Credit Kaye LaFond
Fifteen members of Congress, including five republicans from Michigan, are asking President Joe Biden to support the Line 5 oil pipeline.
During his first days in office President Biden revoked a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline, stopping its construction.
This week U.S. Representatives Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet), Lisa McClain (R-Bruce Twp.), Tim Walberg (R-Tipton), Peter Meijer (R-Grand Rapids) and Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) signed a letter on Michigan’s most controversial pipeline.
In it they urge President Biden to stay away from Line 5, saying its shutdown would be catastrophic to the energy needs and economy of the region.
The 2020 Election
In November, U.S. Representative Jack Bergman (R-Watersmeet) was re-elected to a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives with over 60 percent of the vote. But he couldn’t break a tie on the Grand Traverse County Commission in February for a non-binding resolution.
It would have praised Rep. Bergman but failed by a 3-3 vote. Constituents like Richard Walter called in to ask the lawmaker to resign.
“[Bergman] should not be praised and should not be honored by a frivolous resolution that does nothing to help this community,” he said.
A few of Bergman s supporters called in to repeat baseless or debunked claims of voter fraud, including Heather Cerone, who ran for a state house seat last year.
Ron Clous displaying a firearm during a virtual meeting of the Grand Traverse County Board.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office is investigating a criminal complaint against Grand Traverse County Commission Vice Chair Ron Clous. He displayed a firearm during a constituent’s public comment in a virtual board meeting in January.
A spokesman for the AG couldn’t comment on the specifics of the investigation, only saying they’re looking into whether or not charges should be filed.
Clous has ignored calls to apologize and step down, and the board hasn’t punished him.
Commissioner Betsy Coffia is a democrat on the board and says this could have been resolved with an apology from Clous and Board Chair Rob Hentschel.
Credit Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners
Ron Clous, vice chair of the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners, showed off a rifle as a constituent voiced concerns about guns during a virtual meeting Wednesday.
During the public comment period, a resident expressed concerns that members of the Proud Boys, a far-right group with a history of violence in the state, had attended a previous meeting.
The group came to show support for a resolution the board eventually passed on the Second Amendment.
“I can certainly appreciate people wanting to have their gun rights protected,” she said. “But . permission has been given to these activist groups to do more with their guns than go out hunting.”