Upton, a Big Money 20 incumbent, has taken over $6.5 million in corporate PAC money over the course of his political career and took $1.1 million from Big Oil and Gas
ECU-endorsed MI-06 candidate Jon Hoadley is rejecting corporate PAC money
Rep. Fred Upton (MI-06) is more beholden to Big Oil and Gas than Michiganders. Upton represented Michigan’s Sixth Congressional District in 2010 when 800,000 gallons of crude oil spilled into the Kalamazoo River. Clean up to remove oil and tar from the area cost over $1 billion, but that hasn’t stopped Rep. Upton from greasing his campaign with money from Big Oil.
Despite its devastating effect on Michiganders and the environment, Rep. Upton continues to take money from the fossil fuel industry and has voted to protect their interests. As a member of Congress, Fred Upton has taken over $1.1 million from the Oil and Gas industry, and took $17,500 from oil and gas corporate PACs in the third fundraising quarter of 2019. At the same time, Upton supported subsidies for dirty energy, undermined the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, and even voted against acknowledging the science of climate change. In Q3 of 2019, he voted against protecting offshore drilling and drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
This comes as no surprise since only seven percent of Upton’s contributions came from small dollar donors in the third quarter.
“Rep. Fred Upton cares more about courting big money donors than taking a stand for Michiganders and the environment,” said End Citizens United President Tiffany Muller. “The Kalamazoo River oil spill has had long lasting effects on Michigan, but you’d never know it by glancing at Upton’s FEC reports. Big Oil and Gas PACs are funding Fred Upton’s campaign because they know he’ll protect their interests in Congress. Jon Hoadley is leading the way for new, accountable leadership for Michigan.”
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.
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