Senate Republicans threaten to sue if Whitmer tries to use federal funds tied to vetoed bills
Updated Mar 11, 2021;
Posted Mar 11, 2021
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey speaks during a press conference on Thursday, Jan. 28, 2020 in Lansing. Nicole Hester/Mlive.com
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Michigan Senate Republicans are gearing up to sue Gov. Gretchen Whitmer if her administration attempts to allocate federal funds tied to policy bills limiting the state health department’s authority without signing them.
During the Senate’s Thursday session, lawmakers voted 20-14 along partisan lines to give Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, R-Clarklake, the authority to take legal action if Whitmer tries to spend money tie-barred to the passage of House Bill 4049 and Senate Bill 1.
Michigan wolves require population control, hunt supporters argue
Updated Feb 24, 2021;
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LANSING, MI Michigan Senate Republicans have advanced a resolution that urges wildlife officials to hold a gray wolf hunting and trapping season in the Upper Peninsula this year following the loss of endangered species protections.
The non-binding resolution, S.R. 15, is sponsored by Sen. Ed McBroom, a lawmaker from the western U.P. who chaired a Wednesday, Feb. 24 hearing in which he criticized state officials for delaying the decision on another hunt until mid-2022.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says it’ll take until at least next June to update the state’s 2015 wolf management plan and hold a public opinion survey. The DNR wants to finish those before deciding on another hunt.
The Michigan State Legislature, under the leadership of Mike Shirkey and Lee Chatfield has furthered the ‘boys club’ misogyny that has been present for years, its leaders have actively supported the insurrectionist militias that have attacked the Michigan and U.S. Capitol buildings, and has been incredibly backward in its view of LGBTQ+ rights. It being February, and Black History Month, it is worth pointing out that the policies, words, and actions that the Michigan legislature has taken over the last several years have also disproportionately negatively affected people of color, as well.
This should not come as a surprise. Within the Senate Republican caucus, there is not a single person of color. Within the House Republican caucus, there is also not a single person of color. There are literally no BIPOC in either room of the majority caucuses in the Michigan Legislature.
DTE Energy says it did not donate to a fundraiser for Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, held one day after video revealed the highest ranking Republican in the state believes aspects of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol are a hoax and staged.
The fundraiser, held Wednesday at a venue near the state Capitol, was for the Clarklake Republican s PAC. A sign at the fundraiser listed DTE as one of several gold sponsors for the event. A Michigan Senate Republicans website indicates a business needs to donate $5,000 or more to be a gold sponsor.
But DTE spokesman Pete Ternes said the company stopped all political donations in January. Asked why the sign at Shirkey s event would include DTE, Ternes said, we also heard about the sign through Twitter.