Michigan
Lobbyist sold his condo to a lawmaker at a loss while another rents rooms to legislators
Michigan lawmakers and lobbyists are doing deals that would raise red flags in other states, but we have no rules for such financial transactions here.
Watch Eye On Michigan ask lawmakers about all the free meals they accepted
Lobbyists lavished millions of dollars in free meals and trips on Michigan lawmakers. See what happens when we ask officials about all their freebies.
A lobbyist sold his downtown Lansing condo to a state representative at a financial loss in the largest-ever financial transaction between a lobbyist and a Michigan legislator over the last 20 years, an Eye On Michigan investigation into freebies influencers lavish on lawmakers revealed.
Over the last 20 years or so, lobbyists reported spending more than $6.3 million on meals and trips for lawmakers and state officials. Eye On Michigan reviewed the 17,500 transactions that transpired between influencers and legislators from 2001, the first year for which data was available, to 2023, the last full year for which data is available.
The vast majority of those interactions between lobbyists and lawmakers involved food and travel. But the professionals who make a living influencing state officials are also required to report to the Michigan Secretary of State their financial transactions with legislators.
That’s why Nathan Piwowarski, while registered as a lobbyist, disclosed that he sold his condo to then-state Rep. Phil Potvin, a Republican from Cadillac. Piwowarski bought the condo for $106,900 in 2003 and sold it to Potvin for $79,000 in 2011, according to property records (Piwowarski told the Secretary of State he sold it to Potvin for $78,000).
Potvin refused to discuss the transaction, but Piwowarski said he sold the condo for fair market value. Michigan law does not require an independent evaluation of that claim, unlike other states where the hefty exchange would be closely scrutinized.
Had a sale like the one in question occurred in Washington state — ranked first in the country for disclosure policies by OpenSecrets — it could be reviewed by the state legislature’s independent ethics review board.
Jennifer Struss, the board’s counsel, told Eye On Michigan that if the condo sale was reported to the board, they would conduct an investigation to figure out if it was sold below market value and, if so, why.
“Is the lobbyist expecting the legislator to do something for their clients in a sort of quid-pro-quo thing?” Struss said. “That’s how we would look at it.”
The board would then make its findings and recommendations available to the legislature for potential hearings, censure or removal. A similar mechanism doesn’t exist in Michigan, Secretary of State officials told Eye On Michigan, adding that a complaint would have to be filed in order for them to investigate.
Michigan law does not forbid or regulate financial transactions between lobbyists and lawmakers.
Piwowarski told Eye On Michigan that while he was registered as a lobbyist, he never engaged “in any lobbying as it’s understood under the statute.”
He and a colleague “thought it would be a bright idea” to register him as a lobbyist, but it “never panned out.”
Piwowarski did once testify before the Michigan House Judiciary Committee on behalf of the State Bar of Michigan’s Estate Planning Section, House records show. He did so in 2018 when Potvin was no longer in office and he said he was not paid for his lobbying effort.
Piwowarski never testified before any of Potvin’s committees, according to the House Clerk’s office.
Piwowarski said he bought the condo with his wife when they both attended graduate school at Michigan State University. He said the couple tried to sell it when they moved away, but struggled because of the recession.
“It was very difficult to sell the place and so we rented it out for a few years,” Piwowarski said. “When Phil was elected, he was aware that I still owned a condo down there and we sold it to him for the price that we’d listed it for previously.”
Piwowarski said he’s known Potvin since he was around 10 or 11 years old — the two went to church together and Potvin was a scout leader when Piwowarski was a Boy Scout, he said.
Potvin did not return messages. His wife told Eye On Michigan she would pass on a message, but added she was unsure if he would respond as he “hasn’t held public office for years.”
Potvin sold the condo in 2017 for $70,000.
Other lawmakers have real estate dealings with a lobbyist.
Nine lawmakers rented rooms in a house across the street from the Capitol.
