US Rep Fred Upton (R- St Joseph), the current Republican Chair of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee is facing the first serious challenge in 13 terms by a relative new comer, Mike O’Brien (D- Douglas), whose O'Brien for Congress campaign continues to close the gap on the 26-year congressional veteran, Upton.
This ANALYSIS and story of Congressman Fred Upton describes the metamorphosis of a man, a politician coming from a wealthy family with a generational tradition of public service of the “old school” class of local politician. A man that has been converted into a faceless marionette, a political puppet, created by the pressures in the quest to gain and maintain political positions and power in Washington DC, and influenced by national partisanship and the corrupting post-Citizens United world ruled by the “monied corporations” our founding fathers, like Thomas Jefferson, warned us about.
Every once in awhile a young, eager local newspaper reporter does something that can really annoy incumbent politicians, they will… well, they report what they see.
From the article by Fritz Klug entitled “What did Howard Wolpe's widow say to Congressman Fred Upton after Tuesday's debate?” in the Kalamazoo Gazette on October 24, 2012:
BUCHANAN, MI — The debate between Republican Congressman Fred Upton and his Democratic challenger, Mike O'Brien, had just finished. As the audience applauded, a woman stood up, went to the front of the auditorium and approached Upton.
The woman was Julie Fletcher, the widow of Howard Wolpe, a Democrat who represented Kalamazoo in Congress for 14 years before Upton. Fletcher spoke to Upton for about a minute in what appeared to be a tense conversation. O'Brien stood nearby as they spoke.
Afterward, Upton declined to reveal what was said.
Presumably the conversation between Wolpe’s widow and Upton was not necessarily a friendly one. Only weeks prior to extremely popular Howard Wolpe’s death, the former Clinton administration and Obama administration’s “special adviser to the African Great Lakes”, had written a reluctant “Open Letter to Fred Upton” that was published in the local papers.
In this letter, Wolpe was critical of Upton’s “selling of his soul” and becoming a “right-wing extremist” – what some might call the political metamorphosis of Fred Upton.
Writes Wolpe to Upton (a couple clips):
AN OPEN LETTER TO FRED UPTON
Honorable Fred Upton
Member of Congress, Michigan’s 6th District
Dear Fred:
“Failing to get through to you any other way, I concluded I had no option but to attempt to reach you through the medium of an Open Letter.”
“Despite my being a Democrat and you being a Republican you will recall that I helped in getting you elected in the first place… and I have always valued our friendship.”
“… writing this letter is extremely difficult for me. But I can not tell you how painfully disappointed I have been to see you morph into a right wing extremist.”
“It is simply not worth selling your soul to appease the Tea Party extremists within your party. I am again living in Michigan, and I can not tell you how much your metamorphosis has cost you among many of your previous supporters. The dismay and disappointment, and sense of betrayal, are very widespread -- and this may be a profound understatement.”
“You are too smart and too knowledgeable to believe much of the nonsense you have been espousing on global warming and many other issues.”
- Howard Wolpe
Note: It was also reported that Fletcher attends the same church as Upton’s challenger, and currently is working as
O’Brien’s campaign treasurer. O’Brien (seen standing near where the conversation took place) has made no comment about what was said.
READ the FULL LETTER by Howard Wolpe to Fred Upton HERE.
From a article covering Upton’s response to Wolpe’s letter, there is more detail on the relationship between Upton and Wolpe:
"Although Wolpe was a Democratic congressman at the time, he helped Upton win the 1986 Republican primary against conservative Mark Siljander in Michigan's 4th Congressional District. Upton went on to win the general election, allowing him to serve alongside Wolpe in Congress for the next six years.
When redistricting put Kalamazoo in Upton's district, Wolpe didn't seek re-election in 1992 and Upton took over at Kalamazoo's congresssman. The Republican [Upton] then hired some of Wolpe's constituent-service staff."
Upton did respond to Wolpe’s letter, and also put out a statement, portions of which appeared in the Kalamazoo Gazette in “
U.S. Rep Fred Upton responds to Howard Wolpe: 'I have not changed my stripes'” on October 14, 2011:
Portion of Upton's Response to Howard Wolpe:
“My focus has always been getting the government to work for the people. That’s why my very first action representing Kalamazoo after Howard retired was to keep his top-notch constituent service representative on our staff."
(break)
"... as a member of the 'super committee' I know the importance that we all share in reaching a real solution to get our country through this economic situation and hopefully on the road to recovery."
"This week I've read and signed more than a thousand of my constituents' letters offering ideas for us (the 'super committee') to consider. We as Americans know the status quo will not work. I have not changed my stripes [SIC - shouldn't that read "spots"???] nor my number. I look forward to having a personal, constructive conversation with Howard.”
- Portions of Fred Upton's Statement (as reported)
From a story about Fred Upton in the
Washington Post on October 31, 2011:
"Upton called Wolpe after the letter’s publication, but in an interview, Wolpe would not describe the conversation except to say that “it reemphasized for me my interpretation of what was happening [to Fred].” Wolpe died of a heart condition a few days later."
