Sturgis-Coldwater News

In recent years, it is becoming increasingly clear that Michigan utility companies are making it a priority to fund opponents of any politician who is unfriendly to their cause, according to Energy News Network.

Such was the case when DTE Energy, Consumers Energy, ITC Holdings and SEMCO donated more than $50,000 to the political opponent of Rep. Yousef Rabhi (D-Ann Arbor), who is the current Michigan House floor leader. In the past, Rabhi has voiced opposition to the energy industry and supported legislation to lower barriers to solar energy. 

Utility company targets are not exclusively from the Democratic party, however. Former Rep. Gary Glenn (R-Midland) was a vocal critic of the utility companies when he held the position of chair on the House's energy committee. 

Former Rep. Gary Glenn | Twitter

It appears that, regardless of party or standing, politicians who stand in the way of increased profits for the utility industry become a target, whether or not they are willing to admit it. 

In the case of Rabhi, the reason for the opposition is clear. In 2016 he opposed legislation that would limit the growth of the solar energy industry and provide protection to the state's utilities. Then in 2019 he was supportive of a bill to roll back some of the measures that were put in place in 2016 when the legislation passed. 

This past November's election cycle, utilities in the state funded Rabhi's opponent heavily, a member of the same party.

“It’s another example of the utility industry spending money to make sure that its agenda is in some ways protected in statehouses,” Matt Kasper, research director with the Energy & Policy Institute, told Energy News Network.

Many politicians and analysts believe that it will be difficult to make any changes in the industry for more than a decade due to the grip that the energy industry has over the Michigan Legislature.