♪

WELCOME BACK TO THIS SPECIAL

YEAR END EDITION OF "OFF THE

RECORD" WHAT HAPPENED IN 2017

AND WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN 2018 ON

THE PANEL CHUCK STOKES ZOE CLARK

ZACH GORCHOW BILL BALLENGER SIT

IN WITH US AS WE GET THE INSIDE

OUT "OFF THE RECORD."

"PRODUCTION OF OFF THE RECORD IS

MADE POSSIBLE, IN PART, BY A

GRANT FROM TRUSCOTT-ROSSMAN.

MICHIGAN'S ONLY BI-PARTISAN,

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS FIRM,

SERVING STATE-WIDE, NATIONAL AND

INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS FROM THEIR

OFFICES IN LANSING, DETROIT AND

GRAND RAPIDS.

TRUSCOTT-ROSSMAN.COM.

HAGER FOX HEATING AND AIR

CONDITIONING COMPANY, SERVING

THE GREATER-LANSING AREA SINCE

1941.

PROVIDING SOLUTIONS AND CHOICES

FOR HOME COMFORT DURING ALL

MICHIGAN SEASONS.

HAGER FOX AND BRYANT, WHATEVER

IT TAKES.

HAGER FOX.COM."

AND BY MSU COLLEGE OF

AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL

RESOURCES, MICHIGAN STATE

UNIVERSITY WANTS TO BE A TRUSTED

PARTNER IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT

FOOD AND WHERE IT COMES FROM

INCLUDING ITS IMPACT ON OUR

HEALTH AND ON OUR PLANET LEARN

MORE AT FOOD.MSU.EDU.

AND NOW THIS EDITION OF "OFF THE

RECORD" WITH TIM SKUBICK.

WELL WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO THE

END OF THIS YEAR AND INTO THE

NEW YEAR WHAT WAS THE TOP STORY

CHUCK FOR THIS PAST ONE?

>> I WOULD SAY MICHIGAN ECONOMY

KEEPS HUMMING AND ME TOO WOMEN

IMPACTS MICHIGAN TOO.

>> THE ON GOING SCANDAL AT THE

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AGENCY

MORE THAN 37,000 PEOPLE WRONGLY

ACCUSED OF FRAUD THE YEAR

STARTED WITH THE SNYDER

ADMINISTRATION SAYING NOTHING IS

REALLY WRONG AND ENDS WITH THEM

CALLING FOR A VICTIM

COMPENSATION FUND.

>> ALTHOUGH IT'S NATIONAL I'M

GOING TO JUST SAY THAT THE TRUMP

PRESIDENCY BECAUSE THE TENTICLES

GO INTO EVERY BIT OF POLITICS

LOOKING INTO 2018 ELECTIONS AND

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE

STATE.

>> I AGREE WITH ZOE AND ALSO SAY

THE MOST BORING STORY OF THE

YEAR BUT IT CONTINUES AND THAT

IS PUBLIC EMPLOYEE ENTITLEMENT

REFORM, MUNICIPAL SCHOOL AND

ACHIEVEMENT OF THE LEGISLATURE

THAT IS VERY HARD TO COVER, VERY

HARD TO APPRECIATE.

>> WE STARTED OUT THE YEAR WITH

TOM LEONARD WITH AN INCOME TAX

ROLL BACK.

IT WAS A BAD START, WASN'T IT

FOR MR. SPEAKER.

>> IT WAS JUST TO REFRESH

EVERYBODY'S MEMORY THERE WAS

THIS PEOPLE CALL IT INCOME TAX

CUT FEVER THE HOUSE RUSHED A

BILL TO THE FLOOR THAT FIRST

WOULD HAVE PHASED OUT THE INCOME

TAX OVER MANY, MANY YEARS THEN

EVENTUALLY THEY CHANGED IT TO

JUST REDUCE THE RATE TO 3.9% AND

WITHOUT REALLY DOING THE GROUND

WORK NECESSARILY TO GIVE BILL A

CHANCE THEY PUT IT UP FOR A VOTE

AND EVEN MORE ASTONISHINGLY

DECIDED TO HAVE IT BE A RECORDED

VOTE.

THE FIRST BIG VOTE OF THE

SPEAKERSHIP IT GOES TO DEFEAT

AND EXPOSED A LOT OF DIVISIONS

IN THE CAUCUS.

>> THE GANG OF 12.

>> I WOULD JUST SAY EVEN THOUGH

IN THE NEWS MEDIA AND THE

GENERAL PUBLIC IT WAS PERCEIVED

AS A HUGE EMBARRASSMENT TO

LEONARD.

I REALLY DON'T THINK IT DID HIM

ANY LASTING DAMAGE WHATSOEVER

AND I THINK HE FELT AND IN HIS

OWN MIND THAT HE HAD TO PUT THAT

VOTE UP ON THE BOARD BECAUSE HIS

CAUCUS WAS DEMANDING A ROLL CALL

VOTE AND HE DID IT AND I DON'T

REALLY THINK HE SUFFERED ANY

CONSEQUENCES.