Who was the “old” Fred Upton? And who is this “new” Fred Upton?
Will the real Fred please step forward. (PHOTO is early 1990's Fred and Fred today)
The change in the political views and positions of Fred Upton have taken a dramatic turn. Not only do his friend and allies, like Wolpe, not recognize his politics anymore, but even The Washington Post took notice.
From some comprehensive reporting by Ned Martel entitled "Capitol Hill power player Fred Upton switches ideological gears as his clout grows" one year ago on October 31, 2011:
“Washington doesn’t want Fred Upton anymore. Not the Old Fred Upton, at least.
A divided capital — and a restive GOP — is insisting that the affable, dutiful Michigander can no longer be who he has long been: the ultimate moderate. As chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, this acolyte of centrist traditions is being urged to stop recognizing that the other side has a good point or two, especially points that the Republican leadership has not embraced.”
(Break)
“… something’s different about Fred Upton. At 58, he has been exhibiting a restless energy that suggests he knows now is his party’s time to get aggressive, not conciliatory. Only as a fighting team can the Republicans capitalize on President Obama’s weaknesses; only by being disruptive can they capture disgruntled voters. Subtlety is out, zeal is in.
(Break)
Upton keeps signaling to his collaborators in progressive politics that they should expect no declarations of independence from Fred Upton.
“We’re going to have to work very closely with the [GOP] leadership,” [Upton] said. “No surprises. And we’re going to work in sync.”
(Emphasis Added)
This ANALYSIS seeks to explore - based on recent and current events and available information – and answer this same QUESTION:
Is Fred Upton a 'Bipartisan' Servant of the People (Old Fred) or a 'Solider for Conservative, Right-Wing Cause' (New Fred)?
In response to Wolpe’s letter and Upton’s response posted in the papers, one of several Upton constituents writes:
“Fred Upton has given up moderation and has become a shrill for the wealthy and privileged, once considered a pillar of the community, he now is simply a Republican tool that promotes all that Republicans love, anti-gay, pro-wealth, lover of big business and a collection area for the graft and political donations. Once a good man has truly sold his soul.”
Earlier this year, in January 2012, in “
Fred Upton, other congressional leaders failing future generations” another one of Fred’s constituents writes:
“… many elected persons in our Congress, including Fred Upton, have decided to ignore decades of studies, research and subsequent warnings [on climate change]. These individuals are a dangerous lot to be in national leadership positions for they are not prone to be leaders at all. They have sold out to greed and special interests instead of pursuing a better life for our children and our childrens’ children. By their lack of vision and posturing for political power, they are condemning our future generations to serious health issues by continuing to allow the degradation of our environment.
They have turned their backs on the health of our children because of personal ambition, political agendas and greed. Their lack of foresight and responsible leadership, by personal and political choice, will promote the continuing decline in a healthy living environment in their legislative districts, states, nation and our planet.”
(Emphasis Added)
These last words
echo the campaign being run by Upton’s opponent O’Brien, who spoke frequently about “leaders” and “leadership” citing the low popularity of Congress, extreme partisanship, and the continuous gridlock, as well as concerns about the environment, education and his child’s future as
O'Brien's motivation for running for office.
Says O'Brien: "We’ve watched [Fred Upton] leave the mainstream. He's on the wrong side of what a lot of the people in the district expect.”
Upton: Solider for the Right-Wing or Bipartisan Compromiser of the Past?
Fred started his career with the help of both sides of the isle, has he forgotten?
During the two debates with his opponent Mike O’Brien, and frequently in his stump speeches around the 6th District, Upton drops names, more than just his former friend, the “disappointed” Howard Wolpe, using references to Michigan Democratic Congressman John Dingell and Henry Waxman, the former Democratic Chair of Energy and Commerce which Upton now chairs. These references are used in small crowds, away from the Beltway crowd, in an effort to demonstrate his “bipartisan” nature, which many on the Hill and elsewhere have serious doubts. From Politico on November 11, 2011:
During much of his more than two decades in the House, Upton has fashioned himself as a moderate - backing environmentally friendly bills and an expansion of embryonic stem cell research and sponsoring legislation with Democratic Rep. John Dingell, his longtime Michigan colleague.
After Upton launched his successful campaign for the Energy and Commerce Committee chairmanship last year, [Upton] met the wrath of conservatives, including radio talk show hosts Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, who wanted a gavel holder who would more reliably toe the party line.
Back to the last year's
article in the Washington Post:
“… Dingell, who is helping Upton on a bipartisan pipeline bill, understands that with power comes partisanship, that no one with a gavel can be a goody-goody. “Fred does not have the freedom he would have had previous to his time as chairman,” Dingell explained. Upton still partners with Dingell on smaller issues such as tort reform and pipeline safety.”
