Michigan Residents Voted to Get Corporate Money Out of Politics. Now Utilities Are Suing

In a lawsuit filed last Thursday, the two major utilities in Michigan, Consumers Energy and DTE, argue that the measure—dubbed Proposal 2—threatens their First and 14th Amendment rights.

The ballot measure, which passed with 81 percent of the vote, amends the state’s campaign finance laws to put restrictions on donations for both utilities and companies with more than $250,000 annually in state and local government contracts. The new language explicitly bans political donations from utilities, contractors, and high-level employees, lobbyists, and their immediate family members. The ballot measure also tightens the state’s regulations around disclosures for political ads, mailers, and other forms of communication.