Michigan Campaign Finance Network
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The Michigan Campaign Finance Network is a "nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition of organizations and individuals working to uncover the influence of money in politics." The way to prevent this influence, as the MCFN sees it, is to develop campaign finance reform in Michigan. As part of their work, MCFN conducts research on campaign contributions and their relationship to election outcomes and issues of public policy, the group supports access to campaign finance information, and develops educational initiatives for the public on campaign finance reform.[1]
The work of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network is supported by the Joyce Foundation and the Michigan Prospect for Renewed Citizenship; the organization is also a Justice at Stake partner.[2]
Board of Directors
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Judicial Elections
Great Lake States: Leading Battlefields for Judical Elections
Five midwestern states, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin have been identified in a report published by Justice at Stake as "the epicenter of a spreading arms race between corporate interests, trial lawyers, ideological groups and political partisans who are committed to bending state judges to their will.[3]
MCFN ED: Predicts $20 Million Judicial Election
Rich Robinson, Executive Director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network believes that "a nasty, noisy and ridiculously expensive Michigan Supreme Court election campaign may be in the offing once again in 2008." He cites current Chief Justice Clifford W. Taylor and Michigan Democratic Party chairperson Mark Brewer who have both raised the prospect of a $20 million campaign when Justice Taylor runs for a second term next year.
A recent news release by the organization explains that the Michigan House of Representatives is currently conducting hearings on the financing of Supreme Court races and the absence of recusal or self-disqualification procedures. Robinson himself testified at a recent hearing describing the campaign finance environment for Supreme Court races as "an incubator for conflicts of interest." Robison advocated for reforms including the aforementioned recusal standards and public financing of election campaigns.[4]
MCFN Uncovers Millions in Undisclosed Contributions
Millions of dollars in contributions are pouring into Michigan elections from special interest groups that have found it easy to influence votes by circumventing Michigan's 28-year-old campaign finance law. As a result of political action committees designed to avoid restrictions on direct donations to political parties and candidates, voters have no way of knowing who "bankrolled a big chunk of the $18 million spent on behalf of Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Dick Posthumus in the 2002 election." The nonprofit watchdog Michigan Campaign Finance Network says about $10 million went into advertising not disclosed in any public report.
Michigan citizens also have little more than the names of two rival committees - one set up by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce - to suggest who spent nearly $2 million boosting and bashing Justice Stephen J. Markman before he was re-elected to the Supreme Court in November.
Michigan Campaign Finance Network Director Richard Robinson says there's a good reason for Michigan to do a better job of tracking and regulating the dollar flow. "Political contributions are investments and they seek a return on what's invested," Robinson said. "Everybody ought to know whose interests are being served - who wants to put somebody in office."[5]
See Also
External Links
- Rich Robinson and MichiganMessenger.com, George Soros' entity, falsely accuse Drolet of Felony Campaign Finance Violation
- Testimony of Rich Robinson, Michigan Campaign Finance Network to the House Judiciary Committee