Another Democrat Upton cites on his stump speeches to bolster his "bipartisan collaboration" is
Henry Waxman, now the ranking member on the House Energy and Commerce committee. This relationship too has taken a toll on Fred devolution to the extreme right on energy issues. In a
letter to Upton, Waxman calls for an investigation of a witness that Upton called to a hearing on climate change. From
The Hill in January of 2011:
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, is urging committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) to probe whether a high-profile climate skeptic misled the panel about how much the petroleum industry funds his work.
In a letter to Upton Monday, Waxman urges Upton to help him explore how much the petroleum industry backs Dr. Patrick Michaels, a scholar with the conservative Cato Institute who testified before the committee about climate change in 2009.
“I am writing you about his testimony because it now appears that in both the materials he initially submitted to the Committee and in response to questions for the record submitted by a Committee member after the hearing, Dr. Michaels may have provided misleading information about the sources of his funding and his ties to industries opposed to regulation of emissions responsible for climate change,” Waxman writes in his letter to Upton.
Another more recent scrap with the Democrats on his Energy & Commerce committee, Henry Wax and Bobby Rush over "oil subsidies". From The Hill in "Waxman parries Upton over energy subsidy report" on October 25, 2012:
[Rep Henry] Waxman is asking congressional auditors to broaden a study requested by Committee Chairman Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), arguing that Upton’s proposal would allow billions of dollars in taxpayer support for oil companies to escape review.
The skirmish over methodology is part of a much larger fight over federal support for various energy technologies that has, at times, been front and center in the presidential [Romney vs Obama] race.
Waxman and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), a top lieutenant on the energy panel, sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office criticizing a study Upton requested earlier this month with three GOP colleagues.
Upton had made BIG NEWS during the second debate with his opponent Mike O'Brien when he first declares that he might no longer support "oil subsidies" (without listing any conditions) and other "green power tax breaks" earlier this week.
Upton: A Solider for the Right-Wing or Protector of the Environment?
Fred was “for the environment” before he was against it
From “The Curious Case of Fred Upton” by Erich Pica, a Western Michigan environmental activist and President of Friends of the Earth last February 2011:
"We all know a Fred Upton. He's the coworker who was your friend until he got promoted and "went corporate." He's the athlete who played to bring a championship to his home town before following a larger contract to a bigger city. He's the buddy who was always around until he got into a relationship and didn't have time for you any more.
Fred Upton is the Republican congressman who used to have interesting ideas about reducing emissions and fighting climate change. But then he ran for chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Now, he has staffed his committee with lobbyists and today he wants to roll back Clean Air Act protections against pollution from factories and power plants.
(Break)
By listening to the dirty oil and coal industries instead of his constituents, Chairman Upton has lost touch with his district. I grew up in Bainbridge Township, outside of Benton Harbor, right across the river from the congressman’s hometown of St. Joseph. Before I moved to Washington, D.C., Upton was my representative, and, like everyone in the district, I called him Fred.
The people of Southwest Michigan are proud Midwesterners. We know our core values, and whether we vote for Republicans or Democrats, those core values guide us. For the first twenty years Fred served in the House, [Upton] was the same way.
But in the last two years, Upton has abandoned his principles."
(Emphasis Added)
This well-informed piece goes on with a
long list of Upton reversals and missteps the author claims were not to be expected from the Fred Upton he once knew to include:
imports of same tar sands on a pipeline that
polluted a river that flows through Upton's own district into Lake Michigan,
blocked carbon dioxide reduction legislation,
denying of climate change particulars, making the case any “sensible regulations” on
protecting the environment hurts the economy, and
corporation funded regulatory battles with "a weird twist consistent with the whims" of his
corporate backers like the Koch Brothers and organizations like the
American Legislative Exchange Council Exchange Council (ALEC) backing Upton.
Other environmentalists and organizations both local and national have been asking “What Happened to Fred Upton”. This from a Michigan local radio station WTVB in the CD-6 Branch County in January of 2011:
(WKZO) - Several local and state environmentalists are wondering what happened to Congressman Fred Upton, who used to be much more supportive of green efforts, the man who brought florescent bulbs to public buildings and has been a champion to clean up the Kalamazoo River. The [Michigan] Sierra Club’s Ann Woiwode says since his appointment as chair of Energy and Commerce, [Upton] sounds more like he is in the pockets of big oil.
Cindy Roper at Clean Water Action says given the Enbridge Oil Spill so close to Upton’s district, they had hoped they might pursue tighter restrictions on pipeline operations>. Instead Upton is backing the construction of a new Pipelineforgotten about the Enbridge spill and will pursue meaningful regulation.
Upton is not the only local Michigan politician that has been silent on the
largest spill in the history of the Midwest by
Enbridge Inc pipeline operations. Local municipalities and townships are taking up the battle fighting to ensure the Marshall/Kalamazoo River oil spill is completely cleaned up, and the oil pipeline properly maintained, as well as voicing concerns about plans for new pipelines. From a story entitled “
Michigan Pipeline Fight: Frustration Builds Over Elected Leaders' Silence” on October 17, 2012:
Amid puzzling indifference shown by elected officials over Enbridge's pipeline plans, townships are stepping up, opponents say—and giving them some hope. (break) In a blog that [activist Kate] Bodenmiller's husband, Jeffrey Insko, created to track the Enbridge project, he called out five politicians not only for their indifference but also for catering to Enbridge [including Fred Upton].
