Follow the Money: Who received campaign contributions from utility PACs, GR Chamber PAC, GRPD Union PAC and the Realtors PAC recently?

We are now nearly two weeks removed from the August 4th Primary Election, but we can learn a great deal about which candidates received significant sums of campaign contributions from some of the more notorious entities in Michigan and Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids Police Officer’s Association PAC

The GRPD cop union has been contributing to political candidates for decades, although they don’t have deep pockets. However, they have been very selective in who they give money to, which is once again the case in the most recent campaign finance data just before the August Primary. The two candidates that are still in the running for the November Election are:

Drew Jake Robbins – $5,000

Steve Tibbe – $2,000

Robbins is running as the 84th State House seat as a Republican candidate and he received $10,000 from the GRPD cop union in 2022. Steve Tibbe is running for the open seat that Robbins vacated to run for the State House. The GRPD cop union contribution to Tibbe was made after the initial campaign fillings for First Ward candidates that I wrote about on July 25th.  However, Tibbe has yet to submit that information to the Kent County Clerk’s Office, since there is no filing for the $2,000 from the Grand Rapids Police Officer’s Association PAC.

Friends of West Michigan Business Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce

Nearly all of the funds that the GR Chamber PAC gave out when to Republican candidates or Republican Committees. The only Democrat to take money from the GR Chamber PAC was Carol Glandville who took $500.

It is also worth looking at the names of people who contributed to the GR Chamber PAC, since many of the names listed are part of the Grand Rapids Power Structure.

Realtors PAC of Michigan

Housing continues to be a hotly contested issue in Michigan, so it is no surprise that the Realtors PAC of Michigan contributed over $1 million this election quarter in Michigan. The Realtors PAC of Michigan gave to both Democratic Party and Republican Party committees and candidates. One notable candidate running for re-election is Kristian Grant, who received $14,000, as she sits on the Housing Committee in the State House. Grant has consistently received funding from the housing for profit sector, despite her claims to be a champion for affordable housing.

Kristian Grand  – $14,000

Utility Company Political Action Committees have been the primary driver when it comes to influencing state politicians, which in turn have allowed for massive utility rate increases in recent years.

Dte Energy Company PAC

The DTE PAC contributed nearly half a million in the most recent election cycle. They contributed nearly an equal amount to the Republican and Democratic Party State Committees, since they follow the plan of “no matter who gets elected we are going to influence them.”

The only noted Democrat to take money from DTE was State Senator Winnie Brinks, even though she is term limited. Brinks received $4,500, which means she channeled that money to other candidates she is endorsing.

Cms Energy Corp Employees for Better Government

Like the DTE PAC, the Consumer’s Energy PAC also gave lots of money to both the Democrats and Republicans. There were two notable Democratic politicians that received funding from this PAC:

Winnie Brinks – $5,000

John Fitzgerald  – $3,500

This is why it is important to follow the money, since money often influences the policies that politicians will vote on, policies that reflect the interests of the corporate world and other groups that do not represent the majority of the population.