>> IF THE CAUCUS SAID TO GO JUMP

IN THE LAKE WOULD HE GO JUMP IN

THE LAKE?

>> NO ON THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE

THEY WANTED A ROLL CALL, A LOT

OF PEOPLE IN THE CAUCUS WE WANT

A ROLL CALL.

>> GET THEM ON THE RECORD AND

EVEN IF WE LOSE IT WE WANT TO BE

ABLE TO POINT TO THAT ROLL CALL

AND HE DID IT.

>> I THINK THE ISSUE THOUGH IS

THAT HAD BEEN ONE ISOLATED EVENT

THAT MAYBE THAT IS HOW WE COULD

TAKE IT.

I THINK THE ISSUE OF AUTO NO

FAULT WHICH YOU BROUGHT UP

EARLIER BEFORE WE STARTED TAPING

AND ANOTHER ONE WHERE IT SEEMED

THE VOTE COUNTING WASN'T QUITE

THERE OR NOT AWARE OF WHAT WAS

GOING TO HAPPEN PUT IT UP ON THE

BOARD AND SO I THINK IT AGAIN IF

THE INCOME TAX WAS ISOLATED AND

WE SAW IT ONCE AND WE SAW THE

MOVIE AT LEAST TWICE AND IT SORT

OF CONTINUED LEADERSHIP ON THE

BOARD AND HOLDING LAWMAKERS IN

THEIR SEATS TO VOTE WELL INTO

THE NIGHT.

>> THERE SEEMS TO BE A NEW

MINDSET AT WORK WHETHER IT'S ONE

OFF, ONE SESSION PHENOMENON THAT

IS NOT GOING TO LAST BEYOND 2018

WE DON'T KNOW.

BUT ALL THESE YEARS WE HAVE BEEN

USED TO HAVING VOTES PULLED OFF

THE BOARD NEVER PUT UP IF THE

VOTES WERE NOT THERE, THAT IS

THE WAY YOU DID THAT.

>> CLEAR THE BOARD, CLEAR THE

BOARD OR DON'T PUT IT TO A VOTE.

NOW IT'S LOOK DAMN THE TORPEDOS

FULL SPEED AHEAD.

>> HE SAID IT'S LEADERSHIP AND

OTHERS SAY IT'S NOT.

IT MAKES YOU WONDER KNOWING HE

HAS HIGHER POLITICAL ASPIRATIONS

NOW WAS HE DOING ALL THIS WITH

THAT MORE IN MIND OR WAS HE

DOING IT TO BE ABLE TO REALLY

AFFECT THE LEGISLATION AND GET

IT THROUGH OR DID HE JUST WANT

TO AS YOU SAID ONE GET PEOPLE ON

THE RECORD TWO ALSO PUSH TOPICS

THAT HAVE NOT DONE WELL, MAYBE

LAGGING FOR A LONG TIME OR BEEN

IGNORED BY THE LEGISLATURE AND

NOW HE CAN COME OUT AND HE CAN

RUN A CAMPAIGN ON I MAY NOT HAVE

GOTTEN IT DONE BUT I AT LEAST

RAISED THE CONSCIOUS.

>> I HAD THE GUTS TO DO IT.

>> AND THAT IS THE CRITICISM

AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN

IN THE CAPITOL FOR A LONG TIME

IS THIS WAS ALL ABOUT HIS

CAMPAIGN FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL.

SHE WAS NOT OFFICIALLY A

CANDIDATE AT THAT POINT BUT

EVERYBODY KNEW HE WAS GOING TO

RUN AND YOU HAVE TO WIN THE

REPUBLICAN NOMINATION AT A STATE

CONVENTION WHICH IS A VERY

CONSERVATIVE AUDIENCE AND TO

BILL'S POINT I THINK IT ALSO

LIKE YOU SAID THE NEW MINDSET

INSTEAD OF 56 VOTES AS THE

MANTRA NOW THE NEW MANTRA IS WE

FOUGHT FOR THE CONSERVATIVE

ISSUE AND DID NOT PASS IT WHO

CARES WE FOUGHT THE GOOD FIGHT.

>> YOU ASKED WHAT WAS THE STORY

OF THE YEAR AND YOU COULD SAY

WHAT WAS THE STORY OF THE DECADE

WHICH IS TERM LIMITS RIGHT AND

WHAT WE ARE SEEING HAS

CONSEQUENCES OF THEM AND THAT IS

THAT EVEN WHEN FOLKS ARE IN A

JOB THERE IS ALWAYS LOOKING

AHEAD AND SOME OF THE HOUSE

VOTES WERE SETTING DIFFICULT

VOTES UP SO THEY COULD THEN RUN

FOR SENATE BECAUSE AGAIN IT'S

ANOTHER ELECTION AND LOOKING FOR

ANOTHER JOB AFTER TERM LIMITS OR

BECAUSE YOU COULD ONLY RUN FOR

SO LONG AND TAKE THE VOTE SO

WHEN YOU RUN FOR THE NEXT JOB

YOU CAN SAY.

