Michigan Democrats are taking 1st shot at corporate funding with proposed ethics, campaign finance reform

By Rob South/MLive

LANSING - State House Democrats want lawmakers and state officers to be more accountable and open about where they get personal and campaign donations. The package of bills and a resolution to amend the state constitution are aimed primarily at money from corporations.

Democrats say a flood of untraceable money has created a “pay to play” environment at the Capitol. Michigan is one of only three states that don’t require elected or appointed officials to report personal donations not related to campaign contributions.

House minority leader Rick Hammel, D- Mt. Morris Township, says personal contributions should be as transparent as campaign contributions.

“There should be more disclosure on that money and sunshine on those, too. There is a big difference between contributions aimed at campaigns that we have to report, and the very large personal donations from corporations that may have influence on a lawmaker, never get reported.”

The ballot proposal would amend the state constitution to say that citizens have a right to know where lawmakers are getting their money.

Among other proposals, the package also:

• Includes a “cooling off period” that would prevent lawmakers from taking a job as a state lobbyist for two years after they leave office.

•Prohibits state elected officials from getting state grants, or soliciting campaign contributions while in a state facility.

• Toughens campaign finance disclosure and corporate accountability after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on corporate spending in campaigns

• Prevents state contractors, companies that accept federal bail-out money, and foreign-controlled corporations from spending money in Michigan elections.

• Requires corporations to publically disclose funders.

• Bans the state from awarding any contract over $100,000 to anyone who made campaign contributions to elected officials.

• Requires "robo-calls" to clearly state the name and address of the sponsor.

Ari Adler, press secretary for Speaker of the House Jase Bolger, R-Marshall, says they just received the bills this morning.

“Saying you support better campaign finance and ethics laws is like saying you are for the sun coming up tomorrow,” Adler says. “It’s difficult to argue with the concept, but the devil is in the details.”

Adler says Republicans have concerns that labor unions have been left out of the package. And he voiced concern that Republicans were not consulted when crafting it.

"Bills that are introduced with purely political intentions may have some good parts to them," he says, "but it will take time to dig in and find what those might be.and will continue reviewing the bills."