Nessel, House Democrats Press Whitmer on Lansing Ethics Reforms
Attorney General Dana Nessel and three Democratic lawmakers are urging Governor Gretchen Whitmer to push through transparency reforms targeting Lansing’s corporate lobbying culture.
LANSING, MICHIGAN — Attorney General Dana Nessel joined three Democratic state representatives Friday to urge Governor Gretchen Whitmer to use her remaining months in office to pass transparency reforms and address what they called Lansing’s “quid pro quo” political culture.
State Representatives Betsy Coffia of Traverse City, Carrie Rheingans of Ann Arbor, and Erin Byrnes of Dearborn participated in the roundtable discussion with Nessel, focusing on the BRITE Act package that aims to reduce corporate lobbying influence on the Legislature.
The lawmakers argued that despite divided government control, Whitmer retains significant political power to advance legislative priorities before her eight-year tenure ends. Two messages seeking comment from Whitmer’s communications team were not returned at the time of publication.
BRITE Act Targets Lobbying Reforms
The discussion centered on the BRITE Act, a comprehensive package of bills sponsored by minority House Democrats. The legislation includes House Bills 4268, 4269, 4270, 4271, 4272, and 4273, designed to limit the influence of corporate lobbyists and financial interests on state lawmakers.
The package would also strengthen Michigan’s campaign and election finance laws, an issue Nessel has championed throughout her nearly decade-long tenure as attorney general. The bills represent what Democrats describe as necessary good governance reforms for a state they say has inadequate transparency requirements.
Push for Action in Final Months
Democratic lawmakers emphasized that seven months provides sufficient time to enact meaningful reforms before Whitmer leaves office. The group called Michigan’s current transparency laws “abysmal” and criticized a political environment they say enables transactional deal-making.
The Friday meeting brought together Capitol press corps members to highlight the transparency issues the lawmakers want addressed. The representatives argued that corporate interests currently wield excessive influence over legislative decisions through lobbying activities that lack proper oversight.
Nessel has consistently advocated for stricter campaign finance regulations and enhanced transparency measures throughout her time as Michigan’s top law enforcement official. The attorney general’s support for the BRITE Act aligns with her broader push for accountability in state government operations.
