Michigan's lobbyists set a record; it's tied to billions of unspent dollars

Lansing — As Michigan lawmakers weighed how to shell out billions of dollars in surplus funds and federal COVID-19 relief money, they encountered record spending of a different kind: lobbyists trying to influence their decisions.

The lure of government funds helped spur $44.2 million in expenditures on lobbying in 2021, up 3% from the previous high set in 2019, according to disclosures due at the end of January.