>> GO AHEAD CHUCK.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY GIVEN ALL

THE TURN OVER WE HAVE SEEN

POLITICALLY THIS YEAR WE MAYBE

DON'T NEED TERM LIMITS.

>> MAYBE A GOOD POINT, ONE OF

THE STORIES WE KICKED AROUND ARE

ALL OF THE PEOPLE GOING TO RUN

FOR GOVERNOR IN 2017 AND BAILED

AND HAVE A SHORT LIST HERE

MR. KILDEE, MR. -- MS. MILLER

AND HERE IS ONE I HAVE A CLIP

MARK BERNSTEIN.

THIS PANEL WAS ASKED TO EVALUATE

HIM GETTING IN AND HERE IT IS.

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, OKAY?

TAKE A LOOK.

LET'S GO DOWN THE TABLE ON

BERNSTEIN IN OR OUT?

>> I THINK HE MAY BE IN.

>> I THINK HE IS PROBABLY GOING

TO GET IN.

>> I SAY 90% IN.

>> I SAY THE SAME.

>> YEAH, I THINK IT'S 90% IN.

[ LAUGHTER ]

DIDN'T HAVE TO ASK ON THE SHOW.

>> OH, MY GOD.

BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT AT HOME AND

LISTENING TO AUSTIN.

>> IF YOU WANT THE INSIDE STORY

HERE IT IS, HOW DID WE GET IT

WRONG?

>> I WILL SAY.

>> I THINK WE WERE RIGHT AT THE

TIME.

>> I WAS GOING TO SAY AS MUCH

AND I'M NOT TRYING TO DO A, YOU

KNOW, WE ALL BELIEVE HAD

CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLKS VERY

CLOSE TO MARK BERNSTEIN THAT

MADE US ALL BELIEVE THAT AT THAT

POINT HE WAS THAT CLOSE AND US

IN LIFE WE ALL MAKE DIFFERENT

DECISIONS.

I THINK MAYBE POSSIBLY IF YOU

ASKED HIMSELF ON THE DAY OF THE

TAPING HE MAY HAVE ALSO SAID 80,

90% WE ARE TRYING TO MAKE

EXCUSES HERE SOMEONE ELSE HELP

ME OUT.

>> GO DOWN WITH YOU.

[ LAUGHTER ]

AND I CERTAINLY OVERLOOKED WAS

THE CONSEQUENCES TO HIS FAMILY'S

LAW FIRM IF HE RAN.

>> YES.

>> THAT IS THE FAMILY'S LEGACY

AND WHILE I THINK ALL OF US WHO

COVER THINGS IN POLITICS THAT IS

OUR FOCUS.

WE GOT ALL CAUGHT UP IN HE IS

THINKING ABOUT IT, WELL WHY

WOULDN'T HE RUN, HE HAS THE

MONEY AND THE NAME ID BUT HIS

BROTHER ALREADY LEFT THE FIRM TO

BECOME A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE.

HIS FATHER IS TOWARD THE END OF

HIS CAREER AND REALLY WOULD HAVE

LEFT ONLY HIS SISTER AND IT'S

MARK BERNSTEIN WHO IS THE FACE

OF THE FIRM IN THE

ADVERTISEMENTS AND THE

CONSEQUENCES OF HIM LEAVING AND

WHAT THAT WOULD HAVE MEANT I

THINK THAT WAS OVERLOOKED.

>> I BELIEVE.

>> PRESSURE FROM THE DAD.

>> NO.

>> IF I'M GONE WHO IS RUNNING

THE SHOW?

>> I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, HE IS

RELATIVELY YOUNG.

>> PLENTY OF TIME.

>> I DO NOT THINK THIS IS THE

LAST THAT WE HAVE HEARD AND

LET'S BE CLEAR HE ALREADY DOES

HAVE, YOU KNOW, REGION AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AND LIKE

HE DOESN'T HAVE A PLATFORM WHICH

TO JUMP AND ALSO HAS YOUNG KIDS.

>> ANOTHER ELEMENT I TALKED TO

HIM PRIVATELY ABOUT THIS

AFTERWARDS HE SAID IF I GOT

ELECTED I WOULD HAVE A

REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE WHAT THE

HECK COULD I GET DONE AND THAT

IS A REASONABLE POINT OF VIEW

BUT YOU CAN FIND HOPEFULLY

COMMON GROUND.