"Evidently, there is not one elected official at the state or federal level in Michigan who has the interest or the gumption to utter a single word of skepticism or criticism—or even concern—about Enbridge," Insko said. "I find this silence shocking and shameful, especially on the part of the governor."
Note:
Enbridge Inc. and its partners
DTE Energy and
Spectra Energy have plans to construct a new pipeline that is proposed to run from Northeast Ohio through Michigan to Ontario called the “
NEXUS Gas Transmission System”.
Where is Fred Upton on the Enbridge spill and clean-up?
From a story on the 800 million gallon oil spill into one of Michigan’s longest tributaries, the Kalamazoo River near Marshall, MI that flows through Upton’s district, there was talk of a congressional investigation which so far has not materialized:
Rep. Fred Upton indicated Tuesday that there could be a congressional inquiry into the 2010 Enbridge pipeline spill, pending the final analysis of a federal investigation. (break) Upton said he has not delved much into the more than 5,000 pages of raw investigation documents released by the National Transportation Safety Board. He would not say whether he thought company missteps caused more environmental damage, or whether he personally favored a congressional hearing.
No investigation or “inquiry” has materialized even though Upton has the power now with his GOP chairmanships in his chamber to make them happen.
Upton: A Soldier for the Right-Wing, Defender of Mitt Romney
Upton’s Covering Fire for Romney Attack on “Green Technology” Investments
Upton continues to interject himself into the controversy surrounding the assertions of Republican candidate Mitt Romney despite all the fact checking and debunking of the statements of that “half of green businesses’ that received stimulus funds “have gone out of business”.
FACT: “Most of the large projects that benefited from the Department of Energy loan program remain in operation -- contrary to Romney's assertion that "almost half" of them had closed” – CNN Election Center
In a
Washington Post article on October 11, 2012 on a portfolio of 11 green technology companies Al Gore has said would slow global climate change, Upton is quoted as saying:
Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), who chairs the Energy and Commerce Committee and is a leading critic of clean tech funding, said Gore’s portfolio “is reflective of a disturbing pattern that those closest to the president have been rewarded with billions of taxpayer dollars and benefited from the administration’s green bonanza in the rush to spend stimulus cash.”
Again that is a case of
Upton joining into the national debate to support the national Republican narrative, in this case by Mitt Romney while debating President Obama, on ‘green technology’ investments and failures for this year’s election cycle,
but there is a hitch.
One of the issues that Upton’s opponents raised is the fact that in 2005 Upton voted for a bill to “support companies looking to develop renewable energy projects”, in 2007 Upton backed legislation for the “Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing (ATVM) Loan Program, targeting manufacturers and suppliers looking to retool U.S. factories to build high-fuel economy vehicles” and in 2009 Upton signed a letter to the Secretary of Energy and the Department of Energy by Michigan legislators supporting investments to several “green technology” Michigan-based companies including: Suniva, United Solar, Xtreme Power Solutions, and Clairvoyant.
Source: the E&E Daily and “Critic of Obama clean-energy loans lobbied Energy Department” in USA Today on September 26, 2011.
This year, in a statement on June 21, 2012, Upton joined in the chorus of “Solyndra” critics against the very technologies and companies he had supported for years before, all in the name of apparent political expediency. This “flip-flop” by Upton drew immediate attention by just about all parties involved in the alternative energy and green technology debate. In a Huffington Post article entitled “Fred Upton, GOP Energy And Commerce Chairman, Pushes Obama To Disclose, But Defended Bush” on June 21, 2012, Erin Mershon points out just how dramatic Upton’s reverse on Executive Branch disclosure:
“A House Republican chairman who once defended the Bush administration's non-disclosure is now blasting the White House for withholding information.
Energy and Commerce Chairman Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) sharply criticized the Obama administration in a recent Fox Business News interview for refusing to disclose key emails and information as part of an investigation into an alleged secret deal between White House and the pharmaceutical industry to pass health care reform. According to the committee, the Democrats promised to protect drug company revenues from regulations that could cut into their profits, like price caps on drugs.
(Break)
Although Upton tossed Obama's words back at the president, Upton himself had a different attitude toward disclosure when a Republican sat in the Oval Office.
In 2004, when Democrats demanded information from President George W. Bush about the activities of Vice President Dick Cheney's secret energy task force, Upton voted against the request for disclosure.
The story doesn’t end there. Upton has been leading the charge on
calling for and then leading an investigation of the so-called “
Solyndra Affair” which has been ran non-stop on FOX News and the right wing “noise machine”.
