Mike Cox: Lapdog of the Coal Industry
Remember this?: "Cox: Granholm went too far with coal plants order". Now we have some context:
Granholm Firm on Vetting Coal Rush: But lawmakers’ petition, Cox opinion reflect utilities clout
By Glenn Puit and Jim Dulzo | Great Lakes Bulletin News Service | April 6, 2009
"LANSING-Six weeks after Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm unveiled her aggressive plan to create tens of thousands of clean-energy jobs in Michigan, dozens of state lawmakers petitioned her to withdraw one of its key elements-her order for a closer look at Michigan’s coal rush, a push by utilities to build up to seven new coal-fired power plants in the state. [...]
According to filings with the Secretary of State, Consumers contributed $2,500 to Cox’s committee on October 23, 2008. DTE gave $3,000 to his committee around the same time. The attorney general, however, did not mention these contributions when he issued his opinion. And both are part of a long, well-documented pattern of campaign contributions to the attorney general from utilities and other energy interests that, since 2004, total at least $74,000." [More ...]
Basically the energy industry is paying Mike Cox to be its lapdog and waste taxpayer money with frivolous legal action against the state government because they don't want oversight or competition from green/sustainable energy.
It's bad enough that special interests can buy off legislators [and this is bipartisan; Andy Dillon (D) took money too]; it's inexcusable that we allow officials in the judicial branch of government to campaign for office and take political contributions from people they end up handling cases for. When Alberto "Gonzo" Gonzalez was a supreme court justice in Texas - who was his biggest contributor? - ENRON.
Granholm Firm on Vetting Coal Rush: But lawmakers’ petition, Cox opinion reflect utilities clout
By Glenn Puit and Jim Dulzo | Great Lakes Bulletin News Service | April 6, 2009
"LANSING-Six weeks after Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm unveiled her aggressive plan to create tens of thousands of clean-energy jobs in Michigan, dozens of state lawmakers petitioned her to withdraw one of its key elements-her order for a closer look at Michigan’s coal rush, a push by utilities to build up to seven new coal-fired power plants in the state. [...]
According to filings with the Secretary of State, Consumers contributed $2,500 to Cox’s committee on October 23, 2008. DTE gave $3,000 to his committee around the same time. The attorney general, however, did not mention these contributions when he issued his opinion. And both are part of a long, well-documented pattern of campaign contributions to the attorney general from utilities and other energy interests that, since 2004, total at least $74,000." [More ...]
Basically the energy industry is paying Mike Cox to be its lapdog and waste taxpayer money with frivolous legal action against the state government because they don't want oversight or competition from green/sustainable energy.
It's bad enough that special interests can buy off legislators [and this is bipartisan; Andy Dillon (D) took money too]; it's inexcusable that we allow officials in the judicial branch of government to campaign for office and take political contributions from people they end up handling cases for. When Alberto "Gonzo" Gonzalez was a supreme court justice in Texas - who was his biggest contributor? - ENRON.