We recorded this week’s podcast at 5 p.m. EDT Thursday. Minutes before we hit the ‘record’ button, the New York jury handed down its verdict…so Jeff had to put on his Lincoln Project hat. In his absence Walt Sorg joins Mark on a day that will go down in American history. Clearly the guilty verdict on 34 felony counts is our #1 topic, but there are other talk-worthy stories in our political biosphere:

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• Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito refuses to follow the ethical standards demanded of all federal judges except him and his colleagues. Flags or no flags, he’s not recusing from January 6-related cases because it’s all about his stubborn wife and has nothing to do with him. Sure.
  
• Chief Justice John Roberts adds to the court’s arrogance by declining an invitation from the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to talk about his court’s ethics.
  
• The movers and shakers of Michigan business and politics are just now ending their annual policy party on Mackinac Island. We’ll review the highlights of a pretty substantive week with Bridge Michigan reporter Lauren Gibbons.
  
• Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel hints he’ll run for Governor in two years … and then says he won’t vote for President Biden. That’s not going to help him much with Democratic voters.
  
• Tudor Dixon’s gift of a half-million-dollars from her losing gubernatorial campaign draws a second look from state regulators.
  
• Democrats Plan $100 Million Push on Abortion Rights to Win House
  
• Michigan voters losing trust in democracy, education and economy, poll finds 
  
• Trump makes sweeping promises to donors on audacious fundraising tour \
  
• Opinion | Detroit sues Census Bureau, claiming vast undercount. It has a point. – The Washington Post
  
• Democrats add five candidates (including Sen. Kristin McDonald-Rivet) to Red to Blue program – Roll Call (including McDonald-Rivet)
  
• Hollier appeals decision to remove him from U.S. House ballot – Detroit News
  
• Rigging Elections: Why the new platform from the Republican Party of Texas matters
  
• Secretary Benson, Detroit Regional Chamber and business leaders launch new coalition to support safe and secure elections – Secretary of State
  
• ‘New reality’: Michigan clerks sued as activists seek voting records
  
• Dana Nessel calls for pork politics reforms amid Clare grant probe
  

Joining the conversation: Bridge Michigan reporter Lauren Gibbons who has spent the week on Mackinac Island, tracking the many significant policy and political developments that are an annual feature of the Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce Policy Conference. Prior to joining Bridge’s Capitol team, she worked at MLive where she led coverage of the state Legislature and the redistricting process, and before that covered the state Senate for the MIRS Newsletter.

Lauren has covered the ins and outs of Michigan politics for nearly a decade and has won awards both for her political coverage and her work documenting the Larry Nassar sexual abuse case. She grew up in the Lansing area and graduated from Michigan State University, majoring in journalism and history. She lives in Ferndale, and … according to her official biography … her party tricks include Irish dancing and telling friends what political districts they live in without looking.

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This episode is sponsored in part by EPIC ▪ MRA, 

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