On top of all that there is this UNBELIEVABLE TWIST. It seems that all during his criticism and calls for investigating Solyndra, Upton hired the top Solyndra lobbyist to work on his Energy & Commerce Committee Staff. From an environmental blogger who has been tracking Upton (also on DailyKos) throughout his tenture as chair on the House E&C committee pieces together the story:
“Meet Gary Andres, the Solyndra lobbyist - one of K Street's sleaziest operators - who Upton persuaded to take a $235,500 a year paycut to go from working at Dutko [Worldwide and Holland and Knight] (for $418,000 annually) to [work on] the House Energy and Commerce Committee (as chief of staff for $172,500 annually). (Break) Andres has contributed over $100,000 to Republican politicians - including Upton - since 2008…”
From the
New York Times article “Solyndra Spent Liberally to Woo Lawmakers Until the End, Records Show” by John McArdle on September 16, 2011:
The 1,100 full- and part-time employees who were abruptly laid off two weeks ago aren't the only ones whose paychecks have been affected by the sudden and dramatic failure of bankrupt solar energy company, Solyndra Inc. Because for its brief lifespan, Solyndra proved to be pretty good for the lobbying community.
According to records filed with the Clerk of the House and a search of disclosure forms compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics, Solyndra spent nearly $1.9 million on lobbying activities over a period of 43 months from 2008 to 2011.
Solyndra has also had several big-name lobbying shops on its payroll, including established powerhouses Dutko Worldwide and Holland and Knight, which began representing the then-fledgling company in 2008.
While Holland and Knight helped the company with renewable energy tax credit issues, Dutko was brought aboard, according to its filings, to "identify decisionmakers and to assist with the client's loan application" through the Department of Energy.
Huh? - to “assist with the client’s loan application”? Just like those other Michigan companies did, with Upton assistance in 2009? A
story in The Hill by Kevin Bogardus and Rachel Leven entitled “Lobbyists took $100K cut in pay to work for members of Congress” takes us the rest of the way down the rabbit hole:
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has been a popular destination for ex-lobbyists. At least four other individuals who were registered to lobby at some point in 2010 now work for the committee: Gary Andres, formerly of Dutko Worldwide; James Barnette, once of Steptoe & Johnson; David McCarthy, who worked for Algenol Biofuels; and Michael Bloomquist, who lobbied while at Wiley Rein.
A spokeswoman for the House Energy and Commerce Committee said Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), the panel’s chairman, requires his staff not to work with their former employers.
“Chairman Upton has a policy that goes above and beyond the requirements of the House rules and requires staff to recuse themselves from working on issues that specifically affect a former employer,” said Alexa Marrero, the committee spokeswoman.
Andres, once a heavyweight at top-earning lobby firm Dutko, reported earning more than $418,000 last year from the firm. Now the former lobbyist will have a $172,500 annual salary [on the Energy & Commerce Committee Staff] , according to House records.
Ask yourself: If Solyndra was such a hot bed of corruption, why did Fred Upton hire Solnndra’s “top lobbyist” to work for him?
BUT WAIT - This was not the first time Upton has been called out for hiring industry lobbyists. From Politico on December 24, 2010:
In December 2010, Upton announced he had chosen a former health care lobbyist to serve in an all-purpose role on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Howard Cohen, president of the health care lobbying firm HC Associates, is expected to have “broad responsibilities overseeing health care issues for the panel”. Cohen has represented [lobbying for] a number of clients who have business before Upton's committee, including the Federation of American Hospitals, Genzyme and PhRMAJames.
Here's another one. Upton appointed
Michael Bloomquist, who was the chief lobbyist for the
American Natural Gas Association (ANGA) as his general counsel for the House Energy and Commerce committee. ANGA is an organization formed by Aubrey McClendon and other national gas industry special interests / billionaires currently looking to expand fracking in Michigan.
These are just a couple of the cases in which Upton’s dealings and close relationships with lobbyists and industry insiders definitely FAIL to pass the “smell test”.
In 2012 alone, Fred Upton has received $238,253 directly from a long list of individual lobbyists and/or their family members.
READ the FULL STORY on the hiring of the Solyndra Lobbyist in “Fred Upton Has To Decide-- Is He More Incompetent Or More Corrupt?” on DailyKos.
Fred’s Future Not Michigan’s Future in Green/Alternative Transportation
How can companies invest with guys like Upton ginned up attacking Green Tech?
One of the major industries that have contributed to Fried Upton over the years are automotive OEMs and suppliers, that all received “billions of taxpayer dollars” (as loans mind you), one might Upton how many of “those closest” to him benefited from that.
Many of those companies are now investing heavily into clean and alternative powertrain, hybrid and electric drive zero-emission technologies and national policy over the long-term, not just investments made during the Recovery Act supported by the Obama administration. These companies have facilities and investments in Upton’s home and adjacent districts, and since he has promised “100,000 new jobs by 2022” for his 700,000 constituents (that’s 1 new job for every 7 people in his district by the way), he might just had better do the best he can to work with the current administration, instead of tossing around rhetoric on FOX News supporting presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.
Upton: A Solider for the Right-Wing on Fracking in Michigan
What the Frack, Fred?
