While these bills continue our record of bipartisan collaboration, Michiganders are counting on us to continue growing Michigan’s economy, creating good-paying jobs, and lowering cost for working families who are facing rising prices at the grocery store and the gas pump,” Whitmer said in a statement.

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Michigan Paying Two Private Companies $298,000 for Business Expansion

The state of Michigan will spend nearly $300,000 subsidizing two private companies in Cadillac and Fenton, claiming the subsidies will create a $7.3 million investment and create 68 jobs.

“Today’s investments by American Recreational Products and Rexair will create a combined 68 good-paying jobs for Michiganders as we continue growing Michigan’s economy and investing in every region of the state,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. 

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Whitmer Vetoes Bipartisan Michigan Tax-Cut Bills

Michigan’s personal income tax will remain 4.25% for the foreseeable future after Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday vetoed a bipartisan bill that would have lowered it to 4.0%.

House Bill 4568 and Senate Bill 784 were vetoed or, in the case of SB784, vetoed in effect on Friday. The bills were tie-barred, which means neither bill could pass without acceptance of the other bill under consideration.

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Whitmer Issues Abortion-Related Directive to Michigan Agencies, Departments

An executive directive issued by Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer aims to eliminate any state department and agency barriers to contraception and abortion.  

The directive instructs all “State of Michigan departments and agencies to review aspects of reproductive health care that fall within their jurisdiction and identify and assess potential opportunities to increase protections for reproductive health care, such as contraception, long-acting reversible contraception, and emergency contraception,” according to a release issued Wednesday morning by the governor’s office. 

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15 Michigan Communities Get $7.3 Million for Water Grants

Fifteen Michigan communities will receive $7.3 million in clean water grants.

“Every Michigander in every community deserves access to safe drinking water,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “Today’s grants will help 15 communities upgrade their water infrastructure, replace lead service lines, and tackle PFAS and other toxic contaminants. Since I took office, Michigan has invested more in our water infrastructure than the previous eight years. Thanks to bipartisan investments in water infrastructure through the MI Clean Water Plan, we have created jobs, protected public health, and lowered costs for Michigan families.”

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Whitmer Touts Job Numbers While Analyst Criticizes Corporate Welfare

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and one economic analyst agree that Michigan needs more workers but disagree on the proper strategies necessary to acquire them.

John Mozena, president of the Center for Economic Accountability, a nonprofit organization for transparent economic development policy, questioned Whitmer’s “doubling down” on big business subsidies while many businesses need workers. There are about 10 million Michiganders but, as of January 2021, only 4.7 million are in the workforce.

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Striking Similarities Between Two Michigan FBI Undercover Plots

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s two covert plans to convict Michigan militia accused of plotting to overthrow the government have failed so far but share striking similarities.

In 2010, officers arrested nine Hutaree militia members for allegedly planning to kill a police officer and then bomb the funeral. But just two men pleaded guilty to weapons charges, and a judge acquitted the remaining seven defendants in 2012.

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Study: Recycling and Storing EV Batteries Will Be a ‘Huge Issue’

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants to spend $60 million on electric vehicles (EV), including electrifying the state’s fleet. However, the production of EVs is beset by a supply chain riddled with shortages in addition to environmental concerns.

Whitmer’s proposed 2023 budget aims to spend $50 million to subsidize new EV sales or a $500 rebate for at-home charging equipment for new or used EVs. Another $10 million would start converting Michigan’s roughly 13,637-vehicle fleet to EV.

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Commentary: The Other Phony Kidnapping Plot

In the spring of 2020, President Donald Trump posted three tweets in a row aimed at Democratic governors continuing to impose draconian lockdowns amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “LIBERATE MINNESOTA!” Trump tweeted on the morning of April 17, 2020. A few moments later, he tweeted “LIBERATE MICHIGAN!” and “LIBERATE VIRGINIA!”

His tweets coincided with anti-lockdown rallies in several states, including a blockade around the Michigan Capitol building in Lansing a few days prior. As usual, the media expressed shock and horror at the innocuous tweets, insisting the president was encouraging violence against his political rivals. 

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer Kidnapping Defense Attorney: ‘FBI Set Men up’

Eight men face state charges for an alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. If convicted, the men could serve up to life in prison.

On April 8, a federal jury acquitted two other men on similar charges related to the alleged kidnapping plot. The jury also deadlocked on two accused ringleaders of the plot. The Federal Bureau of Investigation paid informants more than $80,000 of taxpayer money for confidential information.

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Whitmer Signs Bill Giving Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency $140M to Overhaul Agency

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill appropriating nearly $140 million to revamp Michigan’s embattled Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA.)

