Upton has taken over $6.5 million in corporate PAC money in just the past 12 years of his 30 plus years in political office
Having taken nearly $1 million in Big Pharma money, Upton has twice topped or nearly topped industry publication’s list of the most “pharma-friendly congress members”
In 2018, 82% of “Big Money 20” targets were defeated or retired
End Citizens United (ECU) today named Rep. Fred Upton (MI-06) to the Big Money 20, the group’s top incumbents to defeat in 2020. ECU’s Big Money 20 campaign is focused on defeating incumbents who benefit most from the corrupt establishment in Washington by showing voters how politicians like Rep. Upton put corporate special interest donors ahead of the people they’re supposed to represent. ECU has endorsed Jon Hoadley, who is rejecting corporate PAC money, for Michigan’s Sixth Congressional District.
“For over 30 years, Rep. Fred Upton has done the bidding of corporate special interests in Washington and his corrupt record proves it,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “Upton, who has taken nearly $1 million in Big Pharma money, blocked 12 bills that would have helped lower the cost of prescription drugs when he served as chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. After receiving nearly $770,000 in campaign contributions from Big Telecom money, Fred Upton also voted in favor of allowing the industry to sell customers’ personal data over protecting Michiganders’ privacy. Meanwhile, Jon Hoadley has put his community first as a State Representative by expanding access to healthcare, good schools, and clean drinking water. End Citizens United will work to defeat Upton and make sure Hoadley wins in 2020.”
End Citizens United aims to educate voters about the Big Money 20, incumbents who represent the worst of Washington, and rally support for reforming the political system. The members of the Big Money 20 are incumbents who take money from corporate special interests, mega-donors, and industries like Big Pharma and Big Oil, and then put those interests ahead of their constituents.
Rep. Fred Upton has been in Washington for more than 30 years and taken over $6.5 million in corporate PAC money in just the last 12 years of his career. Having taken nearly $1 million in Big Pharma money, Upton has twice topped or nearly topped an industry publication’s list of the most “pharma-friendly congress members.” The Michigan congressman has also taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from drug companies that have dramatically increased the cost of insulin and other lifesaving drugs. When it comes to choosing between the interests of Michiganders or those of drug companies, Upton has repeatedly chosen the latter. Fred Upton used his role as chairman of the House Energy & Commerce Committee to block 12 bills that could have helped lower the cost of prescription drugs. Upton has also voted to give pharmaceutical companies massive tax breaks while gutting protections for preexisting conditions. Fred Upton is a close friend of Big Telecom and voted to allow the industry to sell customers’ personal data without their permission.
In the 2018 cycle, End Citizens United helped defeat or retire 82% of the Big Money 20 targets. ECU will connect its more than 550,000 donors to endorsed candidates who are challenging Big Money 20 targets.
ECU has conducted extensive polling and research showing that voters across the political spectrum support getting big money out of politics. ECU is a traditional political action committee (PAC) with more than four million members, including 7,700 in Michigan’s Sixth Congressional District. ECU raised $44 million in the last cycle and helped elect over 150 members to the 116th Congress, including two new U.S. Senators and 58 new U.S. Representatives. The reform group is entirely grassroots-funded with an average donation of just $14.
For a full list and additional background on the Big Money 20, click here.
###