During the period 2001-2010, Fred Upton was the 3rd highest recipient of donations for firms interested in fracking across most of Michigan according to the list of “Top Michigan members of Congress as recipients of fracking money” list (Common Cause, Page 18). In recent report by CBS News in “’Toxic Spending’ report investigates industry push for fracking” on October 24, 2012:
“The study, entitled "Toxic Spending," was released by the nonprofit advocacy group Common Cause. It states that most of the spending went to campaign ads, lobbying, and campaign contributions. For instance, in the current elections, the industry has given $23 million to Super PACs. House Speaker John Boehner received nearly $128,000 from individuals and political action groups connected to chemical firms, many of which are reportedly impacted by fracking. Rep. Fred Upton, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, took in $80,100 in donations and benefited from just over $200,000 in advertising.”
Upton: A Solider for the Right-Wing for Coal Profits
From the War on Fred to “Fighting off the War on Coal”
Following the meeting with the oil & gas and big energy company representatives and lobbyists, Fred Upton and Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), a leading climate change denier, struck out with a “flurry of corporate bills” and initiatives from right off the corporation lobbyists filing (and ALEC’s) cabinets, instead of supporting his struggle farming constituents back in his home district.
O’Brien, an experienced organic farmer himself, has taken Upton seriously to task on the lack of a new Farm Bill which was tabled when Congress went on recess for the 2012 Elections. Agriculture is a critical industry in Upton’s district and thousands of jobs were seriously threatened by a combination of a cold spring and drought in this past summer.
From Upton's own statement well before the fall recess of Congress on July 2, 2012:
“Congressman Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) applauded yesterday’s disaster declaration by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for southwest Michigan fruit farmers who are facing one of the worst crop losses in decades. A mild winter followed by unseasonably warm temperatures in March caused Michigan fruit trees to bud early, only to be wiped out by typical April freezes.” (break) “While today’s announcement is an important and welcome step, this historic disaster further underscores the urgency of passing a Farm Bill that accounts for the needs of our area’s specialty crop growers.”
So where was Upton?
Immediately after the break for the 2012 campaign season, instead of returning to his home district to meet with constituents, Upton embarked on a trip to support the Republican Party National agenda and the Mitt Romney campaign in Pennsylvania. In
an Op-Ed that appeared in Politico on September 20, 2012 with the title “Fighting off the war on coal” Upton (and Sen Jim Inhofe (R-OK) writes:
The House on Friday plans to launch a counterattack to the [Obama] administration’s relentless efforts to regulate coal into oblivion, by voting on the Stop the War on Coal Act to prevent more job losses and plant closures. This is a series of bills that aim to stop the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulatory assault on the U.S. coal power sector.
There has been a lot of discussion on how close we are to achieving North American Energy Independence by developing our bountiful domestic petroleum resources and partnering with our neighbors in Canada on important infrastructure projects like the Keystone XL Pipeline.
We often take for granted, however, that we are already electricity independent, since we have abundant and reliable resources to power homes and businesses for centuries - unless the Obama EPA gets its way. The Obama administration’s “all of the above but nothing from below” energy policy threatens our electricity independence.
What has been coming out in this year’s 2012 election cycle is that the US coal industry is lobbying hard for less regulation and EPA oversight, and making the argument that coal is critical to making America “energy independent” when the data shows that most of the additional
taxpayer subsidized US coal production is actually being exported outside the US to countries and markets that have fewer emissions and environmental controls than the US,
adding to the degradation of the global climate and health of everyone on the planet.
In fact the same logic came into play concerning the controversial Keystone XL pipeline during the second O’Brien vs. Upton debate, as it did during the first debate. From the Kalamazoo Gazette on October 23, 2012:
The candidates [O’Brien and Upton] also sparred on energy policy. Both candidates are in favor of an "all of the above" energy policy. Upton said fracking and the Keystone XL pipeline, which would transport oil from Canada to the U.S., would help create jobs in the district as well as lower energy costs. He added that renewable energy should be part of that mix.
O'Brien said he is against the Keystone XL pipeline due to the risk it would pose and because he said that oil would be shipped to the Gulf of Mexico and then exported. "We won't see that oil and it won't change the cost one penny at the pump," O'Brien said.
Upton was #1 in a list of the “
10 Biggest Enemies of the Earth” in 2011 according the
LA Times Editorial Board stating:
“Upton is the gatekeeper for many of the disastrous anti-environment bills that have been approved or proposed in the House this year. Ironically, he was once known among his state's conservatives as "Red Fred" because of a somewhat pro-environment voting record, but a recent electoral challenge from his right changed all that. Because of he powerful position and newfound disdain for green regulation, [Upton] represents one of the biggest threats to planet Earth on planet Earth.”
Between his new-found positions on climate change, the environment, the EPA and his avoidance of completing a new Farm Bill, Upton now finds himself on thin ice with many supporters.
