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Brad LaPlante

@bradlaplante.me
510 followers 458 following 1.1K posts

I work at @WLNS.bsky.social, where I report on the influence of money in politics, along with healthcare and education. Send feedback/tips: blaplante@wlns.com

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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 2h
"So You Want to Publish a Newspaper" was delivered as a speech at MSU on Tuesday at 6 p.m. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/o...
nytimes.com
Opinion | So You Want to Publish a Newspaper (Gift Article)
How on earth did The New York Times, a seemingly ossified institution in a dying industry, survive the most destabilizing period in its history — and emerge stronger?
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 5h
“A.I. tools condition people to expect immediate responses and deny them the experience of working through challenges, the authors say, which is crucial for skill development and one of the strongest predictors of long-term learning.” www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
nytimes.com
Will A.I. Make Your Brain Lazy? (Gift Article)
We’re starting to learn more about how the technology can change us.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 14h
Despite record profits, some teams at Apple are being told they can’t bring plus-ones to holiday parties for the first time in years. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
Apple’s New CEO Seeks to Make Company Run Faster and Leaner
Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer John Ternus, just weeks into the role, is moving to overhaul the iPhone maker in an effort to accelerate product development, broaden its range of devices and create...
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 21h
Imagine if every newsroom in the country operated like ProPublica.
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Reposted by Brad LaPlante
ProPublica @propublica.org · 29/09/2026
NEW: A new White House rule would prohibit anyone from using federal grant money for voter registration drives, including ones that help disabled Americans vote. It’s part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to restrict voting access.
propublica.org
This White House Plan Threatens Funding That Helps Disabled Americans Vote
A new rule from the Office of Management and Budget would prohibit anyone from using federal grant money for voter registration drives. It’s part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to restr...
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Reposted by Brad LaPlante
ProPublica @propublica.org · 27/09/2026
ProPublica obtained a vast cache of IRS information showing how billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk pay little in income tax compared to their massive wealth — sometimes, even nothing. From the archives:
propublica.org
The Secret IRS Files: Trove of Never-Before-Seen Records Reveal How the Wealthiest Avoid Income Tax
ProPublica has obtained a vast cache of IRS information showing how billionaires like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and Warren Buffett pay little in income tax compared to their massive wealth — sometimes, ev...
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Reposted by Brad LaPlante
ProPublica @propublica.org · 28/09/2026
Even Navatek’s executives were surprised at how far their money went in D.C. “It was eye-opening for me, frankly. ‘Oh my God, all of it is for sale. It’s all for sale,’” said one.
propublica.org
The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way
After the FBI caught a defense contractor’s CEO making illegal campaign contributions, it sought to launch a sweeping political bribery probe involving Collins and others. Then the second Trump admini...
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 27/09/2026
That time of year when the song about Billie Joe Armstrong’s dad dying is trending
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 27/09/2026
Joanna Whaley, a hospital chaplain and former pastor, is a trans woman running for the Michigan House. She says Republicans have weaponized religion against the LGBTQ+ community and argues that Democrats need to have an answer back.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 24/09/2026
New polling from MSU researchers finds broad opposition to data centers, following months of comparable polls confirming a similar result www.wlns.com/your-local-e...
wlns.com
Survey: 7 in 10 Michiganders oppose data centers
A new survey from Michigan State University researchers revealed that seven in 10 Michiganders oppose the construction of data centers in their communities, citing concerns over energy costs and en…
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 24/09/2026
Wendy’s dropped a pop-punk album music.apple.com/us/album/son...
music.apple.com
Songs to Listen to in a Wendy’s Parking Lot - EP by Wendy's on Apple Music
Album · 2026 · 6 Songs
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Reposted by Brad LaPlante
Politico @politico.com · 24/09/2026
Mikie Sherrill let her LG serve as acting governor for 18 days after internal investigation began
dlvr.it
Mikie Sherrill let her LG serve as acting governor for 18 days after internal investigation began
The investigation into Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell has almost entirely curtailed Sherrill’s out-of-state travel since Labor Day weekend.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 24/09/2026
Kennedy Drew $4 Million in Book Advances From Publisher Who Also Monetized MAHA www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/u...
