MIDLAND, Mich. — As the Michigan Legislature considers a new wave of corporate welfare handouts during its lame-duck session, a new study from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy sheds light on two decades of broken promises tied to taxpayer-funded business subsidies. The study reveals that only 9% of the jobs announced in major state-sponsored deals from 2000 to 2020 were ever created.

Analyzing front-page headlines from the Detroit Free Press, the study found that while companies promised 123,060 jobs through subsidy agreements, only 10,889 materialized. Worse, half of the companies awarded deals created no jobs at all, and just 15% of companies met or exceeded their job projections.

“News headlines frequently tout the promise of new jobs, but rarely report when the programs fail to deliver on their promises,” said James Hohman, director of fiscal policy at the Mackinac Center and author of the study. “This creates a misunderstanding among the public that job announcements are the same thing as actual jobs created. Yet lawmakers continue to rubber-stamp these ineffective and costly deals.” Click here to read more.

 

LANSING, Mich - An eleventh hour move ahead of Thanksgiving — teeing off the Michigan Legislature’s upcoming lame duck session — shows Democrats on the warpath with vague legislation aimed at dragging the firearms industry into lawfare for others’ conduct under the banner of public nuisance laws.

“Nuisance is the great grab bag, the dust bin, of the law,” declared the Michigan Supreme Court in a 1959 decision, and now Michigan Democrats want to drag gun manufacturers and sellers into it.

A partisan-backed update to public nuisance laws, backed by 19 Democrats and set for review when the legislature returns December 3, could expose purveyors of guns to lawfare and legal scrutiny by the Michigan Attorney General.

An amendment to the Revised Judicature Act of 1961’s public nuisance laws could now implicate gun manufacturers and sellers in others’ conduct — a move of questionable precedent and constitutionality.

The update would attempt to hold the firearms industry and its personnel liable as “proximate causes” to public nuisances, that is, for the actions of others. Click here to read more.

 

NEW YORK, NY - More than 1,000 illegal migrants in New York City are likely gang members who are free to roam the streets, new federal data shows.

A total of 1,053 migrants in the Big Apple are “suspected or known gang members,” according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data obtained by the New York Post.

The city is still groaning under an influx of more than 223,000 illegal migrants over than past two years.

An eye-popping 759,218 people who crossed the border illegally were living in the city as of November 17, according to federal authorities.

Of those migrants, 58,626 have been convicted of crimes or had criminal charges pending, ICE data shows. Click here to read more.

 

WASHINGTON D.C. - A congressional subcommittee concluded its two-year investigation on the coronavirus pandemic on Monday, finding that COVID-19 likely originated from a lab in Wuhan, China, and that social distancing and masking were not backed with scientific data.

The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Pandemic released its final 520-page report that stated "COVID-19 most likely emerged from a laboratory in Wuhan, China."

In support of the "lab leak" theory, the report said the subcommittee learned that the virus had a biological characteristic that is not found in nature and that data showed all COVID-19 cases stemming from a single introduction to humans.

"By nearly all measures of science, if there was evidence of a natural origin it would have already surfaced," the report says.

The report also noted that China’s foremost SARS research lab is in Wuhan, "which has a history of conducting gain-of-function research at inadequate biosafety levels," and that researchers at the lab "were sick with a COVID-like virus in the fall of 2019, months before COVID-19 was discovered at the wet market."

Initial rumors swirled at the beginning of the pandemic that China’s wet markets, which are known for selling meat, fish, produce and exotic animals in unsanitary conditions, were the origin of the virus. Click here to read more.

 

CHICAGO, IL - Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson wanted a $300 million property tax hike for his big budget. All 50 aldermen said “no.” So then he asked for $150 million and a 35% tax on liquor. Johnson fails to admit it’s not about taxes, it’s about making changes.

All 50 Chicago aldermen told Mayor Brandon Johnson he couldn’t have his $300 million property tax hike, so he asked for $150 million in property taxes, $128 million in cloud computing taxes, $10 million in streaming service taxes and $10.6 million from a 35% hike in liquor taxes.

Maybe Johnson should recognize “no” to $300 million in new taxes means “no” to $300 million in new taxes. Instead of asking for it a different way, he needs to stabilize Chicago’s finances by backing pension reform, cutting non-essential spending from his $17.3 billion budget and auditing departments for cuts. He needs to safeguard public safety and stop the financial games that deny Chicago long-lasting fiscal stability. Click here to read more.

