(Ed. Note: This story was originally published by Bridge Michigan, a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization. Visit the newsroom online: bridgemi.com.)
By Simon D. Schuster
Bridge Michigan
DETROIT — Gubernatorial candidates Jocelyn Benson and John James made their case to business leaders in a Detroit Economic Club forum on Sept. 16, highlighting stark contrasts in their plans to boost Michigan’s economic and educational performance.
Amid President Donald Trump’s lengthy trade dispute with Canada, Benson promised “to be unafraid to stand up to the president,” while James placed some blame with Michigan’s international neighbor and said the state is enduring “trade barriers that hurt our ability to grow.”
The pitches came as some key Michigan business groups have not taken a side in the gubernatorial race to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce has not yet endorsed a gubernatorial candidate, and the Detroit Regional Chamber announced it won’t.
Clerks are preparing to send out absentee ballots at the end of this week.
Ben Maibach III, who spent more than 30 years as president and CEO of multistate construction firm Barton Malow, said he’s “struggling” to decide which candidate to support.
“I wish I felt better,” said Maibach, who sits on the board of the Detroit Economic Club with Benson, who is also a board member.
He blamed both parties for the state’s sliding status in education and the economy. U.S. News & World Report ranks Michigan 45th among states in education and 43rd for the economy.
Michigan’s leaders, Maibach said, have “been more political than strategic, and we haven’t moved ahead.”
That’s something that was also on the mind of Sandy Pierce, the president of the club’s board. He said Michigan’s decline in rankings “actually makes me sick.”
But Pierce, an independent, “can see hope in what each of them said” in Wednesday’s forum, saying felt both candidates performed better than expected.
The forum was not a debate. Both candidates were asked the same set of questions by the moderator, WDIV-Channel 4 anchor Jason Colthorp, in sequence. James had to appear remotely by video after a shifting congressional schedule kept him in Washington, D.C. for key votes.
Here’s what the candidates had to say:
—————
Tariff response
Trump’s escalating tariffs against Canada — which have sparked retaliatory tariffs by Michigan’s biggest international trade partner — were a point of emphasis in the interviews, given their widespread impact on the state’s automotive sector.
Benson said she would try to circumvent Trump and “negotiate subnational agreements with Canada” alongside other neighboring-state governors. It’s not clear how those agreements could circumvent or lessen import-exports penalties in place at the federal level.
James argued that Canada “walked away from the table.” But said he’s taken a more direct approach with the president by telling the Trump administration that “Michigan will not be collateral damage in these negotiations.”
James said he plans to introduce legislation “using tariff revenue to reduce tariff-driven production costs, prevent layoffs and offshoring, and limit the amount of those costs that might be passed on to the consumer.”
His office did not immediately offer further details when contacted by Bridge Michigan.
Whitmer has spoken out against the tariffs. On Sept. 16, the term-limited Democrat authored an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal denouncing the trade war and citing a report that tariffs have cost Michigan households $5,600.
—————
Data center dispute
The candidates also discussed data centers, which have emerged as a focal point in this year’s election and source of conflict in the gubernatorial race.
Benson released a campaign ad on Sept. 13 highlighting her recent call for a data center moratorium. A super PAC supporting James quickly released an ad highlighting Benson’s husband’s past involvement with building a hyperscale data center in Saline Township, which has dogged her campaign.
In addition to calling for a moratorium, Benson used her ad to call for elimination of bipartisan state-level tax breaks and said she wants to stop data centers from raising electric bills.
In the forum, James called himself a conservative how is “against bans and mandates,” although he reportedly said last month he wants a moratorium too until more local control, environmental and electric bill guardrails are put in place.
Benson has similarly said she’d like to pause new data center developments “until we can protect our water, keep utility bills down and require they create well-paying union jobs.”
In the forum, Benson and James both advocated for letting local governments determine whether data centers should be sited in their borders.
When asked whether she would support state regulations on artificial intelligence, Benson said “we need to expand” laws to protect Michiganders “from the use or abuse of AI.” She noted that she supported a new state law that requires disclosures for the use of AI in election ads.
James offered specific policies he’d like to implement, arguing Michigan should move to prohibit “invasive surveillance, algorithmic wage theft and production quotas that put workers’ safety at risk and also their jobs in jeopardy.”
AI can be a beneficial tool, but policy must ensure that “anybody who is abusing the tool and hurting workers are held accountable,” James added.
—————
Economic development
Following a primary in which many candidates called for abolishing the Michigan Economic Development Corp, the state’s central economic development agency, Benson and James were more measured in their calls at the forum.
“We cannot unilaterally disarm, and so we need to reform the MEDC to make it work best for you,” James said, emphasizing that “we need to have a fundamental change of culture, fundamental change of philosophy, fundamental change in environment” to attract businesses to the state.
