Court grants preliminary injunction in Michigan earmarks case

(The Center Square) – A constitutional challenge to Michigan’s earmark spending process scored a major court victory this week after a judge halted further payments tied to certain taxpayer-funded grants.

The Michigan Court of Claims granted a preliminary injunction in Mackinac Center for Public Policy v. Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, temporarily freezing the challenged funding until the court reaches a final decision in the case.

The lawsuit, first filed last year, argued lawmakers violated the Michigan Constitution by approving billions in earmarks and “community enhancement grants” without the required two-thirds supermajority vote in both legislative chambers.

“This ruling was a major win for Michigan taxpayers and an important check on lawmakers seeking to funnel billions in taxpayer dollars to special projects without the required supermajo...