Proposal heads to voters after Senate declines to act
A proposal aimed at curbing corporate influence in Michigan politics will head to the Nov. 3 election, giving voters a chance to decide whether to ban political spending by state-regulated energy utility companies – including DTE and Consumers Energy – and companies with large government contracts.
The Michiganders for Money Out of Politics (MMOP) proposal recently cleared a review by the state's elections panel, which certified that the proposal had gathered enough valid voter signatures to advance. The move sent MMOP to the Michigan Legislature for consideration. But the Democratic-led Michigan Senate won't hold a vote on the proposal, sending the measure to the ballot instead, according to Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks.
"MMOP has successfully gathered more than half a million signatures and the message from Michiganders is clear: They want this on the ballot in November. Senate Democrats already agree that there is too much dark money in politics, and we are eager to hear what voters have to say on this issue. In that spirit, we will not be subverting the will of the voters taking it up legislatively," Brinks said in a statement.
Michigan House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, urged Brinks to reconsider, calling it "a shame if the Senate Democrats and Winnie Brinks don't have the guts to act to take the money out of politics."
Michiganders for Money Out of Politics celebrated the decision. "Leader Brinks gets it. Michiganders are fed up with out-of-control corporate political spending and are ready to change our political system this November," said Maura Cowley, campaign manager for the MMOP campaign, in a statement.
"Now, we're laser focused on bringing Michiganders together to resoundingly vote yes in November and stop corporations and regulated monopoly utilities from buying off our politicians," Ken Whittaker, executive director of Michigan United and a member of MMOP's executive committee, said in a statement.
House passes initiative, but Senate move sends it to ballot
Brinks' announcement preceded a vote by the Michigan House of Representatives passing the MMOP initiative. If both chambers vote to adopt MMOP, it would keep the measure off the ballot and make it state law.
The vote for the initiative in the Michigan House had bipartisan support; those opposing it were all Democrats with the exception of state Rep. James DeSana, R-Carleton. The 'no' votes included sponsors of stalled legislation that mirrors the MMOP proposal.
Hall celebrated the vote and made comments about "corrupting politicians and screwing the people of Michigan." Cowley accused Hall of "political gamesmanship," noting he hasn't advanced similar legislation.
Hall also highlighted measures he backed, such as new state budget disclosure requirements.
How Michigan's voter-initiated legislation process works
Under Michigan's Constitution, voters can initiate legislation that can become law by a vote of both chambers of the Michigan Legislature. Unlike regular bills, legislation introduced via a voter initiative does not require approval by the governor. If the Michigan Legislature doesn't take up the voter-initiated legislation, the measure goes to the general election ballot.
Michigan's process for approving voter-initiated legislation stands out nationally in giving a minority of voters in the state the ability to bypass a popular vote and the governor's veto.
The process also allows the Legislature to adopt a different measure addressing the same issue, sending the competing proposals to the general election ballot for voters to consider.
Voter rather than legislative approval of the initiative would make it harder to amend the proposed law.
Opposition and legal challenge
In addition to banning DTE and Consumers Energy from making political contributions, MMOP would also prohibit political spending by companies with government contracts bigger than $250,000.
Protect MI Free Speech, a committee opposed to the MMOP proposal that includes the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, recently filed a lawsuit challenging the proposal's certification to qualify for the November ballot.
Critics of MMOP argue that it amounts to a regulation of political speech.
John Sellek, a spokesperson for the opposition group, said: "It's very disappointing the Senate won't discuss an alternative to the proposal crafted in secret back rooms and funded with millions in dark dollars which silences hundreds of thousands of Michiganders while allowing out-of-state billionaires to run our politics into the future."