Rick Pluta
Reporter / Producer - Michigan Public Radio NetworkRick Pluta is Senior Capitol Correspondent for the Michigan Public Radio Network. He has been covering Michigan’s Capitol, government, and politics since 1987. His journalism background includes stints with UPI, The Elizabeth (NJ) Daily Journal, The (Pontiac, MI) Oakland Press, and WJR. He is also a lifelong public radio listener.
Rick was one of the first Michigan political reporters to write about “pay-to-play” fundraising, and the controversies surrounding recognition of same-sex relationships. He broke the news that Gov. John Engler was planning a huge juvenile justice overhaul that included adult-time-for-adult-crime sentencing, and has continued to report since then on the effects of that policy decision.
He co-hosted the weekly segment “It’s Just Politics” on Michigan Radio with Zoe Clark.
Rick is fascinated by the game of politics, and the grand plans and human foibles that go into policy-making. You will never find him ice-fishing.
Follow him on Twitter at @rickpluta
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The Republican chair of the Michigan House Oversight Committee wants Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson to personally explain why a system to collect elected officials’ financial disclosure statements doesn’t work. -
The state attorney general's office says Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson violated the Michigan Campaign Finance Act by using the lobby of a state office building for a press conference to announce she is running for governor. -
A state panel has delivered the official revenue numbers the governor and the Legislature use to craft the new state budget. But they came with warnings of uncertainty. -
As budget deadlines loom, the state House and Senate fiscal agencies both project a softening economy will leave the Legislature with less money to work with than initially projected in January. Plus, state Representative Joe Tate jumps into the U.S. Senate race, and Governor Whitmer dodges on former President Joe Biden’s health. -
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says alleged embezzlement by a former legislative staffer shows how the process of earmarking in the state budget has been abused. -
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed bills Wednesday to give state officials another month to file financial disclosure reports as the state tries to fix its filing website. -
A ballot campaign wants to make Michigan a ranked choice voting state; plus nearly 800 earmark requests from state House lawmakers totaling an estimated $4 billion are made public. -
Congressional Republicans want to slash hundreds of billions of dollars in federal Medicaid spending, as part of legislation intended to reduce the federal budget. -
Health care advocates in Michigan are pushing back against a new congressional Republican budget proposal that includes big cuts to Medicaid. -
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson says the House Oversight Committee is asking her to violate the law. She's asking the committee to narrow the scope of a subpoena.