>> REASONS A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE

ANTICIPATING HE WOULD RUN IS

BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY THOUGHT HE

WOULD BE A GOOD GOVERNOR AND

THAT HE WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY

TO REACH ACROSS THE AISLE AND

WORK WITH REPUBLICANS TO A

CERTAIN EXTENT BETTER THAN SOME

OTHER POLITICAL FIGURES WE CAN

THINK OF.

>> AND IT GOES IN THE NARRATIVE

AGAIN OF A GROUP OF FOLKS

WONDERING OR NOT WHETHER

GRETCHEN WHITMER IS THE

STRONGEST CANDIDATE.

THERE WAS A CONTINUED

CONVERSATION WHEN KILDEE DECIDED

NOT TO RUN WOULD SOMEONE JUMP IN

AND MARK BERNSTEIN I BELIEVE

OWES ALL OF US A BEER.

>> I THINK THERE HAD TO BE SOME

BACK ROOM CONVERSATIONS WITHIN

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY STRUCTURE

HERE TO SAY LOOK IT'S GOING TO

BE A WIDE OPEN RACE FOR GOVERNOR

NEXT TIME AROUND.

WE HAVE BEEN OUT OF THAT OFFICE

FOR EIGHT YEARS ONCE SNYDER'S

TERM IS FINISHED DO WE REALLY

NEED TO HAVE A BLOOD BATH IN THE

DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

>> WHAT KIND OF YEAR DID

GOVERNOR SNYDER HAVE?

>> I DON'T THINK IT WAS A VERY

GOOD YEAR.

I GUESS YOU CAN LOOK AT IT FROM

TWO STAND POINTS THE ECONOMY

CONTINUED TO GROW AND IT WAS

STRONG AND REALLY WHAT HE

FOCUSED ON SO HE IS FOCUSED ON

HIS ISSUES THE ECONOMY GROWING

TALENT THE WORKFORCE.

MEANWHILE HE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE

ANY MAJOR INITIATIVES THAT HE

WAS CHAMPIONING IN THE

LEGISLATURE SO THE LEGISLATURE

WAS SORT OF A DRIFT DOING ITS

OWN THING FORCING SOME THINGS

DOWN HIS THROAT HE WASN'T

THRILLED WITH AND HAD THE

UNEMPLOYMENT AGENCY SCANDAL THAT

JUST SPUN TOTALLY OUT OF

CONTROL.

HIS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

DIRECTOR NICK LIONS GETS CHARGED

IN THE FLINT WATER CRISIS, YOU

HAVE A SPECTER OF THE GOVERNOR

AND TOP AID ABOUT TESTIMONY

ABOUT WHAT HE KNEE ABOUT

LEGIONNAIRES UNDER OATH.

>> HE ALSO SUFFERED A BIG DEFEAT

AT THE END OF THE YEAR WITH THE

SUPREME COURT RULING.

>> YES, SIR.

>> WHICH HE FOUGHT ON THE ISSUE

OF 550 MILLION TO TEACHERS

RETURNED UNCONSTITUTIONALLY

TAKEN AWAY TO 2012.

I THINK IT WAS A VERY QUIET YEAR

FOR RICK SNYDER BUT ON THE OTHER

HAND IF YOU LOOK AT POLLS HIS

APPROVAL RATING, HIS JOB RATING

TICKED UP A LITTLE BIT DURING

THE YEAR SIMPLY BECAUSE HE WAS

ABLE TO RECOVER FROM THE FLINT

WATER CRISIS WHICH REALLY DROVE

HIM DOWN.

>> I'M GOING TO PIGGYBACK OFF

THAT AND LOOK AT IT SLIGHTLY

DIFFERENT GIVEN THE YEAR HE HAD

BEFORE COMING OFF OF ALL OF THE

SCANDALS I THINK PART OF IT WAS

CAN I JUST GET THROUGH THIS YEAR

WITHOUT ANOTHER MAJOR

CATASTROPHE AND I THINK BACK TO

THE OLD BILL CLINTON LINE IT'S

ABOUT THE ECONOMY STUPID AND THE

ECONOMY CONTINUES TO HUM ALONG

IN MICHIGAN, IT MADE

IMPROVEMENTS.

HIS APPROVAL RATING IMPROVED

SOME, NOT HUGELY BUT HE IS STILL

IN THE WATER BUT IT MADE MOVING

IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND THAT

IS A BIG STEP GIVEN WHAT HE HAD

TO DEAL WITH THE LAST YEAR AND

YOU KEEP IN MIND HE STILL HAD TO

DEAL WITH A WHOLE LOT OF FLINT

AFTERMATH.

A LOT OF STUFF THAT DIDN'T MAKE

HEADLINES BUT STILL A LOT OF

ENERGY AND A LOT OF TIME THAT

HIS ADMINISTRATION HAD TO PUT

INTO FLINT.