Public records show Rep. Greg Alexander, R-Carsonville; Rep. Timmy Beson, R-Bay City; Rep. Ken Borton, R-Gaylord; Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs; Rep. Gina Johnsen, R-Lake Odessa; Rep. Brad Paquette, R-Niles; Rep. David Prestin, R-Cedar River; Rep. John Roth, R-Interlochen; and Rep. Curt Vanderwall, R-Ludington paid rent to “Capitol House LLC,” which is owned by lobbyist Scott Everett.
Piwowarski said “the way influence is achieved in Lansing is largely undisclosed” and said it was interesting that Eye On Michigan took an interest in a “fair market value transaction” from more than a dozen years ago. He said further disclosures of the business arrangements of legislators and their spouses would be helpful.
Piwowarski, asked if he thought the public had any interest or concern over transactions like the sale of his condo, said “until I started getting calls about this maybe six months ago, no.”
The time period he referred to is when Eye On Michigan began making requests for comment.
Eye On Michigan is a student investigative reporting program based in Detroit and East Lansing. Our mission is to recruit and train the next generation of watchdog reporters, provide high-quality investigations to Michigan news organizations at no charge and to increase diversity in investigative reporting by engaging and inspiring high school students in under-served communities. To support our work, please consider making a donation.
Michigan
Cage-free eggs ready to roll across Michigan grocery stores as new law begins
DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Michigan is all set to roll out its new law banning the sale and production of caged eggs across the state.
The law that was passed in 2019 will be enacted starting Dec. 31, 2024. This places Michigan among the 10 states in the country to ban the production of caged eggs.
But will this lead to an increase in egg prices? And who will it impact the most?
Egg Bar is one of the fresh new restaurants to hit the streets of Dearborn. The co-founder, Karl Makky, says they take pride in the food they serve.
Just about every item on the menu involves an egg.
“Even the bread has eggs in it,” Makky said.
To crack this wide open, Egg Bar place uses more than 800 eggs a day, spending more than $5,000 a month. For them, eggs being important is an understatement.
“One hundred percent. Life for Egg Bar depends on eggs,” Makky said.
It turns out all the eggs used at the restaurant are pasture-raised, cage-free eggs.
“Because that was our statement. We wanted to give the customer the best egg. And animal cruelty, we have a soft spot for animals,” Makky said.
“So you must be welcoming this new rule which is coming to Michigan starting December 31st, any egg sold in Michigan has to be cage-free eggs,” said Javed.
“Yes, I am. But I wish they would have done it from the very beginning. So now, the punishment is on the restaurant and on the customers,” Makky said. “Because the prices are going to go up.”
But Dr. Nancy Barr with Michigan Allied Poultry Industries has the other side.
“I don’t think so. Again, the supply and the demand is really the major factor for egg prices. And because of the impacts of the highly pathogenic avian influenza over the past year or two… that’s why you are seeing higher egg prices now,” Barr said.
Hear more from Nancy Barr in the video player below:
FULL INTERVIEW: Dr. Nancy Barr talks about cage free egg law
Even though whole egg prices are set on the commodities market, in the long run, Barr says supply should not be an issue. And that’s because the state law, which only allows the sale and production of cage-free eggs, was signed in 2019 and was given a five-year, phase-in period.
“Our farmers have been committed to moving in this direction, so they’ve been doing it over a number of years and they are ready to supply all the eggs Michigan needs,” Barr said.
The new requirement exempts eggs produced at farms with less than 3,000 egg-laying hens. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will monitor the cage-free standard.
Barr says the quality and taste of the eggs won’t change “a bit” and customers should not notice a difference.
“Only that the company that is selling the eggs has labeled the carton as such,” Barr said.
Barr also says that even if egg prices rise in the new year, they will still be an affordable source of quality protein.
Michigan
Oklahoma vs. Michigan Prediction, Odds and Key Players for Wednesday, December 18th
Oklahoma will take its unbeaten record to a neutral site showdown for a matchup with upstart Michigan.
While the Wolverines have dropped two straight after an 8-0 start, they appear to be a formidable Big Ten unit this season under first-year head coach Dusty May. They are poised to take down 10-0 Oklahoma as favorites in Charlotte on Wednesday.
