Jan112021
press release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

News from Progress Michigan 

January 11, 2021

Contact: Sam Inglot, 616-916-0574, sam@progressmichigan.org 

Progress Michigan Demands Accountability from Corporate GOP Donors

Those who funded right-wing attack on democracy should withdraw their campaign contributions 

MICHIGAN –– Today, Progress Michigan identified prominent individuals and corporate PACs based in Michigan who have donated to elected officials responsible for the spread of misinformation about our elections that eventually led to an assault on American democracy last Wednesday. 

Members of Congress Lisa McClain, Jack Bergman and Tim Walberg, who voted to challenge certain states’ electoral votes, along with others like State Rep. Matt Maddock who helped organize a bus caravan to Washington last week, have received campaign contributions from individuals and corporations through their personal campaign and leadership PAC accounts. Progress Michigan believes those who do not act in the face of the unprecedented attack arecomplicit in the white supremacist violence that took place at the U.S. Capitol. 

In response to these findings, Progress Michigan Executive Director Lonnie Scott issued the following statement: 

“Companies like Dow Chemical and Rocket Mortgage decided today that their contributions to the figures who inspired an assault on our nation’s capital would end. We encourage these other companies and individuals to do the same immediately. Five people died, Trump continues to lie and give fanfare to these white supremacists and more violence across the 50 states is expected in these next few weeks during the presidential transition. Enough is enough. If they continue to donate to these elected officials, they are responsible, and as such they should be held accountable. Companies that have already made announcements, like Dow and those connected to Dan Gilbert, should also guarantee that their money will not simply be cycled through generic party or leadership accounts to help those who incited violence.” 

Below is a summary of the information Progress Michigan compiled from available campaign finance disclosures from state and federal databases, which are all contributions from the 2019-2020 cycle unless otherwise noted: 

  • Lisa McClain used to work for Hantz Financial Group. Roughly $205,225 in campaign contributions from Hantz employees and their family members went to McClain’s campaign. 
  • Tony Soave, president and CEO of Soave Enterprises, has donated to the campaigns of Jack Bergman ($2,800), Lisa McClain ($2,800) and Tim Walberg ($2,800). He also donated to Florida Senator Rick Scott ($5,000) last cycle and to Donald Trump’s reelection this year, with $100,000 to Trump Victory PAC and $2,800 to Donald J. Trump for President. 
  • Edward Levy, CEO of Edw. C. Levy Co, a controversial aggregates company, donated $2,800 to Lisa McClain, along with $5,600 each to Tim Walberg and Jack Bergman. He has donated about half a million dollars to Republican Super PACs last cycle, not to mention giving the maximum allowable limit by law to Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, California Rep. Devin Nunes, and Kentucky Rep. Andy Barr. 
  • Levy’s wife, fashion designer Linda Dresner, has donated $46,400.00 to the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, in addition to making the same amount of contributions as her husband did listed above. Dresner is on the board of the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit. 
  • Dave Trott, former U.S. congressman and president of Trott & Trott PC, donated $2,000 to Jack Bergman in 2019, and in years past has given thousands to both Bergman and Walberg. 
  • Ron Weiser has donated $1,000 to Matt Maddock, $2,000 to Lisa McClain, $29,000 to the Trump Victory Committee, $25,000 to the Bergman Victory Committee, $5,600 to Bergman for Congress, $5,400 to Walberg for Congress, $2,700 to Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Rick Scott, and $5,200 to the Ted Cruz Victory Committee in 2017. Weiser, incoming chair of the MIGOP, is a former ambassador to Slovakia and is a member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents. He is also a major donor to the university. 
  • The DeVos family has given $28,000 each to Bergman and Walberg and $14,000 to McClain. Daniel, Douglas, Pamella, Suzanne and Maria are the DeVos family members listed. 

Other Corporate Contributions to McClain, Walberg and Bergman: 

  • Delta Air Lines PAC has donated $5,000 to Bergman and $7,500 to Walberg.
  • Charter Communications PAC has donated $5,000 to Bergman and $12,500 to Walberg.
  • Southwest Airlines Pilot Association PAC has donated $5,000 to Bergman.
  • DTE Energy PAC donated $10,000 Bergman, McClain and Walberg. 
  • CMS Energy Corporation Employees PAC gave $10,000 to Bergman and Walberg and $5,000 to McClain.
  • Rock Holdings PAC gave $5,000 to Bergman and McClain and $7,500 to Walberg.
  • Michigan Farm Bureau PAC gave $4,500 to Bergman, $2,000 to Walberg and $5,000 to McClain. 
  • General Motors PAC gave $2,500 to McClain, $10,000 to Walberg and $5,000 to Bergman.
  • Flagstar Bank PAC donated $3,500 to McClain and $2,000 to Walberg. It hasn’t donated to Bergman since 2016, when it donated $5,000 to him.

Contributions to Michigan Rep. Matt Maddock: 

  • Rocky Raczkowski, who is the chair of the Oakland County GOP and owns MRG Logistics, donated $250 to Friends of Matt Maddock. 
  • Mike Cox, former Michigan attorney general and wife of outgoing MIGOP Chair Laura Cox, donated $2,500 to Friends of Matt Maddock.
  • Terri Lynn Land, former Michigan Secretary of State and current member of the Wayne State University Board of Governors, donated $1,000 to Matt Maddock in November of 2019. 
  • MI Petroleum Jobbers PAC has donated $1,500 total to Friends of Matt Maddock.
  • Insurance Alliance of MI has donated $1,000 to Friends of Matt Maddock.
  • Realtors PAC of MI has donated $2,500 to Friends of Matt Maddock.
  • Great Lakes Education Project PAC donated $250 to Friends of Matt Maddock.
  • Neal Stoneback, owner of Metro Welding, and his family have donated $2,100 to Friends of Matt Maddock and $5,000 to the Maddock Leadership Fund. 
  • The American Credit Union League has donated $250 to the Maddock Leadership Fund. 
  • MI Farm Bureau PAC has donated $500 to Friends of Matt Maddock.
  • Great Lakes Gun Rights PAC has donated $500 to Friends of Matt Maddock.
  • Auto Dealers of MI PAC has donated $1,000 total to Friends of Matt Maddock.
  • Clark Hill PAC has donated $200 to Friends of Matt Maddock. 
  • Michigan Community College Association PAC has donated $500 total to Friends of Matt Maddock.
  • The Maddock Leadership Fund has also received thousands of dollars of donations from former State House Speaker Lee Chatfield’s leadership PACs. 

“We call on every person, organization and group listed here to commit to not funding anyone who had any part in spreading the lies which led to the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol last week. That includes a vow to not fund the Michigan Republican Party if Meshawn Maddock is elected as co-chair,” Scott continued. “The only way we root out violent white supremacists is if every person stands up and demands change — and that starts with those who have bankrolled the right-wing extremists who caused this mess to begin with.”

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