I live in the state of Michigan.
We are a industrial region in a northern state located in the United States, and we have a long history to be proud of. Although, there are some things we hang our heads about and deservedly so.
Today just happens to be one of the days that everyone from Michigan should hang their heads about, and it involves spending of taxpayer money. Not just spending it willy-nilly on special interest groups, but on themselves.
Yup, it is good to be an elected official in the Great Lakes State.
Why?
Because people who are elected officials have decided that using those taxpayer funds—some of which are supposed to help them get elected—for other purposes, also, is perfectly okay.
Really is a neat thing if you are NOT the taxpayer funding (donating) to this whole scheme.
A column in the Detroit News on Thursday took a look at over 140 legislators, and what their campaign monies were used for over the past three years; and what they found was a bit eye-opening.
Michigan lawmakers have used money from political donors to rent housing near the Capitol, fund electricity bills, make car payments and bankroll repairs to their vehicles, according to a review of how state leaders wield their campaign cash.
The Detroit News analysis of the current 147 legislators' campaign spending from the last three years also found one instance of a representative disclosing payments for the streaming services Netflix and Peacock, and another of a senator purchasing a hunting license for himself. In another situation, a lawmaker appeared to use donor money to pay parking tickets.
The things mentioned above seem to be done by Republicans in the state legislature. (Rep. Mike Harris, R-Waterford) used his funds and reported spending $98.80 on parking with the City of Lansing, and $98.80 on parking with the Capital city both on Nov 19, 2024 and Oct 1st, 2025.
But you would be probably be SHOCKED to read that the other party had elected folks who spent even more dough.
Rep. Helena Scott, who just happens to be a Democrat from the city of my birth (Detroit), used some of the money raised for campaigns on lodging and her vehicle.
Across 2023, 2024 and 2025, state Rep. Helena Scott, D-Detroit, received $63,655 in reimbursements from her campaign committee and political action committee (PAC), according to the accounts' disclosures. The reimbursements to Scott represented 19% of the committees' total spending.
A majority of the reimbursements to Scott — about $32,119 — were for either rental payments on an apartment in Lansing or what was listed as simply "housing" in her fundraising reports. She received another $5,514 for what was described as "car payment" reimbursements, records show.
Sweet gig, I would say.
In fact, no one has ever raised a concern about this situation at all, according to Rep. Scott.
"No constituent has ever voiced a concern about that to me,” Scott said of donors paying for some of her housing and car expenses.
Asked if constituents were aware of it happening, she replied, "I guess you’d have to ask them."
Fair enough point. When you win with 85 percent of the vote in 2024 I think you have your answer already, and you are pretty secure that your constituents are pretty darn happy with you.
Now I'm not just picking on Democrats here. You see, Republicans can sometimes make a similar mistake. Take, for instance, someone whom I have met and probably would have voted for if she lived in my district.
For instance, the committee of state Rep. Alicia St. Germaine, R-Harrison Township, paid $17.99 for a subscription to Netflix on Dec. 28, 2025, and $24.99 to Netflix on Nov. 28. Likewise, her committee paid $10.99 for a Peacock subscription on Dec. 1.
Asked about the expenditures, St. Germaine said they were a mistake and she would reimburse her committee.
"It was just a mistake on my end," St. Germaine said.
In Rep. St. Germaine's example she spent just under 55 dollars; when this was pointed out by the writer of the story, she said she would reimburse her committee.
Just a slight rounding error, I'm sure.
So while I'm sure these are just minor errors in the eyes of the elected officials, We The People are the ones who have to make that decision every election cycle.
Pay attention, so you see how your money is being spent—unless of course you feel you are NOT paying enough.
If you actually feel that is the case... let me know.
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