Upton: A Soldier for the Right-Wing – Not Real Soldiers
Forward for the neo-conservative crusades, but not the Veterans they created
One of the local issues that the Mike O’Brien for Congress campaign has driven home is that of the positions and voting records of Fred Upton on Veterans issues. During this 2012 campaign veterans have been lining up behind O’Brien, an ex-Marine, rather than with Upton, whose retreat on veterans issues has become an injury to those that have been in harm’s way.
Southwest Michigan is an economically disadvantaged region of Michigan, much like it’s counterparts in Northern and Upper Peninsular Michigan where economics and strong patriotic traditions mean a lot of folks signing up for military service. While many locals might not be sure about many of this years national issues like deficits, national debt and tax policy, one thing they do understand is how veterans should taken care of, many of these Michiganders being vets or relatives of service men and women that were in Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom or OIF) and elsewhere, or still serve in (Operation Enduring Freedom or OEF) in Afghanistan.
Writes a senior Southwest Michigan retired military officer about his research on the race between O’Brien vs. Upton:
Last May, I retired to Southwest Michigan after 28 years of service in the U.S. Navy. During my service time, I served in the Persian Gulf War and the war in Iraq {OEF]. I knew that my government would stand with me during and after my service, but after researching both of the candidates running for Congress in Michigan’s 6th District, I have some serious concerns about Congressman Fred Upton’s lack of support to our military and veterans.
The first thing that caught my eye was [Upton’s] support of $11 billion in cuts of services used by veterans. Being a combat veteran, I use the Veteran's Administration like many veterans and the VA right now is struggling to meet all of the requirements from our current two wars and those from wars past.
I started digging deeper on Upton and discovered in October 2003, Upton voted against funding “to pay for the medical and dental screening of military reservists, for family assistance centers, for pre-paid phone cards for the troops in Iraq, for the transportation of troops on rest-and-relaxation leave, for the construction of water treatment and power plants for the deployed troops, and for the repair and replacement of damaged equipment.”
Additionally, In August 2007, Mr. Upton voted against life enhancement and periods of rest for our troops, and in July 2004, Upton voted against increased funding for military housing improvements.
(Break)
I believe [Upton] has lost touch with Michigan, the military and our veterans. I believe he is part of the pollution in Congress right now.
(Emphasis Added)
Then
on ex-reconnaissance (Recon) Marine OBrien:
I met and spoke with Mike O’Brien at one of his rallies. He understands the military and veterans issues because he is one of us. (break) This November, I'm casting my vote for O'Brien and I encourage all of my fellow veterans to consider this, too.
While O’Brien downplays his
military service and past public service it is clear in his stump speeches, he knows a lot about not just veterans issues, but he is able to talk in interact on a very personal level with fellow citizens one-on-one, looking them straight in the eye and impressing them just as he did this three decade serviceman, something the three decade politician, Upton has lost.
VIDEO by the Mike O’Brien Campaign on “Leadership”
Upton: A Solider for the Right-Wing including Koch Industries
Fred Upton – Another Tea Party “Koch” Addict
The reality is that in order to win the 2012 GOP Primary, Fred Upton has become a de facto member of the Michigan Tea Party, has co-authored articles with Americans for Prosperity and Koch Industries was among Upton’s Top Contributors in the 2010 election cycle. From “Upton Argues Obama Plans To Destroy America In The Name Of Global Warming” by Brad Johnson following the Upton Op-Ed:
“In a Wall Street Journal op-ed, incoming energy chair Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) joined Americans For Prosperity (AFP) president Tim Phillips, a global warming denier, to support the lawsuits by global warming polluters against climate rules. One of the companies leading the charge against the Environmental Protection Agency’s greenhouse gas endangerment finding is Koch Industries, the private pollution giant whose billionaire owners have been directing the Tea Party movement through its AFP front group.”
Koch brothers now at heart of GOP financing of new “SuperPAC” behind Mitt Romney and dozens of candidates across the country, Upton is no exception. From “Koch Brothers now at the Heart of GOP Power” on February 06, 2011:
“The billionaire brothers' influence is most visible in the makeup of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, where members have vowed to undo restrictions on greenhouse gases.”
"Perhaps the Kochs' most surprising and important ally on the [House Energy and Commerce] committee is its new chairman, Rep. Fred Upton. The Republican from Michigan, who was once criticized by conservatives for his middle-of-the-road approach to environmental issues, is now leading the effort to rein in the EPA.
"Upton received $20,000 in donations from Koch employees in 2010, making them among his top 10 donors in that cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. In recent months the congressman has made a point of publicly aligning himself with the Koch-backed advocacy group, calling for an end to the 'EPA choke-hold.'"
It is hard to say just how much money Upton might have received from the Koch brothers in the 2012 cycle. In fact, it may be quite possible that much of the Koch money in his district was spent to in the failed bid to unseat him.
