LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Members of Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s administration received letters regarding new found fears pertaining to the Gotion Battery Production plant in Big Rapids this week.
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In letters sent to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Attorney General Dana Nessel, former U.S. Ambassadors Pete Hoekstra and Joseph Cella, now Principal Advisor and Director of the Michigan-China Economic and Security Review Group expressed concerns for the project in the realm of security threats and violations of the Lobby Act.
“Late yesterday afternoon, the Michigan Campaign Finance Network which is a 26-year-old non-partisan non-profit organization, based in Lansing, Michigan, and dedicated to tracking and chronicling the influence of money in Michigan politics, sent an alert announcing that Thelen and Warner, Norcross and Judd, LLP, had officially registered as lobbyists to represent Gotion, Inc,” the letter said, “This is particularly troubling as Thelen has been operating as an unregistered lobbyist for this project, and apparently another Gotion project in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, for nearly two years.”
The letter was also forwarded to ranking members of the legislature including: Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit), Senator Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids), Senator Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township), Senator Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing), Representative Matt Hall (R-Richland Township), Representative Angela Witwer (D-Delta Township), and Representative Sarah Lightner (R-Springport).
In the letter, Hoekstra and Cella allege that Chuck Thelen, Vice President of Gotion North American Operations, who testified on behalf of the project last week for $175 million in state funds, could be engaging in “dishonest and illegal behavior” for potential violations of Act 472 of 1978, The Lobby Act.
“If contingent fee lobbying has occurred, and it appears in this case that it has, which is clearly prohibited, the statute reads: “A person who knowingly violates this subsection is guilty of a felony and if the person is an individual shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000, or imprisoned for not more than 3 years, and if the person is other than an individual shall be punished by a fine of not more than $25,000,” the letter said.
They also suggest that the funding should be halted “pending an immediate’ high priority investigation.”
“To do anything less than halt the $175M would condone less transparency and encourage more bad behavior, more back room dealings, and corruption in state government, and abrogating the responsibility they have to taxpayers,” the letter said.
These new revelations in the Gotion project come days after the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 10-9 to release the funds to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
“We appreciate the support of our legislative partners,” MEDC CEO and President & Chair of the Michigan Strategic Fund, Quentin L. Messer, Jr. said in a statement, “Team Michigan is excited for the opportunities that these good-paying jobs, new customers and increased economic vitality accompanying this historic investment will deliver in Mecosta County and across Northern Michigan.”
Other leaders, like Executive Director of MICHauto and Detroit Regional Chamber’s vice president of automotive and mobility initiatives, Glenn Stevens, Jr. tweeted that people need to move on from the discussion about whether the numerous EV plants in Michigan are “risky.”
“Time to move past the ‘discussion’ on whether Ford-Marshall or Gotion-Mecosta is ‘risky’ or a bad ‘bet’ for Michigan,” Stevens said in a tweet, “There are hundreds of Chinese companies in Michigan, as there are German, Japanese, French, Korean and a many other nationals in our global auto industry in Michigan.”
On Tuesday, Governor Whitmer announced the launch of a “State of Michigan Community EV Toolkit” to support local governments to prepare for the future of EV deployment and adoption in their communities.
“Michigan is winning the battery and clean energy race, and we will work together to also improve access to hydrogen fueling and ensure that at least 80% of electric vehicle charging happens at off-peak hours so all families can access safe, reliable power,” Gov. Whitmer said in a statement.
The letter from Hoekstra and Cella also recognizes the recent guilty plea of former Speaker of the House Rick Johnson who accepted bribes from marijuana groups.
“This is particularly timely and important considering former Speaker of the House Rick Johnson pleading guilty today on bribery and corruption charges, and with separate investigations of other unrelated matters underway, the cloud hanging over the Michigan State Capitol is thickening,” it said, “There is no better opportunity for government to clear the air and be transparent and accountable to taxpayers,” it said.
While the Senate Appropriations Committee voted narrowly in favor of the funding for Gotion, three of the nine votes against it were from Democrat Senators, only Senator Sylvia Santana’s (D-Detroit) office replied as to a statement regarding her vote.
“Thank you for contacting the Office of Senator Sylvia Santana. The Senator is not taking any media requests regarding Gotion and especially with this late notice/request. At this juncture, she is dedicating her time to the demands of the DHHS budget and her Committee work,” her office said in an email.
The letter from Hoekstra and Cella closes by acknowledging the bi-partisan concerns regarding the project, and an invitation to reach out with questions.
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