How do these two teams match up? Will OU maintain its sterling record, or can the Wolverines show that the two-game skid is nothing more than a blip on what should be a strong first campaign from May in Ann Arbor?
Here’s our betting preview.
Spread
Moneyline
Total: 150.5 (Over -110/Under -110)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Oklahoma
Jeremiah Fears: The freshman has been stellar in starting his career in Norman, averaging nearly 17 points per game with three rebounds and nearly five assists while doing an excellent job of getting to the free-throw line.
Michigan
Danny Wolf: The Yale transfer has been an instant star for the Wolverines, playing point forward as the team’s leader in assist rate while also contributing as a top three score as a threat from both inside and out. Wolf is scoring more than 12 points per game with nearly 10 rebounds and three assists, one of the Big Ten’s unique talents.
Michigan is over-reliant on Wolf’s creation as its backcourt is way too sloppy with the ball. Overall, the Wolverines are 335th in turnover rate with its best offense being Wolf and Vladislav Goldin’s two-man game. While effective, the Sooners’ defense is elite against the pick-and-roll and is a turnover-minded defense that ranks top 20 in the country in turnover percentage.
Michigan’s inability to protect the rock and stop transition opportunities for opponents, ranking below the national average in points allowed per possession in transition against an OU offense that loves to hunt for opportunities in the open court.
This game should be open with plenty of possessions, and Michigan should find answers around the rim against a limited OU frontcourt that is 239th in points allowed near the rim, per Haslametrics. I expect a big night for Wolf and Goldin around the rim.
However, the OU offense should be able to win on the margins with transition buckets and a justified top-50 effective field goal rate.
In what should be a back-and-forth affair, I’ll side with the over in Charlotte.
PICK: OVER 150.5
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Michigan
Michigan State Spartans Insider Podcast: Recapping Spartans’ Win Over Oakland
DETROIT, Mich. — No. 20 Michigan State earned its third double-digit victory on Tuesday, defeating Oakland, 77-58, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
The score wasn’t a very accurate representation of the meeting, as Oakland tested the Spartans for most of the game — it wasn’t until late in the second half that the Spartans really began to pull away.
Michigan State had just a 1-point lead at halftime, having only scored 31 points through the first 20 minutes. But halftime adjustments were made, and the Spartans eventually found an offensive rhythm while locking down the Golden Grizzlies on defense, holding Oakland to just 28 points in the second half.
Michigan State had three players finish in double figures in the scoring column — sophomore forward Xavier Booker, who recorded a career-high 18 points, senior guard Jaden Akins, who posted 16 and junior forward Jaxon Kohler, who earned his third straight double-double, scoring 14 points while grabbing 10 boards.
Our Michigan State beat reporter, Aidan Champion, recaps the contest on this latest postgame edition of the Michigan State Spartans Insider Podcast.
You can watch the episode below:
Below is a partial transcript from Michigan State coach Tom Izzo’s opening statement of his postgame press conference:
Izzo: “For the people down here — I mean, there’s part of me that hates this game, I’ve said it every year — but you got to give Kampe credit, man. The time he’s put in there, the job he’s done, the different lineups he’s had to play, the injuries he’s going through. I thought the kid, No. 7, who’s been out, [Isaiah] Jones, the other Jones, I mean, this team is going to be damn good, and that league, I think, is going to be really good. Now, we didn’t come with the same defensive intensity the first half, and they caused some of it. I thought Jeremy Fears, of all the people, when you talk about a guy that has one basket and really not as many assists as normal — four assists — I thought he won us the game just because of the job he did on [DQ] Cole. And he asked for him at halftime, and I said, ‘Sure.’ And that was the difference in the game. We had some other guys that played pretty well. [Xavier] Booker, of course, came in. Jaxon [Kohler] gets another double-double, which was really big on his part. … I can’t thank our crowd enough, and hopefully Oakland’s crowd too, but the number of people from Michigan State that showed up, that’s why I play it, so people that never see us can see us. And a lot of times, those people don’t get to get into Breslin, and I greatly appreciate it, the way they were.”
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.
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