>> BILL SCHUETTE WHO WOULD LIKE

HIS JOB NEXT CONTINUING TO MAKE

THE FLINT THE HEADLINE STORY.

>> MAJOR CITIES DID PRETTY DARN

WELL AND DETROIT IS HUMMING

ALONG AND DOWNTOWN, MIDTOWN ALL

KINDS OF IMPROVEMENTS AND THE

DETROIT PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS

TAKEN A DIFFERENT TURN INSTEAD

OF PEOPLE LEAVING THEY ARE

COMING BACK.

>> TO ADD TO THAT THE IDEA

MICHIGAN MAY REACH A POPULATION

OF 20 MILLION BY 2020 WHICH IS

SOMETHING THE GOVERNOR PUSHED

FOR MAKING MICHIGAN ANOTHER 10

MILLION POPULATION.

>> REACH IT AGAIN.

VERY TRUE.

>> HE WAS ENGAGED AND HE DIDN'T

IGNORE THE LEGISLATURE BUT WHAT

WAS HIS BIG CENTER PIECE FOR THE

YEAR TO WORK ON?

>> TEACHER PENSION REFORM

DICTATED BY THE LEGISLATURE AND

WHAT HE PUSHED HARD FOR THE

MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT LEGISLATION

HE DID NOT GET MOST OF WHAT HE

WANTED, HE IS TRYING TO PUT AN

UNDERSTANDABLY POSITIVE SPIN ON

IT AND THAT IS GREAT AND HAS

EVERY RIGHT TO SAY THAT BUT THE

LEGISLATURE QUICKLY MIXED WHAT

HE WAS REALLY GOING FOR THERE.

>> AT THE END OF THE YEAR HE DID

GET PATHWAYS THROUGH THE HOUSE

AND THE SENATE AND GIVES HIM

MOMENTUM AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING

I THINK HE IS GOING TO EMPHASIZE

ON THE STATE OF THE STATE AND

PUT PRESSURE ON THE SENATE TO DO

THIS FOR EDUCATION.

>> HEADLINE FIVE, REFUSE TO GO

AWAY.

>> WHERE IS THIS THING HEADING.

>> PETITION DRIVE OUT THERE I

DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO GO ANY

WHERE AND CONTINUE TO BE A STORY

AND COULD BLOWUP AT ANY TIME AND

SORRY FOR THE METAPHOR.

>> WE SAW SLIGHT CHANGES I WOULD

SAY RECOMMENDATIONS FROM A TASK

FORCE THAT CAME OUT AND THEN AN

OKAY BETWEEN THE STATE AND

EMBRIDGE THING WE WILL SHUT IT

DOWN NOW IF THERE IS BAD WEATHER

AND FEELS LIKE IT'S THE LITTLE

ITTY-BITTY STEPS AND MEANWHILE

AS WE TALKED ABOUT ON THIS PANEL

BEFORE DRIP DRIP DRIP FROM

EMBRIDGE SAYING ONE THING AND

SOMETIMES WEEKS AND MONTHS LATER

WE FIND OUT STILL WHAT THEY ARE

SAYING IS A LITTLE BIT OF

CORROSION THE SIZE OF AN INCH IS

SUDDENLY THE SIZE OF A PLATE AND

OH, THIS IS NOT QUITE WHAT WE

THOUGHT IT WAS INITIALLY AND

DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS IT

SEEMS LIKE AND I THINK IT'S

ABSOLUTELY GOING IN A 2018

SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO

BECOME A PART OF THE

GUBERNATORIAL RACE, BILL

SCHUETTE TALKED ABOUT IT SAYING

EMBRIDGE LINE FIVE DAYS ARE

NUMBERED AND THAT IS GOING TO BE

A CONTINUED STORY IN THE NEW

YEAR.

>> FEELS LIKE A YEAR WHERE THE

ACTIVISTS WHO WANT THE PIPELINE

TO BE CLOSED GAINED THE MOMENTUM

AND STILL STRUGGLING TO GET

TRACTION BUT EMBRIDGE WITH A

LITANY OF DISCLOSURES THEY HAD

NOT BEEN STRAIGHT WITH THE

PUBLIC ABOUT WHAT THE SITUATION

WAS NOW THE YEAR ENDS AND THEY

ARE UNDER HEAVY CRITICISM FROM

THE SNYDER ADMINISTRATION WHICH

HAS NOT BEEN VERY CRITICAL FOR

THEM AT THE START OF THE YEAR

AND IT JUST FEELS LIKE THE

MOMENTUM HAS REALLY TURNED ON

THIS AND SOME HUGE DECISIONS

AWAIT NEXT YEAR ON THE FATE OF

IT.

>> EMBRIDGE BECAME ITS OWN WORST

ENEMY WITH THE PUBLIC DISPUTE

WITH THE SNYDER ADMINISTRATION

DID NOT HELP THEM.

>> THE ETCHU STORY.

