Climate Hawks Vote has endorsed Paul Clements, challenging Fred Upton in Michigan's 6th District. A number of voters in Benton Harbor (yes, that Benton Harbor of emergency manager fame) have received mailers that, to put it kindly, blur the distinction between official mailings and campaign advertisements.
Here's the envelope claiming that it's an "official document."
Note: the PO Box address is associated with Upton For All Of Us.
The envelope contained two pieces of paper. The first is an official absentee ballot application.
The second, from Upton For All Of Us, asks: "Can I count on your absentee ballot vote in the general election?" It goes on and on with the usual rant against President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and "burdensome regulations that are hurting our southwest Michigan economy."
Michigan has one of the strictest absentee voter laws in the country. You can only vote absentee if you're over 60, need assistance getting to the polls, in jail, or otherwise really, really unable to get to the polls on election day. These mailers are being sent indiscriminately to Benton Harbor voters who don't fall into any of these categories. They're nothing but campaign advertisements disguised as "official documents." My Benton Harbor organizer reports that people are confused and angry.
Those burdensome regulations hurting the southwest Michigan economy? That's the Environmental Protection Agency fining Enbridge somewhere between $22 million and $86 million for spilling a bunch of tar sands in the Kalamazoo River in 2010. Upton demanded answers for about a week, then went back to taking money from Enbridge's pals.
On a positive note, Upton For All Of Us hasn't mailed an absentee ballot application to a cat.
Fortunately, voters in southwest Michigan have a real choice. Paul Clements is running against Upton. He's been endorsed by Climate Hawks Vote, because Big Oil and Michigan waters don't mix.