NEW: Major Campaign Finance Violations Uncovered in Michigan

Climate Cabinet PAC and 7 Candidate Committees key to majority tangled in an alarming web of campaign finance violations

(Lansing, Mich. – October11, 2024) A groundbreaking complaint today filed with the Michigan Secretary of State by conservative watchdog group Michigan Rising Action has exposed an alarming web of alleged campaign finance violations across seven key Democrat candidate committees – potentially compromising the integrity of Michigan’s upcoming election.

The complaint outlines a disturbing pattern of illegal contributions totaling nearly $200,000, deceptive reporting practices, and blatant disregard for campaign finance regulations.

 At the center of these allegations is Climate Cabinet PAC – Michigan, which attempted to register as an Independent Committee on April 4, 2024, but failed to meet crucial legal requirements. The complaint alleges that Climate Cabinet PAC – Michigan and seven candidate committees committed multiple violations– including illegally giving and receiving funds tainted with corporate donations from its Super PAC account–  that could significantly impact the fairness of the electoral process. 

Democrat state house candidates alone reported receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of of direct and in-kind contributions to their campaigns for the 2023-2024 election cycle.

“These brazen campaign finance violations must be ended immediately,” writes complainant and executive director of Michigan Rising Action, Abby Mitch. “The Michigan Department of State should accept nothing less than full transparency and compliance with the law.”

This revelation demands immediate attention and action from state authorities, the complaint further  states. 

Key Allegations:

• Climate Cabinet PAC – Michigan is accused of making illegal contributions to candidate committees using funds from its “Super PAC” account, which contains corporate donations – a clear violation of state law.
• The PAC allegedly failed to meet the requirements for “Independent Committee” status while making contributions at higher limits than permitted.
• Multiple candidate committees are alleged to have accepted excessive contributions, violating state campaign finance laws.
• Climate Cabinet PAC – Michigan is accused of filing incomplete or inaccurate reports, including a failure to report administrative expenses, raising questions about the transparency of its operations.
• The complaint highlights discrepancies between federal and state filings regarding contributor information, further emphasizing the need for a thorough investigation.

If these allegations are substantiated, the implicated committees could face significant consequences, including civil fines and potential criminal penalties as outlined in the Michigan Campaign Finance Act.

“Given Secretary Jocelyn Benson’s repeated and public commitments to fairness and integrity in our elections process, we expect that Secretary of State to review the complaint promptly and determine if a full investigation is warranted,” Mitch said. “It is without question that the outcome of this case could have far-reaching implications for campaign finance practices in Michigan and potentially influence the 2024 election.” 

### 

COMPLAINT-Climate-Cabinet-PAC-10.11.24-.docx

Complaint-Climate-Cabinet-PAC-Attachment-1-Data-10.7.24-Sheet1-1

Attachment-2-Statement-of-Organization-Email-Exchanges