Several statewide groups are working to ban political contributions from utility companies like DTE, Consumers Energy and corporations that hold state and local government contracts.
Organizers with Voters Not Politicians and Michigan United Action said Monday they will be leading an all-out effort to put a proposal on the ballot that would change how politicians are able to raise money.
Michiganders for Money Out of Politics leaders said DTE and Consumers Energy have dumped millions into Lansing to escape accountability, while Michiganders pay the highest electric rates in the Midwest for the worst power outages.
Sean McBrearty, the state director of Clean Water Action and vice chair of Michiganders for Money Out of Politics, told reporters during a press conference Monday on Zoom that the coalition will look for support from residents across the political spectrum to restrain the power of large corporations that spend millions each year through nonprofits to influence the decisions of lawmakers.
McBrearty said all residents should be united against the worst examples of corporate influence — when corporations become reliant on government support and intervention for their profits.
“Whether you’re a card carrying member of Democratic Socialists of America, or a MAGA hat wearing Republican, or anything in between, we hope to earn your support,” McBrearty said, adding that it will take a grassroots movement counter corporate money’s influence.
Ponsella Hardaway said the groups are taking a huge risk going against giant corporations with virtually unlimited spending power.
“We cannot be polarized and paralyzed by big corporations that we can’t get the things that we need done (to improve) the quality of our lives,” Hardaway said. “This is about David versus Goliath and I think we’re ready to take this risk, we have to, we don’t have a choice.”
Organizers said the ballot language will be presented to the State Board of Canvassers in July, with a goal to collect 357,000 valid signatures for the November 2026 ballot.
“This policy will help us release our Legislature from the corporate capture that it is currently enduring so that our politicians can work to serve the people of Michigan,” said Kim Murphy-Kovalick, senior director of policy and programs for Voters Not Politicians.
Voters Not Politicians was the group that led the effort to reform Michigan’s gerrymandered political district maps thanks to the successful ballot initiative in 2018.
Coalition organizers say there’s already precedent to ban utilities from political spending.
State governments such as Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey, and Georgia and federal agencies such as the Securities Exchange Commission have also banned political spending by monopoly corporations and corporations seeking government contracts, leaders said.
This story was originally published by Michigan Chronicle. Read more here: https://michiganchronicle.com/ballot-proposal-would-ban-political-spending-from-dte-consumers-energy/