Flyers have been circulating in the Kalamazoo area that show State Senator and 4th district Democratic candidate Sean McCann next to 4th district Green Party candidate Shafina Barnett.
The flyers list various claims about each candidate’s policy stances on data centers — they paint Barnett as the candidate who is more opposed to data centers, and McCann as a candidate in favor of increased funding for data centers.
"The choice is clear. Only Shafina Barnett will put our communities before big data centers," the flyer reads.
But Green Party campaign officials say the fliers aren’t paid for or distributed by the Green Party.
“Shafina Barnett as a candidate, and her campaign, have no connection to these flyers. The Green Party of Michigan has no connection to these flyers," Green Party of Michigan spokesperson Douglas Marsh said.
On the flyers, a disclosure states: "Progressive Champions PAC is responsible for and paid for this advertising".
But Progressive Champions PAC appears to be a Republican-backed shell PAC. According to federal campaign finance data, 100% of the funding for Progressive Champions PAC came from the Republican-aligned Conservative Americans PAC.
A shell PAC is a PAC that is created for the purpose of funneling money from another PAC to campaigns or organizations — usually as a way of hiding where contributions are actually coming from.
In the shell PAC model, PAC A transfers funds to PAC B. Pac B then gives the funds to organizations and candidates that are supported by PAC A, but PAC A avoids being directly associated with the recipients because all of the funds are coming from PAC B.
Marsh claims the flyers are the work of Republican-aligned groups who are using shell PACs to secretly promote Green Party candidates — all in an effort to draw votes away from Democrats.
This tactic is one that Republicans have used before in previous elections. Marsh said the Green Party of Michigan condemns the flyers, and emphasized that Green Party candidates are prohibited from working with super PACs.
"The Green Party of Michigan — our candidates take no corporate PAC money. It's part of our internal rules and values," Marsh said.
Marsh said Barnett is a legitimate candidate who is officially endorsed by the Green Party of Michigan, and wants voters to know Barnett isn't involved with the group behind the flyers — or the Republican party in general.
In a statement, the McCann campaign said:
"Southwest Michigan voters deserve to know who’s behind the mailers arriving at their doors. Dark money is funding a GOP group calling itself ‘Progressive Champions’ in an apparent effort to mislead voters and prop up Bill Huizenga by boosting a third-party candidate. It’s a cynical attempt to protect a Washington incumbent who can’t defend his own record and has lost touch with his constituents. Michigan voters deserve transparency, not political deception, and they know Sean is on their side," a McCann spokesperson said in an email.
