MIRS Monday Podcast

MIRS Monday, March 29, 2020

Attorney General Dana Nessel talks Marlena Pavlos-Hackney, the Senate Republicans' $1.25 million for county prosecutors, nursing homes and more.  (17:45) Matthew DiLoreto, vice president of state government affairs of the Healthcare Distribution Alliance (HDA), talks vaccine distribution. Why can't we get the vaccine quicker with Pfizer located in Kalamazoo? (39:12)

MiGOP Chair Ron Weiser's witch comment, could the Governor return back to more restrictions in the Third Surge, Vanguard Public Affairs and more.

MIRS Monday, March 22, 2021

Plymouth Township doesn't have significant cashflow issues. They don't have a lot of lead pipes or any old infrastructure to replace. How will they spend the $2.67 million in COVID relief money coming from the federal government? Township Supervisor Kurt Heise answers these and other questions.

Sen. Dayna Polehanki talks about the Senate Republicans' mid-COVID schools plan, transgender athletes and the continuation with school athletics amid a scattering of coronavirus outbreaks.

Public relations professional Darci McConnell sits in with the MIRS team to talk about the formation of groups discontented about "everything," the Marlena Pavlos Hackney arrest and a concrete sign the Governor isn't as strict as her own administration's recommendations in her COVID response.

MIRS Monday, March 15, 2021

Whether it's been with the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Attorney General's office or some other post, Matthew Schneider has never felt free to speak what's really on his mind . . . until now. The Honigman law firm's newest attorney speaks his mind on "hush money," the Governor's reaction to the Wolverine Watchman prosecution and a potential run for political office in this week's edition.

Also, not everything is going swimmingly in Detroit, according to mayoral candidate Anthony Adams. The former deputy mayor under Kwame Kilpatrick talks about how he feels incumbent Mike Duggan's public relations shop is snowblowing Lansing into believing he's got the city going 100% in the right direction.

 

MIRS Monday, March 8, 2021

Rep. Mari Manoogian (D-Birmingham), consultant Renee Walker and Michigan AFL-CIO spokesperson Josh Pugh talk about the future of the Michigan Democratic Party. What person do they see as the future of the party? (27:30)

The MIRS team discusses whether Republicans will advise and consent to the appointment of Department of Health and Human Resources Director Elizabeth Hertel (16:51), what Michigan is going to do with $3.9 billion more for schools and $5.7 billion more for state government under the U.S. Senate-approved President Biden American Rescue Plan (7:54) and the importance of a major auto insurance carrier splitting up its company in the face of Michigan's auto insurance reform.

MIRS Monday, March 1, 2021

Rep. Matt Hall, former MI-GOP Party Chair Susy Avery and political consultant Scott Greenlee talk about the future of the Michigan Republican Party in a roundtable format.

Also, Michigan Solidarity leader Liano Sharon talks about his movement and why he believes it's getting blowback from the Michigan Democratic Party "establishment" and others within the progressive movement.

MIRS Monday, Feb. 22, 2021

A survey of Lansing insiders shows great pessimism about the relationship between the Governor and the Michigan legislature getting better any time soon. We break down results and get commentary from ex-Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, formerly of Public Sector Consultants.

Michigan Democratic Party Chair Lavora Barnes explains what's next for the party after her re-election. She's asked about Michigan Solidarity, a progressive movement led, in part, by activist Liano Sharon.

Ryan Kelley, a Republican gubernatorial candidate, shares his story, his interest in the Patriot movement and what he was doing on U.S. Capitol property on Jan. 6.

MIRS Monday, Feb. 15, 2021

The future of Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, the Senate Republican caucus and the New York Times article on Michigan militias are the top items on the agenda for the MIRS crew and Susy Avery of the Michigan Political Leadership Program.

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has an opponent, but how serious is it? Steve Hood breaks that down and other Detroit political goings-on in the city.

And how did U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene ever get elected? Jamie Jones,  editor of the Daily Citizens News in Dalton, Georgia, gives his take.

MIRS Monday, Feb. 8, 2021

The $200,000 the Michigan Republican Party spent out of its administrative account to former Secretary of State candidate Stan Grot may not be within the Bureau of Election's purview because it came out of an unregulated account. But Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum suggested the matter could be kicked over to the Attorney General for, at worst, possible criminal embezzlement or bribery (48:32).

Republican political consultant Jamie Roe was, up until recently, business partners with Stu Sandler, one of former MRP Chair Laura Cox's big allies. Did he support Cox's decision to bring the matter to the Secretary of State?

And Elizabeth Battiste of Martin Waymire joins the MIRS team to answer these questions:

"What needs to happen first to achieve the goal of moving the country to the middle -- politicians who need to lead from the middle or a public that demands it?" ... 

 

"Politically speaking, would Republicans rather not be invited to the Gov's COVID restrictions table so they can have a seemingly endless group of people to pander to?"

 

MIRS Monday, Feb. 1, 2021

The member of Congress most likely to get squeezed out of his/her seat this year if Michigan loses a seat is a Republican, not a Democrat, according to a pair of experienced Lansing-area map drawers.

 

Also, Bob LaBrant and Ed Sarpolus have a term limits reform idea that elevates a local government approach of allowing constituents to keep their term-limited legislator around.

John Walsh and Mike Johnston of the Michigan Manufacturers defend the Legislature's use of the General Fund to boost the Unemployment Insurance Fund, but support the Governor's enthusiasm of restarting the Good Jobs program.

MIRS Monday, Jan. 25, 2021

State House candidate Mellissa Carone, Rudy Guiliani's star witness last month, talks about her interest in politics (20:20). Mark Grebner of Practical Political Consultants blows up any residual claims that widespread voter fraud existed in the last election by calling out a former MIRS Monday guest (43:02). Congressional candidate Mike Detmer (27:56) defends Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey's decision to meet with members of the Michigan Militia.

A preview of the State of the State address, an analysis of Robert Gordon's hasty departure as director of the Department of Health and Human Services and more with special guest Chris DeWitt.