Letter from the Editor: Lots of talk about ‘sunshine,’ but Michigan’s elected leaders hang back in the shadows Updated Mar 11, 2021; Facebook Share “Trust, but verify.” That’s the Russian proverb President Ronald Reagan cleverly co-opted during nuclear disarmament talks with the Soviets in the 1980s. When you’re being asked to trust someone you don’t really know to do the right thing on your behalf, well, you might want to have the ability to inspect the process. Unfortunately, citizens in Michigan don’t get that opportunity with the people they’ve elected to lead their state. Michigan government ranks dead last in the country for transparency to its people, according to the Center for Public Integrity.