nytimes.com
RFK Jr. Drew $4 Million in Book Advances From Publisher Who Also Monetized MAHA (Gift Article)
A new disclosure also shows $210,000 in consulting fees paid to Cheryl Hines, the health secretary’s wife, by one of several MAHA-affiliated groups capitalizing from his agenda.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 22/09/2026
"This election cycle, much of the country is grappling with a question Detroit has confronted for generations: is hard work enough to get ahead?" Why Michigan is key to winning the midterms. www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjJX...
youtube.com
Michigan Is a Key Midterm Battleground. What Do Voters Want? | WSJ
YouTube video by The Wall Street Journal
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Reposted by Brad LaPlante
YouGov America @today.yougov.com · 22/09/2026
NEW Economist/YouGov Sep 18-21: The midterms Among likely voters, Democratic congressional candidates lead Republicans 52% to 38% — a 14-point edge, the largest of the cycle Among all registered voters the Democratic lead is 7 points (45% to 38%) yougov.com/en-us/articl...
A line chart of YouGov polling data with the headline: "Who is leading among registered voters and likely voters in the race for Congress in 2026."

The chart has the sub-headline: "In the elections for U.S. Congress in November, who will you vote for in the district where you live? (% of registered voters picking the Democratic candidate minus the % picking the Republican candidate)."

The chart has the note: "Note: Likely voters are U.S. adult citizens who meet two criteria: (1) They either are registered to vote or say they will be registered to vote by the November elections; and (2) They either say they will definitely vote in November or say they have already voted. The displayed question has been used since the August 14 - 17, 2026 survey. Prior surveys asked the question, "If the elections for U.S. Congress were being held today, who would you vote for in the district where you live?" Responses of "other," "not sure," "I would not vote," and "I will not vote" are not shown."
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 22/09/2026
The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way www.propublica.org/article/fbi-...
propublica.org
The FBI Anti-Corruption Squad Was Circling Susan Collins — Until Trump Got in the Way
After the FBI caught a defense contractor’s CEO making illegal campaign contributions, it sought to launch a sweeping political bribery probe involving Collins and others. Then the second Trump admini...
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 20/09/2026
“It is as predatory as it sounds,” said a former DraftKings analyst. “If you lose more, we give you more, so you keep playing more.” He quit in 2024. How DraftKings Uses A.I. to Target the Gamblers Likeliest to Lose www.nytimes.com/2026/09/19/b...
nytimes.com
At DraftKings, AI Targets the Gamblers Likeliest to Lose (Gift Article)
Data science helps determine who receives betting incentives, but the company has resisted using similar technology to protect gamblers at risk of addiction.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 20/09/2026
Competing letters in the race for U.S. Senate have exposed a rift among Michigan's Jewish voters. www.wlns.com/your-local-e...
wlns.com
Dueling letters expose divide among Michigan’s Jewish voters in Senate race
Michigan Jewish voters have split in the U.S. Senate race between Democrat Abdul El-Sayed and Republican Mike Rogers, issuing competing open letters that reflect deep divisions over El-Sayed’…
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 19/09/2026
This podcast just doesn't miss. Since its debut several months ago, it has been my favorite show. The host, Jessica Lussenhop, is a gifted storyteller. I cannot recommend it enough. Every part of this story is jaw-dropping and unbelievable.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 19/09/2026
Our new episode of "The Moment," featuring @joannawhaley.bsky.social, has arrived: "Joanna Whaley says Democrats have lost the working class. She thinks she can help win it back." www.wlns.com/originals/mo...
wlns.com
Joanna Whaley says Democrats lost the working class. She thinks she can help win it back
Democratic nominee Joanna Whaley will seek to become Michigan’s first openly transgender legislator by addressing Christian extremism and economic challenges facing the working class.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 18/09/2026
"High oil prices driving up the cost of everything"
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 17/09/2026
POLL: A new Emerson College/@wlns.bsky.social survey shows Jocelyn Benson ahead of John James by seven points. www.wlns.com/your-local-e...
wlns.com
Jocelyn Benson holds seven-point lead in governor’s race as economy tops voters’ concerns
Democrat Jocelyn Benson holds a seven-point lead over Republican John James in a new Emerson College Polling/6 News poll for Michigan governor.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 17/09/2026
NEW: Data centers emerge as central issue in Michigan elections www.wlns.com/news/politic...