>> I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY OVER

AT THIS POINT.

IT DIDN'T TURN OUT TO BE THE

STORY THAT PEOPLE THOUGHT IT

MIGHT BE.

>> WHERE DID YOU THINK THAT WAS

HEADED?

>> I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS HEADED

ANYWHERE AND I SAID SO ON THIS

PROGRAM.

>> YOU DID.

>> MOST PEOPLE DISAGREED WITH ME

AND THEY SAID THIS THING COULD

GET WORSE AND IT'S BAD AND IT

HASN'T BEEN HANDLED WELL MAYBE

ALL OF THE ABOVE IS TRUE BUT

NOTHING REALLY CAME OF IT.

>> I THINK THIS WAS ANOTHER

STORY AND PUT A REMINDER THIS IS

THE DIRECTOR OF THE MICHIGAN

STATE POLICE WHO POSTED ON

FACEBOOK ON HER PRIVATE FACEBOOK

ACCOUNT SOME COMMENTS ABOUT FOLK

WHOSE WERE TAKING A KNEE IN

PROTEST THIS IS ANOTHER

INDICATION OF THE SNYDER

ADMINISTRATION KIND OF DRIP DRIP

DRIP OF NEWS THAT I CAN REMEMBER

WEEKS THAT WE WERE HERE TALKING

ABOUT IT.

>> A TWO-DAY STORY.

>> INSTEAD I WANT TO SAY IT WAS

WEEKS BECAUSE FIRST IT WAS WELL

WE ARE HAVING A PRIVATE

CONVERSATION WITH HER THEN IT

WAS SHE MET WITH THE BLACK

CAUCUS THEN SHE MET WITH OTHER

FOLKS AND IT WAS OKAY OR COMING

UP, WITH RECOMMENDATIONS FOR

WHAT TO DO NEXT AND NOW SHE IS

GOING TO TAKE THIS LEAVE AND IT

WAS JUST SORT OF ONE DAY AFTER

THE NEXT.

>> IN ALL FAIRNESS SNYDER DID

STAND BEHIND HER FROM THE VERY

BEGINNING.

>> FROM THE GET GO.

NEVER LEANED ONE WAY OR THE

OTHER.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> THE FLINT WATER INVESTIGATION

CONTINUED AND WE ARE MOVING INTO

THE THIRD YEAR, THIRD YEAR.

THIS COULD BLOWUP AGAIN IN THE

LAST YEAR OF THE SNYDER

ADMINISTRATION AND IT COULD GET

A LOT WORSE.

>> LAST YEAR ABOUT THIS TIME I

INTERVIEWED BILL SCHUETTE AND I

SAID DO YOU THINK WE ARE CLOSER

TO THE END OF THE INVESTIGATION

THAN THE BEGINNING AND HE SAID

YES.

WELL IT'S NOW BEEN A FULL YEAR

SINCE THEN AND IT'S NOT OVER

BECAUSE IT IS A HUGE

INVESTIGATION AND IT'S A LITTLE

UNCLEAR YET WHERE THIS COULD YET

GO AS FAR AS ADDITIONAL PEOPLE

BEING CHARGED, YOU KNOW, THE

TRIAL PHASE NO ONE HAS BEEN EVEN

BOUND OVER FOR TRIAL.

>> PLEA DEALS.

>> 43 WITNESSES WHEN YOU HAVE 43

WITNESSES IN DISTRICT COURT

TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER IT

SHOULD BE BOUND OVER IT'S GOING

TO TAKE FOREVER, THE BIG DISPUTE

RIGHT NOW LEGALLY IS BILL

SCHUETTE HOPING TO RUN OUT THE

CLOCK AND MAYBE JUST HAVE THIS

THING DRIP ALL THE WAY THROUGH

2018 AND NOT REACH A CONCLUSION

BEFORE THE ELECTION OR LOOK IF

HE GETS A VERDICT BEFORE THE

ELECTION IT SHOULD BE A GOOD ONE

OR HE WILL END UP WITH A BIG

LIABILITY.

>> DO SOME OF THESE BIG

DEFENDANTS LIKE NICK LION HEALTH

AND HUMAN SERVICES DIRECTOR ARE

THEY ACTUALLY BOUND OVER FOR

TRIAL, THE HEARINGS TO DETERMINE

THAT ARE GOING ON AND ON AND ON

AND YOU KNOW YOU KNOW IS THERE

PROBABLE CAUSE THEY WERE

RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF

PEOPLE UNDER LEGIONNAIRESS THAT

CAN BE SOMETHING ONCE THE LOWER

COURT MAKES A DECISION HAS TO BE

RESOLVED BY THE SUPREME COURT.