“This fiscally-responsible, bipartisan bill will lower costs for small businesses and fight waste, fraud, and abuse in our unemployment system,” Whitmer said in a statement. “This is the latest step we are taking to fight fraud, hold people accountable, and strengthen the Unemployment Insurance Agency after decades of disinvestment. By making a deposit into the Unemployment Compensation Fund, we can help small businesses balance their books by lowering the costs of unemployment.”

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Whitmer Signs Six Bills Changing Insurance, Snowmobile Rules

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed six bills into law ranging from boosting insurance transparency to letting shoe repair stores donate shoes left unclaimed for six months or more.

“Today, I will be signing six bipartisan bills, adding on to the over 800 bipartisan bills I have signed since taking office,” Whitmer said in a statement. “Today’s bills will make insurance benefit preauthorization more accessible, support winter recreation and shoe repair businesses, and amend the state bar admittance process. I am proud to sign these bills and will continue to work with anyone to get things done. Together, we can continue delivering on the kitchen-table issues that matter most to Michiganders, growing our economy, and creating good-paying jobs.” 

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer Asks State Supreme Court to Strike Abortion Ban

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer filed a lawsuit asking the Michigan Supreme Court to recognize a right to abortion under the Due Process Clause of the Michigan Constitution.

The request follows a U.S. Supreme Court May decision to hear Mississippi’s appeal of a 2019 decision, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. In that decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld a previous decision by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, overturning a state law prohibiting abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy.

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer Receives $14.3 Million, with Five Donors Giving $250,000

In Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is the number one fundraiser in state politics in the 2022 election cycle so far. According to the most recent campaign finance reports made to the Michigan Secretary of State, the governor received $14,281,061 in total contributions and spent $8,625,120 between Jan. 1, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2021. Whitmer is running for re-election in 2022.

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Closing Arguments Begin in Case Accusing Four of Plotting to Kidnap Michigan Democrat Gov. Whitmer

Gretchen Whitmer

Jurors in the case against four Michigan men accused of plotting to kidnap Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer are hearing closing arguments Friday, starting with a prosecutor urging them to convict and arguing the defendants were “filled with rage.”

The closing arguments are being delivered by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler in federal court in Grand Rapids, according to the Associated Press.

Defendants Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta are charged with conspiracy.

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer to Sign $4.8 Billion Spending Package

Gretchen Whitmer

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will sign a $4.8 billion spending plan into law to focus on water, broadband internet, and housing.

“The Building Michigan Together Plan makes bold, bipartisan investments in the kitchen-table issues that matter most to Michigan families, including clean water, smooth roads, fast internet, and beautiful parks,” Whitmer said in a statement. “I am so proud that the Michigan Legislature and I were able to come together to get this done. This bill will make a real difference in our communities, support tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, and set up Michigan’s economy for decades of success. It is a testament to what is possible when we put Michiganders first.”

However, she didn’t say when she would sign it. Her office hasn’t responded to multiple requests for comment. 

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Progressives Building ‘Nonpartisan’ Social Media Outlets, Send Out Ads for Democrats

A Monday report details the story of a seemingly nonpartisan social media network that is actually building an audience to push ads for Democrat candidates in the 2022 elections via a left-wing news outlet. 

“The network, operating under the name Real Voices Media, uses apolitical, nonideological content to build up audiences,” the report said. “It then leverages the crowd on behalf of clients in what experts say is a potent persuasion strategy.”

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer, Lawmakers Strike $4.8 Billion Spending Deal for Water, Broadband, Housing

Michigan lawmakers struck a $4.8 billion spending deal later than 10 p.m. on Wednesday with Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

“These are tough times for families, small businesses, and communities, and this bipartisan supplemental will help grow our economy, create jobs, and invest in every region of our state,” Whitmer said in a statement. “I look forward to signing this supplemental when it reaches my desk and continuing in this spirit of collaboration to pass another balanced, bipartisan budget that delivers on the kitchen-table issues.”

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Judge Expected to Render Opinion ‘Any Day’ on Moving Line 5 Case from Federal to Michigan Court

As gasoline prices soar and inflation seems poised to rise above 8%, Michiganders are squinting to detect any signs of economic hope on the horizon.

Among the variables drawing their attention is whether Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s administration is successful in closing the Line 5 pipeline across a five-mile stretch of the Straits of Mackinac. The Canadian energy company Enbridge is suing the governor to keep the pipeline open.

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Michigan Gov. Whitmer’s Campaign Enters Legal Battle over 35,000 Signatures

Gretchen Whitmer

 More than 35,000 signatures are on the line for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s reelection campaign as a result of a legal battle over the size of union logos printed on ballot petitions.

In February 2022, the Board of State Canvassers deadlocked on party lines and failed to approve a ballot initiative petition for the group Raise the Wage because Republicans said the typeface union logo printed was too small.

This appears to be a new disagreement, as court documents say the entity has previously approved documents with the small union logo. 

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