And we’ll show you two ways to help. Together, we can be a voice for change and protect Michigan’s land, air, water, public health, and democracy.
Why are we tracking utility spending in Lansing?
Michigan LCV decided to start tracking political donations from regulated monopoly utility companies to better inform the public about how utility companies exert influence in Lansing. Michigan lawmakers are responsible for passing laws that set rules by which utility companies must follow.
Michigan LCV supports legislative efforts to ban utility companies from making political donations to the very lawmakers who are supposed to hold them accountable.
Where are the numbers coming from?
This data on the scorecard includes spending by political action committees (PACs) associated with DTE Energy and Consumers Energy: DTE Energy Political Action Committee and CMS Energy Corporation Employees for Better Government. The State of Michigan requires each to disclose spending and receipts on a regular basis, generally quarterly. These reports are made available to the public through the Michigan Department of State. The data presented here includes contributions reported by each PAC to funds associated with candidates and political parties, and removes contributions that recipients did not accept.
The tool includes the most recent available campaign finance data and will be updated quarterly as new data becomes available. Due to current limitations of the Secretary of State’s Campaign Finance database, data for the Q1 2025 reporting period is not included and will be added once available.
No Utility Money Challenge
In 2025, Michigan LCV launched our “No Utility Money Challenge,” urging lawmakers to pledge to not take money from utility companies or their affiliated PACs and Dark Money organizations. Lawmakers who have taken the challenge are noted in the tool.
Dark Money
The utility PACs are funded through voluntary contributions made by their employees. While each utility channels significant giving through these PACs, these are not the only utility-linked vehicles that engage in politically oriented giving. Both DTE and Consumers are affiliated with 501(c)(4) dark money groups that have funneled millions of dollars to other nonprofits, including those tied to Michigan elected officials.
The scorecard currently includes contributions from DTE-linked non profit Michigan Energy First, and the Consumers-linked non profit Citizens for Energizing Michigan’s Economy. The state does not require rigorous reporting of 501(c)(4) spending, which is subject to annual federal disclosures that are more limited in nature. As such, the 501(c)(4) spending is more difficult to track.
Michigan LCV plans to further track dark money spending where information is verifiable and available to add more contributions from utility companies through 501(c)(4) vehicles. The current Dark Money figures included were identified in Detroit News reporting.