>> ABSOLUTELY I AGREE YOU CAN GO

A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS AND NOT

SURE WHICH WAY IT'S GOING TO GO

BEFORE THE END OF THE SNYDER

ADMINISTRATION RIGHT NOW IT'S

ALWAYS GOING TO BE AN ASTERISK

ON HIS RESUME WHETHER OR NOT

THAT ASTERISKS TURNS INTO AN

EXCLAMATION POINT IS THE

QUESTION AND IF HIS LEGACY WILL

BE DEFINED BY FLINT IS STILL THE

BIG QUESTION MARK.

IT MAY TURN OUT YEARS FROM NOW

IT WILL NOT BE BUT BY THE SAME

TOKEN IT COULD BLOWUP AS YOU

SAID RIGHT IN HIS FACE AND

EVERYTHING ELSE THAT HE MAY HAVE

DONE DURING HIS EIGHT YEARS THAT

WAS POSITIVE GETS TOTALLY OVER

SHADOWED BY THIS.

>> THERE IS OF COURSE THE PEOPLE

OF FLINT WHO ARE LASTING EFFECTS

FROM LEAD POISONING I THINK THE

UNDER REPORTED STORIES IS JUST

HOW MUCH MONEY THIS IS COSTING

BOTH SIDES THAT WE ARE NOW IN

THE EIGHT FIGURES OF LEGAL COSTS

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TAXPAYERS I

THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT

KIND OF GOES UNNOTICED,

TAXPAYERS ARE NOW PAYING FOR

BOTH SIDES OF THE ARGUMENT.

THEY ARE PAYING TO DEFEND THE

STATE AND THEY ARE ALSO PAYING

FOR THE SIDE WHO IS PROSECUTING

FOLKS OF THE STATE AND TAXPAYERS

HAVE SPENT MILLIONS AND MILLIONS

AND THAT WILL CONTINUE ON THE

LITIGATION OVER THIS CRISIS.

NOW, YOU KNOW, THAT THOUGHT IS

NEEDED.

IT'S JUST A SORT OF ISSUE OF

WHOA, HERE IS ALL THE MONEY THAT

IS GOING TOWARDS PIPELINES AND

THINGS LIKE THAT AND ALL OF THE

COURT COSTS AND THAT IS GOING TO

CONTINUE TOO.

>> YOU MENTIONED MR. TRUMP I

HAVE SOME NUMBERS HERE WHICH

REALLY ARE A MICRO CAUSM OF

WHERE WE ARE IN MICHIGAN BERNIE

PORN ASKED IF THE PRESIDENT WAS

STABLE AND LOOK AT THE NUMBERS

AFRICAN/AMERICANS 69% UNSTABLE,

WHITE 50% STABLE, RACIAL DIVIDE

MEN AND WOMEN, MEN 56% IS COOL,

WOMEN 39%.

A GENDER GAP.

EDUCATION GAP YOU HAVE A COLLEGE

DEGREE 44 UNSTABLE AND LESS THAN

A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA 49% THINK

THE PRESIDENT IS DOING JUST

FINE.

IS THIS NOT A REFLECTION OF WHAT

HAPPENED IN THE ELECTION

REGARDING STABILITY?

>> THAT IS THE CLASSIC

POLARIZATION THAT WE SEE ALL

ACROSS AMERICA RIGHT NOW.

>> ALIVE AND WELL IN MICHIGAN.

>> ABSOLUTELY AND I THINK IT'S

REFLECTIVE OF THE ENTIRE NATION.

WE HAVE A VERY POLARIZED

COUNTRY, A VERY POLARIZED

POLITICAL SYSTEM RIGHT NOW, HOW

IT'S GOING TO SHAKE OUT IN 2020

ONLY ANYBODY CAN GUESS.

>> THAT IS WHAT I SAID THE TRUMP

STORY KIND OF WHY I THINK IT HAS

ITS TENTICLES IN EVERYTHING AND

HOW PEOPLE TREAT EACH OTHER AND

THE WILLINGNESS TO FIND

COMPROMISE HAS JUST IN THE PAST

YEAR BEEN A FASCINATING THING TO

WATCH BOTH IN MICHIGAN BUT

NATIONWIDE.

>> IN THE STATE RIGHT NOW I'M

RIGHT AND POLITICS IN THIS

COUNTRY RIGHT NOW I'M RIGHT YOU

ARE CRAZY THAT IS REALLY WHERE

THINGS ARE.

>> THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND.

>> NO AND A CASE THAT PRESIDENT

TRUMP HAS SHAKEN UP THE SYSTEM

AND IS SUCCESSFUL ON THE

POLITICAL LEVEL BECAUSE HE IS

NOT YOUR NORMAL TYPE OF CHIEF

EXECUTIVE OFFICER, YOU CAN ALSO

LOOK ON THE LEGISLATIVE SIDE AND

SAY HE WAS IN QUICK SAND UP

UNTIL HE FINALLY GOT A BILL

PASSED AT THE END OF THE YEAR

WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO SINK SO YOU

CAN LOOK AT IT AT SO MANY

DIFFERENT LEVELS.