A federal lawsuit is reshaping the landscape for minority- and women-owned businesses involved in federally funded infrastructure projects. The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program, which has historically required contractors to allocate a portion of their work to these businesses, is now under fire for alleged racial discrimination. The legal challenge, filed by two industry plaintiffs in the Mid-America Milling case, questions the program's constitutionality, potentially altering how public works projects operate nationwide.

Background on the DBE Program

The DBE program, established to promote fairness in public contracting, mandates that federally funded infrastructure projects include minority- and women-owned businesses as subcontractors. The goal has been to create opportunities for disadvantaged groups that have historically faced barriers to entering the construction and transportation sectors. However, critics argue that the program enforces discriminatory practices by requiring contractors to meet participation quotas based on race and gender, potentially excluding qualified businesses that do not meet these criteria.

Click here to read the entire lawsuit

The program’s critics have pointed to concerns about fairness and equality, arguing that race- and gender-based preferences in public contracting violate constitutional principles. On the other hand, proponents assert that the program helps level the playing field and ensures that historically excluded groups have access to lucrative public contracts.

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The Legal Case and Court Injunction

The Mid-America Milling case is challenging the constitutionality of the DBE program. A preliminary injunction issued in the case has temporarily halted the enforcement of DBE participation goals on federally funded projects. In response to the injunction, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued guidance to its regional offices and state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) to comply with the court’s order.

The guidance has already had tangible effects in Michigan, where the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has begun removing DBE participation goals from its project requirements. Addendums for projects scheduled for bidding in December 2024 reflect the absence of DBE goals, signaling a major shift in how public infrastructure projects are structured in the state.

Implications for Minority- and Women-Owned Businesses

The removal of DBE participation goals is a significant blow to minority- and women-owned businesses that rely on the program to secure contracts. By eliminating these requirements, the preliminary injunction raises concerns that opportunities for these businesses may dwindle. Critics of the injunction argue that it undermines years of progress toward equity in public contracting.

However, supporters of the legal challenge contend that removing DBE requirements will create a more level playing field. They argue that contracts should be awarded solely on merit and qualifications, without regard to race or gender.

MDOT Adjustments and Industry Reactions

MDOT has acted swiftly to comply with the FHWA guidance, adjusting project requirements to reflect the absence of DBE goals. This change affects contractors across the state and could reshape the competitive landscape for infrastructure projects in Michigan. Contractors and subcontractors accustomed to navigating the DBE program must now adapt to the new environment.

While the plaintiffs in the lawsuit are proceeding cautiously, they expect the case to reach the U.S. Supreme Court. Some organizations are also exploring the possibility of adding additional plaintiffs to strengthen the challenge.

The Broader Impact

This legal challenge has far-reaching implications, not only for Michigan but also for other states implementing DBE programs. If the courts ultimately rule against the program, it could lead to the dismantling of similar initiatives nationwide. Such a decision would mark a major shift in federal policy on public contracting and could redefine how diversity and equity are addressed in government-funded projects.

As the case progresses, it raises fundamental questions about the balance between promoting diversity and adhering to constitutional principles of equality. While the future of the DBE program remains uncertain, the case has already sparked a nationwide conversation about fairness, inclusion, and the role of government in addressing historical inequities.

For now, state DOTs, contractors, and minority- and women-owned businesses are left navigating uncharted territory. The outcome of this case could have profound consequences for the construction and transportation industries, shaping the future of public works in the United States.

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LANSING, Mich - House Speaker-elect Rep. Matt Hall, R-Richland, pitched a $2.8 billion plan Friday to fix the roads and bridges.

The lawmaker wants to act on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 2018 campaign promise by shifting existing tax dollars and expiring corporate handouts to roads.

“Everyone says they want to fix the roads when the cameras are on, but nobody has taken any real steps to do it these past two years,” Hall said in a news release. “The people are sick and tired of inaction and empty words.”

Since 2023, Michigan lawmakers have approved $4.6 billion in corporate welfare to select companies, Michigan Capitol Confidential has reported.

Michigan’s 2025 budget is a record $83 billion but the roads here, especially county and local roads, are still falling apart.

Hall’s plan would allocate $1.2 billion of corporate income tax revenue to infrastructure, add $600 million in additional funding in 2026, and direct state gas revenue entirely to road funding.

