Other People's Money
New independent analysis shows third parties, not the candidates' campaigns, have spent more money on TV ads in this year's race for governor. According to The Michigan Campaign Finance Network, the Republican Governors Association has spent $2 million to support Rick Snyder. At the same time, Snyder has not purchased an ad out of his campaign's fund since the primary. Meanwhile, Democratic nominee Virg Bernero has spent almost a million from his campaign for his own ads. But, the state Democratic Party has spent nearly twice that. So, basically, the takeaway: 80% of the TV ads you've seen in the race for governor are ads from outside groups and political parties, not the candidates themselves.
Supreme Court to Hear Arguments Over Funeral Protests
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments today about a law that punishes people who protest at funerals. As Steve Carmody reports, the court's decision could affect a similar law in Michigan. In 2006, state lawmakers passed a measure to prevent protesters from disturbing funerals. A fundamentalist Christian church group had been picketing military funerals, as part of the church's anti-gay rights agenda. The Supreme Court will hear a case today that stems from a Maryland law similar to Michigan's. The ACLU is challenging part of the Michigan law on free speech grounds.
Don't Take That Sunday Morning Drink... Yet
Governor Granholm says she still hasn't decided if she'll sign a law that would allow alcohol sales on Sunday mornings and Christmas Day. Granholm says she's not opposed to signing the law but she thinks lawmakers passed the bill too quick and she may veto parts of the measure and send it back to the legislature to re-do. "I support opening up these regulations but it was passed so quickly that there are some technical issues, so if I were to veto it, it would only be so they could go back and correct some of the problems I see with it," the Governor said.
