The two biggest liars in politics had an especially bad week. It’s 5-million dollars for one of the many crimes of Donald Trump followed by a 13-count felony indictment over the Congressman currently known as George Santos. It was topped off by a truly bizarre hour organized and broadcast by CNN, which called it a Town Hall but in reality should have been labeled a Trump campaign rally.

On a much more positive note, Governor Whitmer’s sister is running for Congress. Lynn Whitmer Gereghty is running in a suburban New York City district – for the seat held by new Biden buddy Republican Mike Lawson who upset DCCC chair Sean Patrick Maloney in 2022. And while Congress is in a stalemate over the budget and national debt (threatening an economic disaster), Michigan’s legislature is quietly moving forward on enacting Governor Whitmer’s budget.

Sitting in for the vacationing Jeff Timmer this week is longtime political troublemaker (and this podcast’s producer) Walt Sorg. Joining the conversation this week is Chad Livengood, politics editor and a columnist at The Detroit News. Chad was a political reporter in The News’ Lansing Bureau from 2012 through 2016 before becoming a reporter and columnist at Crain’s Detroit Business. He rejoined The News’ politics team in May 2022.

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• Michigan House passes $80.1B budget for 2024 fiscal year ⋆ Michigan Advance
  
• House Budget Proposes Record Funding For Education – housedems.com
  
• Michigan Democrats rethink how to fund special projects with competing plans
  
• Michigan’s new roads plan: More money for big counties (that vote Democratic) – Bridge Michigan
  
• Michigan Senate lawmakers spar before passing $21 billion school aid budget – Bridge Michigan
  
• Michigan nears ban on handheld cell phone use while driving – Bridge Michigan
  
• Livengood – 7 areas to watch as Democrats wrangle over Michigan’s next state budget – Detroit News
  
• Budget gives Michigan Republicans another opportunity for influence – Detroit News
  
• Livengood: Michigan architects seek reform of rise in ‘dark’ political money
  
• Livengood: 2024 may feel like Trump-Biden sequel, but wild cards remain
  
• Default Impact on Michigan – White House Fact Sheet
  
• Michigan commission finds ‘misconduct’ by pro-Trump attorneys in 2020 lawsuit – Bridge Michigan
  
• AG Nessel Announces Distribution of $141 Million Settlement to Millions of Low-Income Americans Deceived by TurboTax Owner Intuit
  
• Michigan paid $10M before ‘red flags’ froze ex-House speaker Jason Wentworth’s pet project – Bridge Michigan
  
• GOP Voters Say Trump Has Too Much Baggage. They’ll Vote for Him Anyway. – The Atlantic
  
• Whitmer signs bills negotiated in Ford plant spending deal – Detroit Free Press
  
• How Michigan hashes out big money deals with business – Lansing State Journal
  
• Voters Want Clarence Thomas to Resign and Support a Supreme Court Code of Ethics – Data for Progress
  
• Chasten Buttigieg’s new book might help young adults – Detroit Free Press
  

• Benson urges legislators to support military families overseas, voters with disabilities, and parents seeking elected office
  
• Michigan may let candidates, officials use campaign funds for child care | Bridge Michigan
  
• Sister of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer enters New York congressional race – The Washington Post
  
• GOP Voters Say Trump Has Too Much Baggage. They’ll Vote for Him Anyway. – The Atlantic
  
• Trump’s ‘stupid,’ ‘stupid’ town hall
  
• Takeaways from Trump’s CNN town hall: election lies and attacks on E. Jean Carroll – AP News
  
• Fact-checking Donald Trump’s CNN town hall claims on Jan. 6, abortion, Mar-a-Lago documents – PolitiFact
  
• Opinion | What Trump should have been asked at his CNN town hall – The Washington Post
  
• George Santos charged with 13 crimes including money laundering, fraud – The Washington Post
  
• The George Santos Indictment, Annotated – The New York Times
  
• Santos Indictment Leaves Many Lies, Mysteries, and Scandals Unaddressed – Mother Jones
  
• Under the Radar, Right-Wing Push to Tighten Voting Laws Persists – The New York Times
  
• Georgia dashes Democratic dreams of an early 2024 presidential primary – The Washington Post
  
• Long-shot GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy wants to limit voting by younger Americans – The Washington Post
  

• Key Constituencies for Democrats Value the Democratic Party’s Focus on Personal Rights and Working for the People – Data for Progress
  
• Michigan GOP lawyer speaks against any ‘voice but a Christian voice’ – Detroit News
  
• The Inside Track with Mark & Lisa: Guest Attorney Dan Hartman
  
• Key Constituencies for Democrats Value the Democratic Party’s Focus on Personal Rights and Working for the People – Data for Progress
  
• (Indiana) Gov. Holcomb signs book banning measure – Indianapolis Star
  
• DeSantis Agenda Faces Opposition From Voters Nationally – Data for Progress
  
• REVEALED: These ten books are considered pornography in Ron DeSantis’ Florida – Popular Information
  
• How DeSantis gave Democrats the ‘session from hell’ – POLITICO
  
• REVEALED: These ten books are considered pornography in Ron DeSantis’ Florida – Popular Information
  
• Most say mifepristone abortion pill should stay on market, Post-ABC poll finds – The Washington Post
  
• Anti-trans laws backed by GOP find support in Washington Post-KFF poll – The Washington Post