The $600 million increase would come from three current earmarks: $500 million for the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund that pays for corporate incentives, $50 million for the Revitalization and Placemaking Fund, and $50 million for the Housing and Community Development Fund.

The SOAR and RAP earmarks are set to expire after the 2024-25 fiscal year.

Hall also wants to replace the 6% sales tax on motor fuel with a revenue-neutral increase in the motor fuel tax, which would exclusively fund infrastructure. This would yield about $945 million in additional resources, Hall said. Click here to read more.

 

The Supreme Court on December 4 will hear oral arguments in a case dealing with Tennessee’s law banning irreversible gender transition procedures for children — and it promises to be one of the most significant cases the court has looked at this term.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee (R.) signed the much-discussed Senate Bill 1 into law on March 22, 2023, which went into effect on July 1, 2023. The bill bans doctors or health care providers from performing so-called “gender-affirming” surgeries or hormonal procedures on minors, including surgery, puberty blockers, and hormones.

The bill followed a September 2022 investigation into Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) by the The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh, who exposed VUMC’s gender transition procedures for children and shocking attitudes towards gender transitions in general. Walsh and The Daily Wire found that the hospital regarded transgender procedures as a “big money maker” and pressured employees to ignore their “religious beliefs” on transgender issues or face “consequences.”

The Biden administration joined the ACLU and several teenage plaintiffs suing to stop the law, and a Tennessee district court initially blocked it in April 2023. But in September 2023, a sixth circuit court upheld Tennessee’s protections for children. The Supreme Court took up the case in June 2024, combining the Justice Department and ACLU cases into United States v. Skrmetti, marking the first time that the High Court took up a case of this kind. Click here to read more.

 

LANSING, Mich - Through September, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spent a quarter of her time in office on trips to other places, both national and international, prompting criticism she’s prioritizing her political ambitions over her constituents.

An analysis of bonus payments to Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II for serving as governor when Whitmer’s away suggests he could have been paid for 78 days, or 29% of the first nine months of 2024, though Whitmer spokesman Bobby Leddy claims it was 58 days, or 21%, The Detroit News reports.

“During election cycles, it’s a very common practice for governors of both parties to support their candidates on the road,” Leddy told the news site. “As co-chair of the [Vice President Kamala] Harris campaign, Gov. Whitmer was proud to play a prominent role on behalf of the president and vice president.” Click here to report more.

 

DEL RIO, TX - In the second and third quarters of fiscal 2024, U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement agents removed nearly 68,000 illegal border crossers, ICE says. ICE claims the number “reflects a 69% increase over removals during the third quarter in fiscal year 2023, and is more than 140% of ICE removals for all fiscal year 2023.”

According to the latest data published by ICE, 179,937 illegal foreign nationals, who under current federal law are inadmissible and required to be removed, weren’t detained but were living freely in the U.S. through ICE’s “Alternatives to Detention” (ATD) program, as of June 2024.

Newly published data in ICE’s Enforcement Removal Operations dashboard covers fiscal year 2021 through the third quarter of fiscal year 2024. It includes arrests, detention, removals and enrollments in ICE’s ATD, created by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Congressional Republicans argue ATD is illegal and circumvents federal law, which requires inadmissible illegal foreign nationals to be detained and processed for removal. Click here to read more.

 

SCOTT COUNTY, Minn. — The preliminary investigation into what happened to 20 ballots unaccounted for in the closest state House race in Minnesota concluded that they were likely thrown away and won't be recovered, the Scott County attorney said Wednesday.

The update adds a new layer to a contest that Republicans have pledged to challenge in court. A recount of ballots last week showed DFL incumbent Rep. Brad Tabke maintained his lead over GOP challenger Aaron Paul, widening his victory by just one vote for a total of 15.

"We are asking for a new election" said Rep. Lisa Demuth

But looming over that recount was the question of a 21-ballot discrepancy that Scott County officials found in two precincts: Officials said they had records of 21 more people voting than ballots received.

"The preliminary investigation into the 21-ballot discrepancy hasn't been determinative thus far, and it appears likely to be the result of human error that occurred during the collection of early absentee ballots at the City of Shakopee," said Ron Hocevar, the Scott County attorney in a news release. "This unfortunate situation resulted in a level of confusion that should not have occurred." Click here to read more.