wlns.com
Pushback against AI data centers emerges as central issue in Michigan elections
U.S. Representative Kristen McDonald Rivet introduced legislation on Wednesday to remove two federal tax breaks for large data centers as the House prepares to vote on a bipartisan bill aimed at pr…
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 16/09/2026
Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon call for curbs on AI — NPR apple.news/AABwazZ03Tx6...
apple.news
Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon call for curbs on AI — NPR
The rare pairing of a progressive leader and a MAGA voice is a sign of how worries over rapidly advancing AI are upending political alliances. But their policy proposals are far apart.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 15/09/2026
New: Higher prices are driving more tax revenue for Michigan www.wlns.com/skubick/mich...
wlns.com
Higher prices are driving more tax revenue for Michigan
Michigan’s general fund has collected $455 million more than projected due to increased consumer spending driven by higher prices, according to a state budget expert.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 15/09/2026
Papa Johns, Propaganda and Putin: How a MAGA Influencer With Ties to Russia Became Trump’s Arctic Adviser www.propublica.org/article/thom...
propublica.org
How a MAGA Influencer With Ties to Russia Became Trump’s Arctic Adviser
As head of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, Thomas Dans has backed a takeover of Greenland and other items on President Donald Trump’s list. But it’s not always clear where the administration’s ag...
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Reposted by Brad LaPlante
Sarah Langs @slangsonsports.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
wheeeeeee!
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 12/09/2026
“In an employee meeting this week, Mr. Altman said OpenAI was willing to decelerate development alongside rival labs, according to two people who attended.” www.nytimes.com/2026/09/12/t...
nytimes.com
Inside the Discussions at AI Companies Over a Superintelligence Doomsday (Gift Article)
Researchers at Anthropic, OpenAI, Meta and Google are increasingly trying to raise awareness about the risks of artificial intelligence.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 09/09/2026
NEW: Michigan's primary polls missed by double digits. Here's what to expect in November www.wlns.com/your-local-e...
wlns.com
Michigan’s primary polls missed by double digits. Here’s what two analysts say to expect in November
Two experts explained why Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary polls were wrong.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 09/09/2026
NEW: On Saturday, an SUV struck and killed a 12-year-old boy and injured his 13-year-old sister in Williamston as they rode bikes along the shoulder. It's a reminder that roads are designed for cars — with little room for anyone else. www.wlns.com/news/local-n...
wlns.com
Bicyclist deaths are rising in Michigan. After a Williamston boy’s death, will anything change?
A 12-year-old Williamston boy died and his 13-year-old sister was critically injured after being struck by an SUV while cycling on Grand River Avenue in Leroy Township, highlighting ongoing debates…
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 06/09/2026
“There was nothing fluky about the victory Western Michigan was preparing to celebrate.” www.nytimes.com/athletic/756...
nytimes.com
Michigan got a miracle. It shouldn't have needed one in the first place
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 01/09/2026
New poll finds Michigan voters oppose data centers — and it's not close www.wlns.com/news/politic...
wlns.com
Most Michigan voters oppose data center tax breaks, new poll finds
A new statewide poll by EPIC-MRA reveals that nearly three-quarters of Michigan voters oppose federal tax breaks intended to accelerate data center development, reflecting growing concerns over ene…
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 27/08/2026
NEW: What the Meta settlement means for Michigan teens on social media www.wlns.com/news/michiga...
wlns.com
What Meta’s settlement means for Michigan teens on Instagram and Facebook
Meta reached a settlement with Michigan and 46 other states to implement strict usage limits, mandatory pauses, and enhanced safety features for teenagers on Instagram and Facebook.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 24/08/2026
Does the Republican Party have an issue with racism? I asked Michigan GOP youth chair Krish Mathrani, the son of Indian-American immigrants. Here’s his response:
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 24/08/2026
From @minnahfarshad.bsky.social: ‘I hate Democrats but I love Abdul’ and the progressive voters who left over Gaza but returned for a progressive push www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...
theguardian.com
‘I hate Democrats, but I love Abdul’: voters who left over Gaza return for progressive push
Michigan Senate nominee and others have re-energized one-time Democratic voters who abandoned party under Biden
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 21/08/2026
This week on #TheMoment: Michigan's 19-year-old GOP youth chair on ICE, Dearborn and Trump www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXs_...
youtube.com
Michigan's 19-year-old GOP youth chair on ICE, Dearborn and Trump | The Moment
YouTube video by WLNS 6 News
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 21/08/2026
"In almost every case, the babies’ deaths could have been prevented with a long-standard vitamin K shot. But across the country, families — first in smatterings, now in droves — are declining the single, inexpensive injection given at birth to newborns to help their blood clot."
