Always Follow the Money: Who in Michigan is taking campaign contributions from the cops?

Over the next week or so, GRIID will be posting articles about campaign financing, since the most recent deadline for filing was October 25. Most of the campaign contributions are for the 2024 Elections, but it is never too early to think about which organizations and which members of the Capitalist Class are seeking to influence both the outcome of the 2024 Elections and public policy that will be proposed by those elected.

For several years now, GRIID has been tracking campaign contributions from various police unions and their political action committees (PACs). The focus has mostly been on campaign contributions from the Grand Rapids Police Officers Association, which has been making substantial contributions to local candidates. For example, in 2022, Drew Robbins, who ran as a 1st Ward candidate for City Commission in Grand Rapids, received $10,000.00 from the Grand Rapids Police Officer’s Association, money that helped him to defeat the incumbent.

In looking at data for the most recent campaign finance filings, the Grand Rapids Police Officer’s Association PAC did not make any contributions as of October 25, but they have raised tens of thousands of dollars from 1,292 individual contributions. The Grand Rapids Police Officer’s Association PAC will likely makes campaign contributions to candidates during the 2024 Elections and we will continue to update you on which candidates the GRPD cop union is backing. 

There are other notable police unions in Michigan that have contributed to political parties in Michigan, along with individual candidates. The Michigan State Troopers Political Action Committee is one of them. According to data from the Michigan Secretary of State’s campaign finance page, the MI State Troopers PAC has contributed roughly $35,000.00 to candidates and partisan groups. Here is a list of some of the larger contributions:

• MI Senate Democratic Fund $2,500
• MI House Democratic Fund $2,500
• Joe Tate Leadership PAC (D) $2,500
• Kevin Hertel for State Senate (D) $2,000
• House Republican Campaign Committee $1,500
• Jason Morgan for State Rep. (D) $1,500
• Kelly Breen (D) $1,000
• Brinks for Michigan (D) $1,000
• Whitmer Leadership Fund (D) $1,000
• Matt Hall (R) $1,000 
• Sarah Lightner (R) $1,000
• Singh for MI (D) $1,000 
• Vanderwall Majority Fund (R) $1,000
• Friends of Will Snyder (D) $1,000
• Nesbitt Majority Fund (R) $1,000
• McCann for Michigan (D) $1,000

Candidates/PACs based in West Michigan that have received campaign contributions from the MI State Troopers PAC are:

• Senator Winnie Brinks $1,000
• Nesbitt Majority Fund $1,000
• Senator Mark Huizenga $500
• Roger Victory for State Senate $500
• Rep. John Fitzgerald $500
• PHILPAC (Rep. Skaggs) $500

Police Departments have come under increased scrutiny in recent years, in part because of the high profile cases of cops killing Black people like Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Patrick Lyoya. With the increased number of police murders of BIPOC people, there are more people confronting politicians who are accepting money from police unions. BIPOC-led movements are calling on all people who are able to vote, to consider not supporting candidates who take money from police unions. Candidates who take money from police unions is an indication that they fundamentally support the function that cops play in enforcing state violence, which disproportionately impacts BIPOC communities and their safety.