Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer Faces Democratic Backlash Over $50 Million Copper Mine Subsidy
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer is facing criticism from within her own Democratic party regarding a $50 million subsidy approved for a copper mining project in the western Upper Peninsula. The Michigan Strategic Fund approved the funding, which will go to Highland Copper Inc. for the Copperwood Mine deal. This approval occurred despite previous legislative efforts to secure funding for the project having stalled for two years. State Senator Jeff Irwin, a Democrat from Ann Arbor, stated on Facebook that the governor's staff is attempting to 'repurpose those dollars' from a four-year-old state appropriation for a different project, suggesting the deal lacked legislative support. The vote by the Strategic Fund board was 7-2 in favor of the $45 million grant, with an additional $5 million approved for local road improvements. Notably, four of the 'yes' votes came from Whitmer's administrative staff, including Quentin Messer Jr., CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., and Susan Corbin, director of ... 
