By Joel Thurtell
The more people look, the more they find Manuel “Matty” Moroun, Michigan’s billionaire bridge-owner, handing out money to politicians. Often, his family and employees are the givers, but the effect is the same — an attempt at influencing politicians who might have a say in whether he 1) builds his “twin” bridge beside the Ambassador span, and 2) preventing the government from building an international bridge not owned and controlled by Matty.
In an excellent story, Sandra Svoboda of the Metro Times pegs the total at $1.1 million over the last couple decades.
Something tells me more digging will find more of Matty’s largesse.
All this tabulating and talk of Citizen Moroun in recent days provoked this question at another local forum:
“What, if any, are the benefits that have been derived from the donations?”
I returned the serve thusly:
The benefits are direct access to elected officials beyond the many-arms-length distance between most citizens and their representatives.
Obviously, there’s no Donation–>Request–>Favorable Decision chain with connectible dots and a flashing arrow that we and prosecutors can follow.
Campaign checks from Matty, Friends and Family are legal, customary, even an admirable part of democracy to some (of his fellow DAC members, that is). He’d be foolish, one can reasonably say, not to grease the path of access to decision-makers whose ears he needs . . . and whose support has bottom-line impact.
Elected recipients of Moroun Empire generosity have influence over MDOT, MEDC, public activity bonds, zoning, permits, street closings and other items critical to the Detroit International Bridge Co.
Naturally, recipients surely would insist their actions have absolutely no relation whatsoever to campaign contributions. And in fairness, that may well be true in at least some instances . . . maybe most, for all we know.
And ^that’s^ the point: We *don’t* know.
But I do believe a businessman who controls how at least $287,000 is doled out has more influence than any individuals or groups in Corktown, Southwest Detroit or perhaps all of Southeast Michigan.
Pushes for campaign finance reform and public underwriting of political spending are driven by concern that large corporate donors get the best government money can buy.