Benson said she wants “every agency to be overhauled in a way that promotes transparency, accountability and eliminates wasteful spending.” The MEDC, she said, is “at the top of my list.”
A Bridge investigation found subsidized companies that promised to bring major jobs to Michigan under Whitmer have underdelivered and created jobs at a high cost to taxpayers.
Benson called for an “enforceable return on the investment mechanisms in place to ensure any money that goes out delivers jobs back.”
By Simon D. Schuster
Bridge Michigan
DETROIT — Gubernatorial candidates Jocelyn Benson and John James made their case to business leaders in a Detroit Economic Club forum on Sept. 16, highlighting stark contrasts in their plans to boost Michigan’s economic and educational performance.
Amid President Donald Trump’s lengthy trade dispute with Canada, Benson promised “to be unafraid to stand up to the president,” while James placed some blame with Michigan’s international neighbor and said the state is enduring “trade barriers that hurt our ability to grow.”
The pitches came as some key Michigan business groups have not taken a side in the gubernatorial race to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The Michigan Chamber of Commerce has not yet endorsed a gubernatorial candidate, and the Detroit Regional Chamber announced it won’t.
Clerks are preparing to send out absentee ballots at the end of this week.
Ben Maibach III, who spent more than 30 years as president and CEO of multistate construction firm Barton Malow, said he’s “struggling” to decide which candidate to support.
“I wish I felt better,” said Maibach, who sits on the board of the Detroit Economic Club with Benson, who is also a board member.
He blamed both parties for the state’s sliding status in education and the economy. U.S. News & World Report ranks Michigan 45th among states in education and 43rd for the economy.
Michigan’s leaders, Maibach said, have “been more political than strategic, and we haven’t moved ahead.”
That’s something that was also on the mind of Sandy Pierce, the president of the club’s board. He said Michigan’s decline in rankings “actually makes me sick.”
But Pierce, an independent, “can see hope in what each of them said” in Wednesday’s forum, saying felt both candidates performed better than expected.
The forum was not a debate. Both candidates were asked the same set of questions by the moderator, WDIV-Channel 4 anchor Jason Colthorp, in sequence. James had to appear remotely by video after a shifting congressional schedule kept him in Washington, D.C. for key votes.
Here’s what the candidates had to say:
—————
Tariff response
Trump’s escalating tariffs against Canada — which have sparked retaliatory tariffs by Michigan’s biggest international trade partner — were a point of emphasis in the interviews, given their widespread impact on the state’s automotive sector.
Benson said she would try to circumvent Trump and “negotiate subnational agreements with Canada” alongside other neighboring-state governors. It’s not clear how those agreements could circumvent or lessen import-exports penalties in place at the federal level.
James argued that Canada “walked away from the table.” But said he’s taken a more direct approach with the president by telling the Trump administration that “Michigan will not be collateral damage in these negotiations.”
James said he plans to introduce legislation “using tariff revenue to reduce tariff-driven production costs, prevent layoffs and offshoring, and limit the amount of those costs that might be passed on to the consumer.”
His office did not immediately offer further details when contacted by Bridge Michigan.
Whitmer has spoken out against the tariffs. On Sept. 16, the term-limited Democrat authored an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal denouncing the trade war and citing a report that tariffs have cost Michigan households $5,600.
—————
Data center dispute
The candidates also discussed data centers, which have emerged as a focal point in this year’s election and source of conflict in the gubernatorial race.
Benson released a campaign ad on Sept. 13 highlighting her recent call for a data center moratorium. A super PAC supporting James quickly released an ad highlighting Benson’s husband’s past involvement with building a hyperscale data center in Saline Township, which has dogged her campaign.
In addition to calling for a moratorium, Benson used her ad to call for elimination of bipartisan state-level tax breaks and said she wants to stop data centers from raising electric bills.
In the forum, James called himself a conservative how is “against bans and mandates,” although he reportedly said last month he wants a moratorium too until more local control, environmental and electric bill guardrails are put in place.
Benson has similarly said she’d like to pause new data center developments “until we can protect our water, keep utility bills down and require they create well-paying union jobs.”
In the forum, Benson and James both advocated for letting local governments determine whether data centers should be sited in their borders.
When asked whether she would support state regulations on artificial intelligence, Benson said “we need to expand” laws to protect Michiganders “from the use or abuse of AI.” She noted that she supported a new state law that requires disclosures for the use of AI in election ads.
James offered specific policies he’d like to implement, arguing Michigan should move to prohibit “invasive surveillance, algorithmic wage theft and production quotas that put workers’ safety at risk and also their jobs in jeopardy.”
AI can be a beneficial tool, but policy must ensure that “anybody who is abusing the tool and hurting workers are held accountable,” James added.
—————
Economic development
Following a primary in which many candidates called for abolishing the Michigan Economic Development Corp, the state’s central economic development agency, Benson and James were more measured in their calls at the forum.
