It took the outside group behind Port Huron’s voter-approved marijuana law four months to comply with state campaign finance law — and so far, organizers aren’t getting any more specific about how the effort was funded.
Progress for Michigan 2020 spent roughly $63,000 on signature collecting, consulting and legal costs and promotional materials for its Nov. 3 marijuana proposal in the city, according to reports filed with the St. Clair County clerk’s office this week.
It’s reporting those costs as in-kind contributions to Jobs for Michigan Communities, the same name as another Michigan ballot committee. Committees can “bundle” contributions to campaigns in some instances under state statute.
When asked Thursday, Sam Pernick, treasurer and spokesman of Progress for Michigan 2020 and similar committees around the state, once again would not answer questions related to how the marijuana committee organizations have been supported financially.
Pernick himself is also reported to have spent $8,350 in legal costs for the Port Huron effort as of December.
“We believe your articles have been misleading and lack context,” he said of the Times Herald in an email. “Your articles are pro-politician and talk down to the voters of the city. You’ve been trying to play gotcha with our citizen initiative.”
What happens next — if anything?
Progress for Michigan 2020 filed its statement of organization last summer for an initial petition effort to get a proposal on the…
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It took the outside group behind Port Huron’s voter-approved marijuana law four months to comply with state campaign finance law — and so far, organizers aren’t getting any more specific about how the effort was funded.
Progress for Michigan 2020 spent roughly $63,000 on signature collecting, consulting and legal costs and promotional materials for its Nov. 3 marijuana proposal in the city, according to reports filed with the St. Clair County clerk’s office this week.
It’s reporting those costs as in-kind contributions to Jobs for Michigan Communities, the same name as another Michigan ballot committee. Committees can “bundle” contributions to campaigns in some instances under state statute.
When asked Thursday, Sam Pernick, treasurer and spokesman of Progress for Michigan 2020 and similar committees around the state, once again would not answer questions related to how the marijuana committee organizations have been supported financially.
Pernick himself is also reported to have spent $8,350 in legal costs for the Port Huron effort as of December.
“We believe your articles have been misleading and lack context,” he said of the Times Herald in an email. “Your articles are pro-politician and talk down to the voters of the city. You’ve been trying to play gotcha with our citizen initiative.”
What happens next — if anything?
Progress for Michigan 2020 filed its statement of organization last summer for an initial petition effort to get a proposal on the…
