Michigan House speaker claims he won transparency award. It might be fake

Craig Mauger and Beth LeBlanc, The Detroit News on Mar 18, 2026

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LANSING, Mich. — Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, who's been criticized for blocking bills to make the Legislature's records available to the public, claimed Tuesday to have won a transparency award from an organization that might not exist.

At a press conference inside the Capitol, the Richland Township Republican told reporters he had been honored by a group called Michigan Sunshine Transparency and Accountability for Taxpayer Expenditures or MI STATE. The announcement came during the annual Sunshine Week, which celebrates transparency.

Hall read a letter that he said was from the board of directors of MI STATE, recognizing an effort by the House to implement stricter vetting rules for budget earmarks. Hall named the policy the "Hall Ethics, Accountability and Transparency plan."

"We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the sole recipient of our sunshine advocate award," Hall read from the letter during the press conference. "While we reviewed many pieces of legislation and overall legislative activity, we note your advocacy for and passage of the HEAT plan, the Hall Ethics Accountability and Transparency plan."

However, as of Wednesday, there was no record of an organization named MI STATE or Michigan Sunshine Transparency and Accountability for Taxpayer Expenditures being incorporated in Michigan. The group has no apparent internet presence, and multiple transparency advocates told The Detroit News they had never heard of it.

Plus, two sources familiar with the situation said the award, which Hall presented as serious in his briefing, wasn't actually serious. The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were discussing internal matters.

No copy of transparency award letter provided by House speaker's office

Hall's office has not responded to requests for copies of the letter the group allegedly sent him informing him of the transparency award.

In a statement, Hall said a "group of transparency advocates reached out to give me an award and thank me for the work I did to shine a light on state funding."

"People are sick and tired of business as usual in Lansing, and I’m putting a stop to it," Hall added. "HEAT is the most important ethics reform to pass in Lansing in a decade, and everyone knows it, including MI STATE. That’s a great thing that should be celebrated, and I’m glad MI STATE is celebrating this big win for taxpayers. You should celebrate it, too."

The speaker didn't reply to a text message asking for any proof he had that the award was real.

During the press conference, Hall described the group, MI STATE, as "what most people consider to be one of the premier transparency and accountability organizations out there.”

"I am the No. 1 ethics, accountability and transparency legislator probably that you guys have ever covered," Hall said Tuesday. "And I’ve done more for ethics, accountability and transparency in the state capitol than any leader probably ever.”

Democratic senator accuses Hall of making up transparency award

In a social media post Tuesday night, Sen. Jeremy Moss, D-Bloomfield Township, accused Hall of making up the award.

Moss has championed legislation to subject lawmakers and the governor's office to the Freedom of Information Act, which requires government agencies to release records upon a request from the public. Hall has refused to take up the bills, which passed the Senate last year.

Lisa McGraw, the public policy manager for the Michigan Press Association, which advocates for increasing government transparency, said as far as she knows, MI STATE doesn't exist.

"I have never heard of them," McGraw said.

Likewise, Michael Reitz, a transparency advocate and executive vice president of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Midland, said he hadn't heard of MI STATE before Halls' press conference.

The Detroit News reported Monday that, in recent weeks, Hall's House Business Office has refused to divulge basic details of expenses related to the expansion of the chamber's police service.

Over the past several months, Hall has frequently opened his weekly press conferences by announcing awards he received from different policy and media groups.

Curtis Hertel, chairman of the Michigan Democratic Party, said he was now giving Hall the SAD award or the "Speaker's Asinine Decision" award.

"We made up an award, too," Hertel joked.