>> WHAT IS THE LEAD STORY GOING

IN 2018 THE GOVERNOR WILL

DELIVER THE LAST STATE OF THE

STATE ON JANUARY THE 23, WHAT

ARE WE LOOKING FORWARD TO?

>> I DON'T THINK HE IS GOING TO

COME UP WITH ANY BOMB SHELL.

>> INFRASTRUCTURE,

INFRASTRUCTURE IS NOW THE NUMBER

ONE ISSUE IN THE STATE.

>> WE TALKED ABOUT THAT BEFORE

THOUGH BIG TIME IN THE STATE OF

THE STATES AND OTHERWISE.

THAT IS NOTHING REALLY KNEW.

I MEAN, YEAH, I THINK IT'S GREAT

IF HE CONCENTRATES ON IT AND BY

THE WAY THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

AND THE CONGRESS CAN STILL GET

ON THAT ISSUE AND REMEMBER MANY

PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE ONE

OF THE TOP PRIORITIES.

>> BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR AND

THEY DIDN'T BUT THEY CAN COME

BACK TO THAT AND THEY CAN TIE

THAT IN.

>> AN HO-HUM FOR YOU.

>> ELECTION IS ELECTION AND RACE

FOR GOVERNOR SECRETARY OF STATE,

ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE ENTIRE

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION, THE

ENTIRE STATE HOUSE, THE ENTIRE

STATE SENATE THE U.S. SENATE

SEAT.

>> IN OTHER WORDS THEY DO

NOTHING.

>> IT'S HUGE BUT THAT HAS

NOTHING TO DO WITH SNYDER'S

STATE OF THE STATE OR THE ISSUES

BUT I AGREE WITH YOU THAT IS

GOING TO BE DOMINATING

EVERYTHING, THE ELECTIONS NEXT

YEAR.

>> YES, IF YOU LOOK ISN'T THIS

DEMOCRATIC WAVE REAL THAT SEEMS

TO BE BUILDING YOU LOOK AT THE

GENERIC BALLOT NUMBERS AROUND

THE COUNTRY IT'S EXTREMELY

LOPSIDED IN FAVOR OF THE

DEMOCRATS BUT WHEN IT GETS DOWN

TO IT AT THE MID TERMS DO THE

DEMOCRATS AND ALL THE ENTHUSIASM

MAINTAINED AND DOES IT RESOLVE

IN A BIG DEMOCRATIC WAVE ACROSS

THE NATION AND IN THE STATE OR

DOES IT NOT HAPPEN, DO THE

REPUBLICANS STAY IN CONTROL OF

STATE GOVERNMENT IN MICHIGAN AND

IF THAT DOES HAPPEN WHAT IS THE

FUTURE OF THE MICHIGAN

DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS IT STILL

GOING TO BE A COMPETITIVE TWO

PARTY STATE BECAUSE IT WILL THEN

BASICALLY A FULL DECADE AT

REPUBLICAN DOMINANCE.

>> EVERYTHING WILL BE TALKING

ABOUT THE ELECTIONS ON MULTIPLE

LEVELS LOOK AT THE MICHIGAN

DELEGATION SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN WE

HAVE THREE WIDE OPEN

CONGRESSIONAL SEATS FOR VARIOUS

REASONS BUT I THINK SNYDER IS

GOING TO TALK ABOUT

INFRASTRUCTURE, I THINK IT'S

GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT.

WE HAVE ALL WATCHED IN OUR AREA

THAT 15 MILE SINKHOLE THAT

KANDIS MILLER WENT IN AND FIXED

OR CLEANED UP WHICHEVER TERM YOU

ARE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH THAT

INCONVENIENCED A WHOLE LOT OF

PEOPLE AND IMPACTED THEIR

EVERYDAY LIVES BUT I THINK ONE

THING THAT WE ARE NOT TALKING

ABOUT ENOUGH THAT OVER TIME THIS

ADMINISTRATION MAY BE KNOWN BEST

FOR AND THAT IS THAT GORDY-HOW

AND THE BRIDGE GOING ACROSS IF

HE GETS ALL THAT DONE YEARS FROM

NOW LOOK AT WHAT IT WILL DO IN

TERMS OF TRADE AND REVENUE AND

POTENTIAL THE INTERNATIONAL LINK

BETWEEN DETROIT AND CANADA IT

COULD BE A LOT OF MONEY, A LOT

OF TRADE.

>> HE DOES NOT LIKE THE TERM

LAME DUCK BUT THE LIMP WILL BE

MORE EVIDENT ON JANUARY 23 AND

WE WILL SEE WHAT HE SAYS.

THANK YOU GUYS.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYBODY.

NEXT YEAR WE ARE BACK TO THE

REGULAR FORMAT SEE YOU THEN.

HAVE A GOOD ONE.

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