Follow the Money: DeVos money dominates campaign funding for numerous Kent County positions

There is a recent political ad, an ad which is promoting five Republican officials, all of which are up for re-election. The ad is paid for by a group named Maintain Our Majority and they have been a lot of in kinds for local Republican candidates in the Kent County area.

The five that are up for re-election are – Lisa Posthumus Lyons, Chris Becker, Peter MacGregor, Michelle LaJoye-Young and Ken Yonker. In four of the 5 races there is a Democrat that is challenging them, but the most that any of them have raised in campaign funds is just a fraction of what the GOP incumbents have raised.

What follows in the amount raised by the five Republican incumbents – most of which comes from the DeVos family, plus I will provide a listing of the top donors through the most recent campaign finance data.

Lisa Posthumus Lyons has raised a total of $132,682.37. Her opponent, Scott Urbanowski has only raised $8,455.94. The top contributors to Lyons are:

• TGIF Victory Fund – $10,000
• Cheri DeVos – $8,325
• Steve Ehmann – $8,325
• Doug DeVos – $8,325
• Maria DeVos – $8,325
• Dick DeVos – $8,325
• Betsy DeVos – $8,325
• Daniel DeVos – $8,325
• Pamela DeVos – $8,325
• Joan Secchia – $4,000
• Mark Murray – $3,100
• Michael Jondernoa – #,000
• Jim Williams – $2,604.10
• John Kennedy – $2,000
• J.C. Huizenga – $1,200
• Tom Bylenga – $1,200
• Dave Dishaw – $1,050
• Jo DeMarco – $1,040.82
• Mike Ellis – $1,000
• Mark Bissell – $1,000

Chris Becker has raised a total of $131,956.39. His opponent, Steve Draft-Peppin, has only raised $600. The top contributors to Becker are:

• TGIF Victory Fund – $20,000
• Cheri DeVos – $8,325
• Steve Ehmann – $8,325
• Doug DeVos – $8,325
• Maria DeVos – $8,325
• Dick DeVos – $8,325
• Betsy DeVos – $8,325
• Daniel DeVos – $8,325
• Pamela DeVos – $8,325
• Joan Secchia – $4,000
• Charlie Secchia – $2,000
• John Kennedy – $2,000
• Jim Williams – $2,000
• David Van Andel – $2,000
• Carol Van Andel – $2,000
• Mike Ellis – $1,000
• Mark Murray – $1,000
• Tom Bylenga – $1,000
• Mark Bissell – $1,000

Michelle LaJoye-Young has raised a total of $131,531.39. She is running unopposed. Her top contributors are:

• TGIF Victory Fund – $10,000
• Cheri DeVos – $8,325
• Steve Ehmann – $8,325
• Doug DeVos – $8,325
• Maria DeVos – $8,325
• Dick DeVos – $8,325
• Betsy DeVos – $8,325
• Daniel DeVos – $8,325
• Pamela DeVos – $8,325
• Joan Secchia – $4,000
• David Van Andel – $2,500
• Carol Van Andel – $2,500
• Charlie Secchia – $2,000
• John Kennedy – $2,000
• Jim Williams – $2,000
• Mike Ellis – $1,000
• Mark Murray – $1,000
• Tom Bylenga – $1,000
• Mark Bissell – $1,000

Peter MacGregor has raised a total of $177,015.51. His opponent, Daniel N’Kombo, has raised no money. The top contributors to MacGregor are:

• TGIF Victory Fund – $10,000
• Cheri DeVos – $8,325
• Steve Ehmann – $8,325
• Doug DeVos – $8,325
• Maria DeVos – $8,325
• Dick DeVos – $8,325
• Betsy DeVos – $8,325
• Daniel DeVos – $8,325
• Pamela DeVos – $8,325
• Daniel Hibma – $8,325
• Heather Lombardini – $8,325
• Joan Secchia – $4,250
• Jim Williams – $2,104.10
• Charlie Secchia – $2,000
• John Kennedy – $2,000
• J.C. Huizenga – $1,200
• Tom Bylenga – $1,200
• David Bilardello – 1,020.82
• Lucas Middleton – $1,000
• Martin Spaulding – $1,000
• Mike Ellis – $1,000
• Mark Bissell – $1,000

Ken Yonker has raised a total of $142,636.35. His opponent, Matthew Morey, has raised no funds. The top contributors to to Yonkers are:

• TGIF Victory Fund – $10,000
• Cheri DeVos – $8,325
• Steve Ehmann – $8,325
• Doug DeVos – $8,325
• Maria DeVos – $8,325
• Dick DeVos – $8,325
• Betsy DeVos – $8,325
• Daniel DeVos – $8,325
• Pamela DeVos – $8,325
• Richard Steigenga – $4,500
• Joan Secchia – $4,000
• Jim Williams – $2,104.10
• Charlie Secchia – $2,000
• John Kennedy – $2,000
• Craig Newhoff – $1,500
• Tom Bylenga – $1,200
• Mike Ellis – $1,000
• Mark Bissell – $1,000

When the Grand Rapids Power Structure buys elections

As anyone can see from the data we have provided here the electoral process is automatically corrupted by the influx of large sums of money by members of the Grand Rapids Power Structure. You have 8 members of the DeVos family contributing a total of $330,000 for just 5 Kent County candidates.

Of course, the close associates of the DeVos family, like the Secchia family, John Kennedy, Mark Murray, Mark Bissell and several others are also part of the Grand Rapids Power Structure and are playing their part in determining public policy in this community. Also, in case people were wondering, the TGIF Victory Fund has some of the same funders that are listed above, it’s just another avenue for the Capitalist Class to dictate politics in this community. I know that we were all taught in 8th grade civics class the notion of, “one person, one vote,” but that is not how real electoral politics is played and never has been.