LANSING — A campaign finance complaint was filed this week with the Michigan Bureau of Elections outlining how Unlock Michigan is illegally receiving support from Stand Up Michigan advocating for Unlock Michigan’s petition drive to undermine Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s efforts to save lives amid COVID-19.
The complaint details how:
- Stand Up Michigan sent an email on Aug. 5 seeking to raise money to support and promote the Unlock Michigan petition drive.
- Stand Up Michigan sent an email on Aug. 11 soliciting contributions to pay for Unlock Michigan’s petition drive and asking people to sign and circulate the petition.
- The Stand Up Michigan website includes Unlock Michigan’s video on how to fill out the petition, as well as a video from Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey promoting Unlock Michigan and thanking Stand Up Michigan for its work supporting the petition drive.
“This complaint outlines the continued illegal, unscrupulous and deceitful efforts by Unlock Michigan and Stand Up Michigan to get petition signatures at any cost,” said Lavora Barnes, Michigan Democratic Party Chair. “These groups are working hand-in-hand on this partisan petition drive without properly disclosing their finances, breaking the law while putting lives at risk.”
State law requires Unlock Michigan to report any expenditures from any agent or independent contractor. If Stand Up Michigan is not acting as an agent or independent contractor — which the evidence clearly shows it is — Unlock Michigan is required to at least disclose in-kind contributions from Stand Up Michigan, which it hasn’t.
The complaint states Stand Up Michigan has also failed to register as a ballot question committee — another violation of campaign finance law — because it has received contributions worth more than $500 and made expenditures in excess of $500 in support of Unlock Michigan.
“Stand Up Michigan is hiding while doing the dirty work for Unlock Michigan’s irresponsible partisan power grab and they need to be held accountable,” Barnes said.
Complaint
Evidence
