The former House Speaker submits a letter saying he can’t ‘apologize for various conservative beliefs I espoused while in office,’ as groups withdraw funding over his opposition expanding LBGTQ rights.
Jonathan Oosting
Jonathan is a deputy editor for Bridge Michigan. He helps plan and execute in-depth reporting and campaign coverage. As a longtime political reporter, Jonathan was named 2021 Journalist of the Year by the Michigan Press Association. He and a colleague shared that honor again in 2023, when they were also named Journalists of the Year by the Society of Professional Journalists – Detroit Chapter. Jonathan covered the state Capitol for The Detroit News and MLive before joining Bridge in September of 2019. He's from Grand Rapids, lives in Lansing and loves spending time Up North.
Posted inMichigan Government
Pfizer pledges dramatic increase in COVID vaccines during Biden visit to Michigan
President Joe Biden pledged a return to “normalcy” by year’s end during a tour of Pfizer in Kalamazoo County on Friday, as the drug company pledges to beat a July deadline to supply 300 million doses.
Posted inMichigan Government
As COVID slows, Michigan restaurants urge Whitmer to ease ‘nightmare’ limits
Michigan’s COVID-19 rates have continued falling since the state allowed restaurant dining rooms to reopen Feb. 1, but capacity limits are continuing to cripple the instury, according to owners who are urging Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to relax restrictions again.
Posted inMichigan Government
Aide who wrote Mike Shirkey’s apologies leaving to work for Dana Nessel
Amber McCann worked for three top Republican officials, but after a string of controversial statements from Mike Shirkey, she is joining Democrat Dana Nessel’s administration.
Posted inMichigan Government
Making Michigan lame-duck lame again. Plan to curb post-election hijinks.
A proposal by Republican House Speaker Jason Wentworth would reign in Michigan’s lame-duck session, a biennial tradition of often hyper-partisan legislating. Past proposals failed, but Wentworth’s backing has breathed new life into the debate.
Posted inMichigan Government
Mike Shirkey navigates changing Michigan GOP. His mouth doesn't help.
Time was, Michigan Senate leader would be an ideal candidate against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. But he’s alienated conservatives and liberals with inflammatory statements that have some calling for him to quit.
Posted inMichigan Government
Whitmer seeks Michigan’s biggest budget amid pandemic. Republicans are wary.
Spend the way out of the pandemic or be prudent? That could be the debate, as the Democratic governor seeks big boosts in pandemic pay, free college and a major infrastructure investment.
Posted inMichigan Government
A day after apology, Mike Shirkey doubles down on claims D.C. riot ‘staged’
The Michigan Senate majority leader on Tuesday apologized for conspiratorial comments. The next day he was caught on camera again, this time saying ‘I don’t take back any of the points I was trying to make.’
Posted inMichigan Government
Shirkey on secret video: D.C. riots a ‘hoax,’ Michigan GOP ‘spanked’ Whitmer
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey is in hot water again after he went off-script in a video secretly filmed by a Hillsdale County activist who says the top Republican candidate isn’t conservative enough.
Posted inMichigan Government
Michigan Tech condemned racism. Then it got ugly at Upper Peninsula university
In a predominantly white university in one of Michigan’s whitest regions, a declaration against racism prompts two white professors to claim they’re the real victims. Critics say the ongoing debate is exposing hard truths.