Another TACO Tuesday (Guest: Representative Ranjeev Puri)

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On our political radar this week…

Pam Bondi joins Meat Loaf, Joan Rivers, Dennis Rodman, Sinbad, Dionne Warwick, Andrew Dice Clay, Omarosa … and Kristi Noem: “You’re fired!”

Senator Elissa Slotkin – speaking in Iowa – confirms what we’ve been saying for weeks: she’s open to running for President.
Two more special elections this week, two more sharp turns to Democrats:

–In Wisconsin, liberal candidate Chris Taylor cruised to an easy victory over her conservative opponent in the state Supreme Court race with 60 percent of the vote, expanding the liberal majority on the court to 5-2.
– Georgia, Democrat Shawn Harris lost by about 12 percentage points in the race to replace Marjorie Taylor Green, but he shifted the district 25 points to the left. Trump won the district by 37 percentage points in 2024.

A national Republican group said Monday it’s dumping $45 million into Michigan’s open U.S. Senate race as an initial investment to help presumptive GOP nominee Mike Rogers flip the seat from Democratic control. The operative word is “initial”, meaning even more millions will flow into Michigan Republican sources.
Trump is calling on Congress to give Pete Hegseth a staggering $1.7-trillion dollars over the next year. To fund it, Trump wants to cut virtually every other federal program including a 23% cut for NASA even as four astronauts take a first-ever-for-humans trip to the far side of the moon. One item calling for a major increase: White House repairs and renovations. Trump wants to spend 377-million dollars on fixing up the place, an 860 percent increase.
Two more major league grifts from Trump:

–The Justice Department has settled for roughly $1.2 million a lawsuit from Michael Flynn, the former national security adviser to President Donald Trump who pleaded guilty during Trump’s first term to lying to the FBI about his conversations with a top Russian diplomat and was later pardoned. Bottom line: if Trump likes you, taxpayers will pay you to lie to the FBI.
–Semafor is reporting that Trump has directed the State Department to send $1.25 billion – without any Congressional appropriation or authorization to do so – to Trump’s Board of Peace. The transfer effectively places the money directly in the hands of Trump, the board’s chairman. Trump and the board’s executives control funding for the Board of Peace — and Trump selects the executive board — and the president will continue to do so even after his second term ends in January 2029.

In the race for Governor – John James is ducking still another candidate debate, this one set for the end of the month in vote-rich Oakland County. James has seen his once overwhelming lead for the GOP gubernatorial nomination shrink as septuagenarian Perry “Quality Guru” Johnson dumps millions into an effort to spend his way into office.
Governor Whitmer says she will not endorse a candidate for U.S. Senate or Secretary of State. She earlier ruled out an endorsement in the race for the gubernatorial nomination.

It’s pretty easy for Democrats to be critics of Donald Trump, his policies and his corruption. More important to most people is answering the question: “so what are you going to do?” State House Democrats have answered, releasing their Vision for a Brighter Michigan. We’re joined by House Democratic Leader Ranjeev Puri who led development of the plan.
The son of Indian immigrants, Leader Puri made history in 2020 as the first person of color to represent his Canton Michigan district and the first Sikh-American in Michigan’s legislative history. In his second term he served as majority whip, making him the highest-ranking South Asian in state government nationwide.
Remarkably, he is one of two first-generation Indian-Americans in top legislative leadership: Senate Majority Floor Leader Sam Singh is also the son of Indian immigrants.
Leader Puri’s leadership has earned national recognition, including being named to the Council of State Government’s “20 Under 40” Leadership Award Class of 2023 and receiving the MIRS Legislator of the Year Award in 2024.His leadership has earned national recognition, including being named to the Council of State Government’s “20 Under 40” Leadership Award Class of 2023 and receiving the MIRS Legislator of the Year Award in 2024.
(Jeff) First question!

A personal note from producer/co-host Walt Sorg

April is Michigan Donate Life month, a recognition of the state’s organ donation program. Four years ago I was the recipient of a donated kidney. It changed my life … and probably saved my life.
A part of you can live on after death through the simple act of saying “yes, I want to pay it forward.” And you can go a step beyond through a living donation of a kidney, or portion of your liver. My donor was my brother and he’s just as healthy today with one kidney as he was before the surgery.
The Michigan Organ Donor Registry is a confidential database that documents an individual’s decision to become an organ, tissue and eye donor. Joining the registry is simple and secure. Michiganders can add their name online at Michigan.gov/OrganDonation, at any Secretary of State branch office or self-service station, or on your state income tax return. And while you’re at it … the donation of blood through the Red Cross is an easy way to save another life. Last spring, donated blood saved my life.