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 21/08/2026
Babies are bleeding to death as more parents reject a vitamin shot given at birth www.propublica.org/article/more...
propublica.org
Babies Are Bleeding to Death as Parents Reject a Vitamin Shot Given at Birth
A lifesaving injection given at birth to prevent severe bleeding has become collateral damage of the anti-vaccine movement.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 18/08/2026
NEW: In April, a man unknown to Green Party delegates logged into a Zoom meeting during their nominating convention. Around 30 minutes later, he became the nominee in one of the most contentious U.S. House races in the country. www.wlns.com/your-local-e...
wlns.com
Unknown US House candidate who secured Green Party nod with little vetting donated to Republicans in 2023
The Green Party of Michigan nominated Shane Dedrick for Michigan’s 7th Congressional District despite his previous financial contributions to a Republican presidential campaign and lack of pr…
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 15/08/2026
NEW: Mallory McMorrow says Michigan's near-even Senate primary is a sign Democrats are growing, not splitting www.wlns.com/originals/mo...
wlns.com
Mallory McMorrow says Michigan’s near-even Senate primary is a sign Democrats are growing, not splitting
State Sen. Mallory McMorrow argued that the narrow victory of Abdul El-Sayed in the Michigan Democratic Senate primary demonstrates party growth despite intense internal divisions heading into the …
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 15/08/2026
This week on The Moment: @mallorymcmorrow.bsky.social talks about her Senate campaign, what led to her dropping the race and why she thinks the Democratic Party's internal feud is actually a good thing. youtu.be/4vey6i-bldo
youtu.be
Mallory McMorrow on quitting the Senate race, AIPAC and what her 5-year-old told her | The Moment
YouTube video by WLNS 6 News
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 14/08/2026
NEW: This week, John James told me his on-stage claim at a rally with Trump in July that the president "won three times" in the state was about three presidential primaries in 2016, 2020 and 2024. Full exchange:
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 14/08/2026
Mallory McMorrow says a supporter of hers spotted her at a restaurant and told her she shouldn't have quit the Senate race. Watch the full exchange:
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 14/08/2026
Tomorrow on #TheMoment: Mallory McMorrow talks the election, Dem unity and her decision to drop out. Subscribe: youtube.com/bradlaplante
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 12/08/2026
@mallorymcmorrow.bsky.social’s daughter, according to her: "Mom, maybe for your next job, could you think about something you don't have to run for? Because that seems really hard, and you're going into your 40s." Her suggestions? Astronaut, engineer or artist.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 01/08/2026
From @propublica.org: Why oil companies are promoting carbon capture as a solution to climate change, despite mountains of evidence that it would require unimaginable resources to work at scale projects.propublica.org/why-carbon-c....
projects.propublica.org
False Promises: The “Solution” to the Climate Crisis That Won’t Work
As global leaders look to tech advances to solve climate change, one leading idea involves capturing carbon pollution from the air and burying it underground forever. While carbon capture may sound pr...
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 25/07/2026
I spoke with Rima Mohammad, a Palestinian refugee who endorsed Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, about how the Michigan Senate primary is a test of pro-Israel foreign policy. Watch: youtu.be/39DZPYUCk4A?...
youtu.be
A Palestinian refugee on Democrats' biggest test | The Moment
YouTube video by WLNS 6 News
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 25/07/2026
It’s a creator’s world and we’re just living in it.
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 18/07/2026
Women are dying in Africa as US ramps up its global battle against abortion apnews.com/article/afri...
apnews.com
Women are dying in Africa as US ramps up its global battle against abortion
The Trump administration's new, sweeping restrictions on U.S. funding for nongovernmental organizations, foreign governments and U.N. agencies that promote access to abortion overseas is delivering ne...
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Brad LaPlante @bradlaplante.me · 12/07/2026
NYT journalists subpoenaed as Trump escalates pressure on media www.nytimes.com/2026/07/11/b...
nytimes.com
Times Journalists Subpoenaed as Trump Escalates Pressure on Media (Gift Article)
The Justice Department is seeking to compel testimony from reporters who wrote about the new Air Force One. The Times called the move a “brazen act.”
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