Michigan groups aim to ban political spending by DTE, Consumers, state contractors

• A coalition of state nonprofits is hoping to ban companies from donating to politicians. It hopes to put the question to voters next year
• Under the effort, regulated utilities and those with government contracts in excess of $250,000 would be unable to make political contributions
• The group, Michiganders for Money Out of Politics, would need to gather nearly 357,000 signatures to make the November 2026 ballot

LANSING — A group seeking to ban political spending by "monopoly" utilities and large state contractors hopes to put a ballot proposal before Michigan voters in the 2026 election. 

Michiganders for Money Out of Politics on Monday announced plans for a statewide petition drive, with organizers vowing to try to "clean" up the state by limiting corporate political influence. 

While the group has not yet released petition language, organizers said their plan would ban political contributions from regulated utilities like DTE Energy and Consumers Energy, along with any companies with more than $250,000 in contracts with the state government.

They could not immediately say how many companies that might impact but pointed to a state website that lists hundreds of active contracts.

“This is just one of the many ways, one of the many pathways, to true campaign finance reform,” Kim Murphy-Kovalick, senior director of policy and programs at Voters Not Politicians, said during a call with reporters.

“It’s definitely a multi-pronged issue that will take several, several initiatives and pathways for complete transparency in service of voters rather than politicians or corporations.”

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A number of state nonprofit organizations have already announced their involvement with the ballot question, including Voters Not Politicians, Clean Water Action and Michigan United. 

The group would need to gather 356,958 signatures within 180 days of getting approval from the Board of State Canvassers to make the ballot. The group hopes to present petition language to canvassers when they next meet in July. 

The petition drive could face competition with other initiatives that canvassers have already approved for circulation, including an effort to raise taxes on those making over $500,000 a year for further education spending and to undo the Legislature’s recent changes to court-ordered minimum wage and sick leave laws. 

Michigan lawmakers in April introduced similar legislation to block Michigan utilities and major government contractors from making political donations. But the bills — like others before them — have not advanced. 

In the last legislative session, DTE or Consumers-affiliated political action committees gave contributions to 120 of 148 legislators’ campaigns or leadership PACs, nearly $560,000 over two years. The contributions were bipartisan and almost evenly split between lawmakers and related leadership PACs from both major political parties.

The largest recipients of Consumers and DTE donations last term were the leaders of each chamber, then-House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit, ($46,000) and current Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids ($26,000).

The third-largest recipient was state Rep. Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, who is now House Speaker. He and his related leadership PACs accepted $24,500 from the utilities in 2023 and 2024.

Spokespersons with both DTE and Consumers — incumbent utilities that provide energy to a majority of homes and businesses in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula —  told Bridge Michigan in separate emailed statements that they opposed the new initiative. 

Each also emphasized that any political contributions made did not come from money received from customers. 

“DTE Energy is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen and complies with all applicable laws regarding corporate donations and political contributions,” spokesperson Ryan Lowry said in a statement. 

“In compliance with our (integrated resource plan) settlement, we have voluntarily expanded our disclosures to increase transparency for all stakeholders,” he added. “These disclosures showcase DTE's commitment to our customers and communities we serve, helping us meet our aspiration of being best in the world and best for the world.” 

Katie Carey, a spokesperson for Consumers Energy, said the utility “goes above what is required by law” to publish on its website the previous year’s political contributions, including expenditures made to influence the outcome of ballot initiatives.

"We participate in the legislative and political processes with a focus on compliance and transparency, and no customer funds are used for any political contributions,” Carey said in a statement.

She went on to add that Consumers’ customer rates are scrutinized by the Michigan Public Service Commission “in accordance with well-established laws which require the rates to be based on the costs of providing services.”

Consumers and DTE have spent millions of dollars in Michigan elections to boost candidates they favor, largely through “dark money” nonprofits that don’t have to disclose their donors but can spend and give unlimited sums. 

A Consumers-funded nonprofit called “Citizens for Energizing Michigan’s Economy" has run social media and television ads touting their preferred candidates — both Democrats and Republicans alike — on unrelated issues like climate change action and fiscal conservatism. 

In the last election year with disclosures available, 2022, the organization reported spending nearly $4.6 million. Michigan Energy First, a nonprofit linked to DTE, spent close to $4.9 million that same year.

Asked about the ability for utilities to get around bans by simply donating to nonprofit organizations — which then donate to specific political causes, such as an effort to overturn the governor’s emergency powers during the COVID-19 pandemic —- organizers said they were aware of the concept.

“We’re looking at that,” said Sean McBrearty, state director with the environmental nonprofit Clean Water Action. “We are working with our legal team to make sure that we have the best possible language crafted, and we look forward to sharing that with the media and the public once it’s ready.”

Bridge Michigan reporter Simon Schuster contributed to this report.