“We cannot unilaterally disarm, and so we need to reform the MEDC to make it work best for you,” James said, emphasizing that “we need to have a fundamental change of culture, fundamental change of philosophy, fundamental change in environment” to attract businesses to the state.
Benson said she wants “every agency to be overhauled in a way that promotes transparency, accountability and eliminates wasteful spending.” The MEDC, she said, is “at the top of my list.”
A Bridge investigation found subsidized companies that promised to bring major jobs to Michigan under Whitmer have underdelivered and created jobs at a high cost to taxpayers.
Benson called for an “enforceable return on the investment mechanisms in place to ensure any money that goes out delivers jobs back.”
Nessel Secures Medicaid Fraud Settlement with Abbott Labs
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced a $384 million settlement with Abbott Laboratories to settle allegations that the company caused false claims to be submitted to federal and state programs arising from its failure to manufacture certain powder infant formula and nutritional therapy products in compliance with federal and state requirements.
Abbott, an Illinois-based health care company that manufactures and sells infant formula and nutritional therapy products, will pay $348,700,868 to the United States to resolve the False Claims Act allegations. As part of the settlement, Michigan will receive $469,890.27 in restitution and other recoveries.
“There should be no question for parents of whether the formula they give to their babies is safe,” Nessel said. “This settlement makes clear that corporations cannot cut corners on critical health and safety measures. My office remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable among us and ensuring manufacturers who operate in our state comply with regulations that safeguard Michigan residents.”
The national federal and state civil settlement resolves allegations that Abbott caused false claims to be submitted, between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2022, to federal and state programs arising from Abbott’s failure to manufacture certain powder infant formula and nutritional therapy products at its Sturgis, Mich., and Casa Grande, Ariz., facilities in compliance with federal and state statutory, regulatory, and contractual requirements.
The federal and state governments allege Abbott knowingly manufactured infant formula purchased with taxpayer dollars in an environment that put the products at unacceptable risk of microorganism contamination and significantly impacted the products’ reliability, quality, and safety.
Specifically, Abbott allegedly failed to maintain its manufacturing equipment, failed to control the presence of water that put the products at increased risk of microorganism contamination and, in certain instances, failed to disclose test results indicating the presence of microorganism contamination when responding to requests from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during 2019 and 2022 inspections at the Sturgis facility. Abbott’s misrepresentations allegedly caused the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and state Medicaid programs to purchase powder infant formula and nutritional products manufactured at these facilities despite the products’ failure to meet statutory, regulatory, and contractual requirements.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds and regulates the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for WIC, which provides nutritional support - including infant formula - to eligible participants. More than half of all infant formula purchased in the United States is paid for with USDA funds through WIC.
This settlement arises out of the qui tam lawsuit initially filed in 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan under the federal False Claims Act and various state false claims statutes.
A National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units (NAMFCU) Team participated in the investigation and conducted settlement negotiations with Abbott on behalf of states. The team included representatives from the Offices of the Attorneys General for the states of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Tennessee.
The Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division (HCFD) handled this case for the Department. The HCFD is the federally certified Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for Michigan.
Abbott, an Illinois-based health care company that manufactures and sells infant formula and nutritional therapy products, will pay $348,700,868 to the United States to resolve the False Claims Act allegations. As part of the settlement, Michigan will receive $469,890.27 in restitution and other recoveries.
“There should be no question for parents of whether the formula they give to their babies is safe,” Nessel said. “This settlement makes clear that corporations cannot cut corners on critical health and safety measures. My office remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable among us and ensuring manufacturers who operate in our state comply with regulations that safeguard Michigan residents.”
The national federal and state civil settlement resolves allegations that Abbott caused false claims to be submitted, between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2022, to federal and state programs arising from Abbott’s failure to manufacture certain powder infant formula and nutritional therapy products at its Sturgis, Mich., and Casa Grande, Ariz., facilities in compliance with federal and state statutory, regulatory, and contractual requirements.
The federal and state governments allege Abbott knowingly manufactured infant formula purchased with taxpayer dollars in an environment that put the products at unacceptable risk of microorganism contamination and significantly impacted the products’ reliability, quality, and safety.
Specifically, Abbott allegedly failed to maintain its manufacturing equipment, failed to control the presence of water that put the products at increased risk of microorganism contamination and, in certain instances, failed to disclose test results indicating the presence of microorganism contamination when responding to requests from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during 2019 and 2022 inspections at the Sturgis facility. Abbott’s misrepresentations allegedly caused the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and state Medicaid programs to purchase powder infant formula and nutritional products manufactured at these facilities despite the products’ failure to meet statutory, regulatory, and contractual requirements.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funds and regulates the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for WIC, which provides nutritional support - including infant formula - to eligible participants. More than half of all infant formula purchased in the United States is paid for with USDA funds through WIC.
