This week's guest: award-winning Detroit News Lansing reporter Craig Mauger.

Republicans keep shooting themselves in the foot — while Joe Biden stands alone in focusing on actually dealing with the challenges facing ordinary Americans. We’ve got another Republican-appointed Supreme Court Justice eyebrow-deep in a scandal over luxury vacations paid for by billionaire GOP activists; U.S. House Republicans censuring Adam Schiff for exposing the criminal history of their Lord and Master, Donald Trump; a cat fight between the two leading House crazies, with Marjorie Taylor Greene calling Lauren Boebert “a little bitch” as they fight over who gets to impeach Josef Biden; and leading the way, Donald Trump going on Fox TV and confessing to obstruction of justice and violating the Espionage Act.

And Michigan isn’t exempt from the crazy. There are internal GOP feuds in multiple county party organizations, and the chair of the party has been hit with thousands of dollars in court-ordered sanctions thanks to one of the many Big LIe lawsuits filed in Michigan. In this week's podcast we catch up with what’s happening in Lansing which has it’s own list of ongoing investigations into misdeeds. We’ll be joined by award-winning Detroit News statehouse reporter Craig Mauger.

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This week's podcast is underwritten in part by EPIC-MRAEPIC ▪ MRA is a full service survey research firm with expertise in:

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Michigan Politics and Policy

Michigan House passes ban on child marriage in the state - Detroit Free Press

Ex-GOP governor candidate Ryan Kelley to plead guilty in Jan. 6 case - Detroit News

Charges filed in signature scandal for 2022 Michigan governor race - Detroit Free Press

Lawmakers explore name, image, likeness deals for high school athletes - Detroit News

Teacher union bargaining rights see sweeping changes under House bills - Detroit News

Why Gretchen Whitmer Has What It Takes for a White House Run - Vanity Fair

Lawmakers explore name, image, likeness deals for high school athletes - Detroit News

Slotkin helping to recruit Hertel as possible candidate to replace her in 7th District – The Livingston Post.com

Michigan House votes to expand hate crimes to protect gay, disabled residents - Bridge Michigan

Michigan Democrats push 8 days of absentee ballot counting to curb ‘chaos’ - Bridge Michigan

Democrats meet with anti-Trump conservatives to fight No Labels 2024 bid - The Washington Post

Michigan GOP chair must pay for Detroit election lawsuit - Detroit Free Press

Michigan commission accuses former AG candidate DePerno of misconduct

Leaked Audio: Michigan GOP Chair Kristina Karamo Says Outrage Over Holocaust Tweet Was ‘Completely Hilarious’ - The Daily Beast

Michigan GOP split over new plan to select presidential delegates - Detroit Free Press

‘MAGA vs. ultra-MAGA’: Michigan’s Republican Party at war with itself - The Washington Post

Across the Nation

IRS reduces tax return backlog by 80% and is doing better job answering the phone - AP News

US murder rate declines dramatically in 2023 — but you probably haven't heard about it - Popular Information

Judge Strikes Down Arkansas Law Banning Gender Transition Care for Minors - The New York Times

DeSantis allies set up a school to train a $100 million door-knocking ...