Dem supported ‘Green New Deal’ after receiving nearly $60k from energy groups, now wants Congressional seat

FIRST ON FOX: Sean McCann, a Democratic candidate for Congress in Michigan’s 4th Congressional District, has taken at least $57,600 in contributions from energy groups while supporting Green New Deal policies that were projected to increase utility costs, records show.

McCann’s record on energy is resurfacing as he wages an uphill campaign to unseat Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Mich., and raises questions about his approach to federal energy policy. McCann first served as the Kalamazoo city commissioner from 1999 to 2008. He would then go on to serve in the Michigan House from 2011 to 2015 and in the Michigan Senate from 2019 to 2023. During his time in the Senate, he served as chair of the Senate Energy and Environment Committee.

Since 2011, records show that McCann has accepted at least $57,600 from the DTE Energy PAC, a Michigan-based energy group, and CMS Energy Corporation Employees for Better Government. He also accepted at least $560 in food and beverages from energy lobbyists since 2021.

DTE, in particular, provides energy for millions of customers in the state and describes itself as a politically active organization.

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“DTE Energy is an active participant in the political process and encourages its employees to participate in the process. DTE Energy supports public policies that promote its commitment to sustainable, reliable, affordable and safe energy,” the group states on its website.

Notably, according to FEC records, the group has donated to candidates on both sides of the aisle, including Rep. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, a top Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

McCann has also supported policies projected to increase utility costs, such as SB 271 of 2023 — Michigan’s “Green New Deal,” as Republican critics called it.

The bill, which ultimately passed and was signed into law by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2023, set clean energy requirements in order to reach a 100% clean energy standard by 2040.

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Among its many provisions, it required utility companies to implement at least a 50% renewable energy portfolio by 2030, a change some experts project will spike energy costs for consumers.

“That plan would cost Michiganders $386 billion by 2050, which amounts to an average annual cost increase of $2,746 per customer, or an additional $228.83 on monthly utility rates,” the center said in a report on the plan.

“It would expose Michigan residents to a greater risk of blackouts. The most prolonged blackout based on the model would last 61 continuous hours during winter when Michigan residents need reliable energy the most,” the report added.

The Mackinac Center is a policy nonprofit that champions the principles of free markets and limited government.

DTE did not respond to requests for comment on whether the company had taken a position on the plan or whether it stood to benefit from its implementation.

McCann praised the bill’s passage as a key environmental piece of legislation.

“These policies will safeguard public health and better protect our environment now and for future generations,” McCann said in a statement following its passage.

During that same time, McCann voted against an amendment for a separate bill, SB 502, that would have prevented utility companies from raising electric rates on residential Michigan customers until 2040.

When asked about the contributions and his voting record, McCann’s campaign noted that his opponent, Huizenga, has also taken considerable amounts from DTE.

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“Bill Huizenga cashed more than $250,000 from utility companies and then voted to jack up our energy prices – and like the typical politician Huizenga is, he’s now trying to cover up his own corrupt record by lying about Sean,” Simon Archer-Krauss, a campaign spokesperson, said in a statement.

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Huizenga has received 42 payments from DTE, totaling $80,500 since 2010, according to FEC records. DTE has also contributed to his joint leadership fund and to his PAC to the tune of $6,000 and $22,500, respectively.

McCann has yet to clinch the Democratic nomination to officially challenge Huizenga in the November general election.

Michigan will hold its primary elections on Aug. 4.