Tag: Michigan

Political Analyst Who Accurately Predicted House Races Thinks Trump Will Lose Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania

Anthony Gockowski

The Judy Ford Wason Center for Public Policy, a research institute at Christopher Newport University, accurately predicted that Democrats would pick up more than 40 seats in the U.S. House in the 2018 midterm elections. Now they believe President Donald Trump will lose key battleground states like Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania in 2020.

Read the full story

Amash Challenger Jim Lower Raises Over $200K for Congressional Race in 40 Days

Jason M. Reynolds

  Michigan State Rep. Jim Lower (R-Greenville) announced Wednesday that he is filing a Federal Elections Commission report that shows he raised $200,506 from 3,161 contributors in just 40 days for his U.S. House race. Two highlights are that Ron Weiser, a former Michigan Republican Party Chair, former Republican National Committee Finance Chair and former United States Ambassador to Slovakia, and his wife Eileen, a former member of the State of Michigan Board of Education, both contributed $2,800 each, Lower said in a statement. That is the maximum contribution for the Primary Election. Lower tweeted: “Thanks to 3,161 individual contributors, our campaign raised just over $200,000 in the first 40 days! Hardworking grassroots voters support our Pro-@realDonaldTrump, Pro-Life, Pro-Jobs, Pro-2A, Pro-Family Values campaign!” Thanks to 3,161 individual contributors, our campaign raised just over $200,000 in the first 40 days! Hardworking grassroots voters support our Pro-@realDonaldTrump, Pro-Life, Pro-Jobs, Pro-2A, Pro-Family Values campaign! @GOPChairwoman @MIGOPChair @IngrahamAngle @FoxNews — Jim Lower (@RepJimLower) July 9, 2019 In terms of organizations, the United States Chamber of Commerce contributed $5,000 even before its formal endorsement process that will occur later in the campaign. The average contribution was $63.43. “Our campaign had an aggressive goal of raising $200,000…

Read the full story

Michigan Breweries Sue Liquor Commission Over ‘Vague’ Laws

Admin

by Scott McClallen   When Michigan government officials raided Greenbush Brewing Co. on June 19, seized wine and cider, and shut down their sales, owner Scott Sullivan was more than 750 miles away. “Someone called me later, and said the liquor commission raided us, then asked to look around,” Sullivan said. “No one knew enough to tell them ‘No way’. People thought, ‘Oh, the liquor commission is here, we have to let them in the back’.” Greenbush Brewing has since filed a lawsuit against the Michigan Liquor Control Commission. The seizure caused about $7,200 in lost revenue from products Greenbush can’t touch until the lawsuit concludes, according to court documents. The Fourth of July is the brewery’s busiest week of the year. Sullivan said he thinks a potential violation that resulted in the raid stemmed from an issue with the bond and transfer process for wine, but the MLCC hasn’t officially ticketed him 22 days after raiding his store. Sullivan said Greenbush had a small winemaker and microbrewery license before the raid. State law changed last year to ease the bond and transfer process, but the MLCC has shut down other breweries over the bond and transfer process since last fall.…

Read the full story

Michigan’s New Marijuana Laws: What Consumers, Business Owners Should Know

Admin

by Scott McClallen   The agency that regulates the marijuana market in Michigan has clarified rules to sell product legally to adult residents, making it easier for small businesses to enter the market. Michigan’s Marijuana Regulatory Agency said it plans to accept business applications through Nov. 1 and are required to begin approving businesses by Dec. 6. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer established the MRA to regulate medical and recreational marijuana in the state and to implement a fair and effective market for Michigan residents. The MRA set no capital minimums for the adult-use market after several citizens complained that small businesses don’t have enough startup capital to compete with corporate companies. Medical marijuana licensees previously had to prove they had $200,000 to $500,0000 in assets, with one-fourth liquidity. The new laws give new license types for temporary events, micro-businesses, and social-use facilities. “The race to be the first to get applications submitted and approved has now officially begun,” said Josh Hovey, spokesman for the Michigan Cannabis Industry Association. “Every business in the state that is looking at this industry … they’re putting on their running shoes.” There’s no legal way for the general public to purchase cannabis without a medical marijuana…

Read the full story

Fate of Struggling Michigan School District Unclear after State Solvency Plan Rejected

Admin

by Scott McClallen   The fate of Benton Harbor High School remains unclear after school district officials last week rejected a state plan to improve poor academic performance and pay down the district’s high debt. The state initially said it had agreed with the school district on a plan to improve the academic performance and reduce its $18 million debt. But school board members, at a meeting last week, said no agreement had ever been reached and voted unanimously to reject it. At the meeting, residents said they were upset by the state’s proposal because it included the possibility of shutting down the high school. “This community will not and does not support any tentative plan with a shutdown on the table,” Mayor Marcus Muhammad said during the meeting, according to the Detroit News. The state’s proposal included: Reducing “non-instructional expenditures.” Increasing the number of certified teachers and reducing the number of long-term substitute teachers. Increasing student growth and proficiency on state and national standardized tests. Decreasing the number of “chronically absent” students. Requiring school board members to participate in leadership training. Raising teacher pay. Hiring a qualified superintendent and chief financial officer. Benton Harbor Area Schools educate about 3,000 students from…

Read the full story

Rep Justin Amash, Who Recently Left GOP, Says He’s Not Ruling Out a Presidential Bid

Admin

by Chuck Ross   Michigan Rep. Justin Amash, who announced July 4 that he is leaving the Republican party, said Sunday that he is not ruling out a run for president. “I still wouldn’t rule anything like that out,” Amash told CNN’s Jake Tapper when asked if he is considering a presidential bid. Amash did not give a timeline for when he will decide whether to run, saying that “it’s not something that’s right on my radar right now.” Amash, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, announced in a July 4 op-ed in The Washington Post that he was “declaring my independence” from the GOP. “I’m asking you to join me in rejecting the partisan loyalties and rhetoric that divide and dehumanize us. I’m asking you to believe that we can do better than this two-party system — and to work toward it. If we continue to take America for granted, we will lose it,” he wrote.  On May 18, Amash became the first Republican in Congress to call for Trump to be impeached in the wake of the special counsel’s investigation. Amash said that Trump engaged in “impeachable conduct,” and that Attorney General William Barr had “deliberately” misrepresented special counsel…

Read the full story