This settlement arises out of the qui tam lawsuit initially filed in 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan under the federal False Claims Act and various state false claims statutes.
A National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units (NAMFCU) Team participated in the investigation and conducted settlement negotiations with Abbott on behalf of states. The team included representatives from the Offices of the Attorneys General for the states of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Tennessee.
The Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division (HCFD) handled this case for the Department. The HCFD is the federally certified Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for Michigan.
Report: Michigan Households Pay $5,619 in Tariffs
By Scott McClallen
Michigan Capitol Confidential
Michigan households have paid about $5,619 of executive tariff costs, mostly on cars and trucks, since January 2025, according to a new report from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation.
The foundation estimated the per-household equivalent by using data from the international consulting firm Trade Partnership Worldwide and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Michigan is among the top three states hit by tariffs since January 2025, according to the survey. The report showed sharp cost increases for cars and auto parts as well as steep price hikes for metals, machinery and parts. Michigan paid more than any other state on a per-household basis.
The nonpartisan group found that California has paid about $63 billion in executive tariffs since January 2025, while Texas paid $37 billion. Michigan was third, with payments of $23 billion.
About 64% of those tariffs raised prices of raw materials, parts, and equipment, the report said.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in an August tweet, called the tariffs illegal.
Many of the tariffs were enacted or increased by President Trump, who said they would bring industrial jobs back to the United States from overseas.
“America added 162,000 jobs in August,” said White House spokesman Kush Desai in a Sept. 4 White House blog post, “triple economists’ expectations. The private sector has now created over one million jobs under President Trump, whose reindustrialization agenda continues to drive manufacturing and factory construction job growth. America is in the middle of a historic investment boom, and the August jobs report is the latest data point showing how Americans are benefitting from the Trump administration’s pro-growth policies..”
—————
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.
Michigan Capitol Confidential
Michigan households have paid about $5,619 of executive tariff costs, mostly on cars and trucks, since January 2025, according to a new report from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation.
The foundation estimated the per-household equivalent by using data from the international consulting firm Trade Partnership Worldwide and the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Michigan is among the top three states hit by tariffs since January 2025, according to the survey. The report showed sharp cost increases for cars and auto parts as well as steep price hikes for metals, machinery and parts. Michigan paid more than any other state on a per-household basis.
The nonpartisan group found that California has paid about $63 billion in executive tariffs since January 2025, while Texas paid $37 billion. Michigan was third, with payments of $23 billion.
About 64% of those tariffs raised prices of raw materials, parts, and equipment, the report said.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, in an August tweet, called the tariffs illegal.
Many of the tariffs were enacted or increased by President Trump, who said they would bring industrial jobs back to the United States from overseas.
“America added 162,000 jobs in August,” said White House spokesman Kush Desai in a Sept. 4 White House blog post, “triple economists’ expectations. The private sector has now created over one million jobs under President Trump, whose reindustrialization agenda continues to drive manufacturing and factory construction job growth. America is in the middle of a historic investment boom, and the August jobs report is the latest data point showing how Americans are benefitting from the Trump administration’s pro-growth policies..”
—————
Michigan Capitol Confidential is the news source produced by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. Michigan Capitol Confidential reports with a free-market news perspective.
Huizenga Announces New Funding for Ottawa CMH
Ottawa County Community Mental Health has received a $616,685 federal grant for mental health & substance abuse services, U.S. Rep. Bill Huizenga announced.
The grant to Community Mental Health is one of three from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to strengthen mental health services and support substance abuse recovery.
“Connecting children, parents, and families across Southwest Michigan with mental health resources creates positive outcomes, strengthens our community, and makes Southwest Michigan an even better place to call home,” Huizenga said. “I am committed to ensuring that those facing mental health and substance use challenges - some of life’s hardest struggles - have access to the best possible care, support, and resources.”
Also receiving funding from HHS are Western Michigan University, which received a $599,999 grant for its Family Trauma Assessment of Children and Caregivers work, and Van Buren County Circuit Court in Paw Paw, which was awarded a $399,999 grant for mental health and substance abuse treatment expansion and enhancement.
The grant to Community Mental Health is one of three from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to strengthen mental health services and support substance abuse recovery.
“Connecting children, parents, and families across Southwest Michigan with mental health resources creates positive outcomes, strengthens our community, and makes Southwest Michigan an even better place to call home,” Huizenga said. “I am committed to ensuring that those facing mental health and substance use challenges - some of life’s hardest struggles - have access to the best possible care, support, and resources.”
Also receiving funding from HHS are Western Michigan University, which received a $599,999 grant for its Family Trauma Assessment of Children and Caregivers work, and Van Buren County Circuit Court in Paw Paw, which was awarded a $399,999 grant for mental health and substance abuse treatment expansion and enhancement.
