Always Follow the Money: Campaign Finances for Grand Rapids Mayoral Candidate David LaGrand

In late May, for State Legislator David LaGrand had announced that he was running for Mayor of Grand Rapids. LaGrand is the only candidate to announce for the Mayoral seat in Grand Rapids, since Mayor Bliss is term limited and will serve as Mayor until the end of 2024.

The first batch of campaign finance data are now available through Access Kent at this link. Just type in the name of the candidate and you will see that David LaGrand already has 29 pages of campaign finance information for this quarter, which you can see here.

With less than two months of fundraising, LaGrand already has raised $16,329.37. LaGrand had 81 different people contribute to his campaign so far, ranging from $25 to several thousand. Here is a list of people who made contributions of $250 or more:

• Sam Cummings (President of Second Story Properties) – $2,450
• Scott Bowen (Lawyer) – $2,250
• Christopher LaFleur (Executive at LaFleur Marketing) – $1000
• Steven Pestka (President H & H Management & Development Co.) – $1000
• Jeff Shutz (Retired) – $1000
• Anita Eerdmans ( Owner Eerdmans Publishing Company) – $500
• Clay West (17th Circuit Court Judge) – $500
• Aaron Jonker (Consultant) – $500
• Donald Bartel (Retired) – $500
• Gary De Kock (Retired) – $353.45
• Michelle Bartel (Pastor at First Presbyterian Church) –  $258.32
• Hal Ostrow (Lawyer with Rhoades McKee) – $258.32
• Richard Stevens (Retired) – $258.32
• Chris Nienhuis (Sales Manager Alta Equipment Company) – $258.32
• Cary Fleischer (Retired) – $250
• Larry Willey (Lawyer with Willey & Chamberlain) – $250
• Kirk Dornbush (Consultant with Elevator Resources) – $250
• Judy Freeman (Consultant with Education Consulting Practice) – $250
• Richa – $250

Now, on LaGrand’s campaign website, he states, “I do not and will not accept money from corporations.” However, it is clear that from his first reporting of campaign finances as a candidate for Mayor of Grand Rapids, that LaGrand will take money from people who own corporations. 

Maybe the most egregious example of someone who owns a corporation and has contributed to LaGrand’s campaign is Sam Cummings. The Campaign Finance report says that Cummings is President of Second Story Properties, but Second Story Properties is nothing more than a subsidiary of CWD Real Estate Investment. CWD stands for Cummings, Wierda and DeVos.

GRIID has written about Sam Cummings and CWD in past postings, such as: 

CWD and the West MI Power Structure: Part II

One of the biggest looters in Grand Rapids has a problem with the recent protests  

What lessons can be learned from a message to Grand Rapids City Officials from a member of the Grand Rapids Power Structure? 

In addition, Cummings was a signatory to the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce ordinance proposal that would criminalize the unhoused and just during the July 11th Public Hearing at City Hall, Cummings endorsed the City’s version of 2 separate ordinances that would also criminalize the unhoused. At that Public Hearing Cummings said, “up until recently he was referred to as one of this city’s greatest champions. Now I’m greedy, cruel, mean spirited, I’m a looter.” Sam went out of his way to say hi to me during the Public Hearing, no doubt because I am the person who named him as a looter, especially after he made some ridiculous claims after the 2020 uprising in downtown Grand Rapids.

Now, we don’t know where LaGrand stood on the most recent vote by City Commissioners to adopt the ordinances that will punish and criminalize the unhoused, but it is clear that he has taken money from a member of the Capitalist Class that fully endorsed it.

The short list of campaign contributors above is also reflective of a more privileged class of people, such as business owners, lawyers and consultants. The short list above consists of 19 people, who combined contributed just over $12,000 of the $16,329.37 that the Mayoral candidate has raised.

Now, campaign finances aren’t the only thing we should be looking at, but those with deep pockets don’t contribute without expecting something in return. As a State Representative, LaGrand was the recipient of Chamber of Commerce money, so it will be interesting to see of the Chamber backs him for Mayor. GRIID will continue to report on campaign financing for City, County and State races, since following the money can tell us an awful lot about politicians.