Following last week’s introduction of a $38 million “iPod bill” in Michigan, a report has surfaced claiming that two of the lawmakers backing the bill made a trip to California to meet with Apple — at least partially on Apple’s dime. According to the Detroit Free Press, Rep. Matt Gillard and House Speaker Andy Dillon, among others, made the trip to San Francisco. Dillon has issued a statement defending the trip, saying he was “one of several lawmakers to take this trip, and I am more convinced than ever that the future for our children lies in education. As we move to the technology age and the knowledge-based economy, it would be irresponsible to separate technology from our K-12 system.” They did not identify the other lawmakers who went on the trip, and Apple has not made their Lansing, MI lobbyist available for comment.
Charles Starrett was a senior editor at iLounge. He's been covering the iPod, iPhone, and iPad since their inception. He has written numerous articles and reviews, and his work has been featured in multiple publications.