Not just the Koch Brothers, More Buddies in Big Oil & Gas Industries
It’s the Private Polls Upton listens to now-a-days, the ones whispered in his ear
While these polls of private citizens are interesting (discussed in a previous post), it is the private polls of oil and energy industry insiders that Upton appears to heed most. From the article “GOP staff, energy lobby in closed-door talks” in Politico in 2011:
Top staff members for key House and Senate Republicans met in a closed-door session Tuesday with energy industry interests to work on strategy to handcuff the Obama administration’s climate change agenda.
With the backing of GOP caucus leaders, aides for House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and Senate Environment and Public Works Committee ranking member Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) are seeking unwavering support from a host of industries for an all-out push to block federal and state climate rules. (break) The roster of those attending the invitation-only gathering is being kept under lock and key, though it is believed to include the American Petroleum Institute, National Mining Association, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and others.
Shades of Dick Cheney’s infamous, secret Energy Task Force meeting of 2004? Sure looks like it, and even though is still not verified and documented IF Fred Upton was included in
Cheney’s secret Energy Task Force cabal, one has to loudly wonder if he would have been made the congressional kingpin of energy as Chair of the US House Energy and Commerce without being there.
From the piece “Fred Upton, GOP Energy And Commerce Chairman, Pushes Obama To Disclose, But Defended Bush” earlier this year on the Huffington Post June 8, 2012:
A House Republican chairman who once defended the Bush administration's non-disclosure is now blasting the White House for withholding information.
Energy and Commerce Chairman Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) sharply criticized the Obama administration in a recent Fox Business News interview for refusing to disclose key emails and information as part of an investigation into an alleged secret deal between White House and the pharmaceutical industry to pass health care reform.
(break)
Although Upton tossed Obama's words back at the president, Upton himself had a different attitude toward disclosure when a Republican sat in the Oval Office.
In 2004, when Democrats demanded information from President George W. Bush about the activities of Vice President Dick Cheney's secret energy task force, Upton voted against the request for disclosure.
(break)
Those aides carefully guarded the guest list for the invitation-only gathering, which was held just before Upton introduced a bill to block the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act.
Here we see the "new" Fred Upton, the 13-term formerly “moderate” turned party man, using the tricks developed by lobbyists and corporate insiders to protect the their special influence and power brokering at secret big oil and energy meetings.
Where’s Fred’s Aspen?
Since Upton is off and running around earning the support that he has gotten from the corporate lobbyists, and he has traditionally been off campaign for others supporting his new, big oil and energy friends, just where else has Fred been?
Just one example of how popular Fred Upton is in lobbying and insider circles in is revealed by the $63,384.95 that “private donors/contributors” related to Oil & Energy paid just for Upton’s travel alone to attend their annual conferences. So generous were the supporters of the right-wing Aspen Institute have paid for Fred to spend time with them across the world in (get this): Vienna, Austria (2011), Valencia, Spain (2009), Rome, Italy (2008), Shanghai and Beijing, Peoples Republic of China (2007), Istanbul, Turkey (2005) and White Sulphur Springs, WV back in 2001.
The major funders of the Aspen Institute are Exxon-Mobil and the American Petroleum Institute, along with billionaire radical right-wing foundations including: David H. Koch Charitable Foundation, the Gordon and Mary Cain Foundation and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation which along with the Koch Brothers is behind the conservative think tank in “Wisconsin Policy Research Institute” and the American Legislative Exchange Council or "ALEC" the key players in the support of Republican Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and legislative campaigns such as anti-labor, anti-unions and collective bargaining, shoot-first laws, climate denial and anti-EPA bills, the roll back of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) as well as voter ID and suppression laws in Wisconsin and across the entire country in GOP controlled State Houses and Governors’ Mansions, Lansing included.
Upton has been also been a member of the Apsen Institute’s “Board of Advisers” records show.
Has Upton become just another “PAC Rat”?
There are nearly 70 PACs currently on the Upton donor lists, and he receives the vast majority of his campaign funding from SuperPACs, trade and business lobbies and special interest donors, both from the mega-wealthy 1% and corporations, some of which are companies that have a vested interest that Upton remain in his position as Chair of the Energy & Commerce committee. According to the Michigan Campaign Finance Network on May 14, 2012:
The state [Michigan Chamber of Commerce] and national [US Chamber of Commerce] spent $128,000 for television spots touting Upton’s service. The U.S. Chamber and the American Chemistry Council are in the midst of a new three-week TV ad campaign praising Upton. The Chemistry Council is spending $240,000 and the U.S. Chamber is spending $118,000 in the Grand Rapids-Kalamazoo media market.
As of September 30, 2012,
Upton has raised nearly $3.8 million to support his reelection, compared to less than 6% of that by his challenger Mike O’Brien, who has received almost entirely in small,
individual contributions much of it from his hometown family and friend, and other citizens he has met walking the small towns and rural areas of the 6th District. Check O'Brien out you might
like Mike.
READ a ARTICLE on PAC Contributions to Fred Upton
Entrenched, Corrupted, Corporate-funded Politicians Must Go
Has Fred Upton crossed the line? Has he gone too far? Voters will decide.
This is part of the story of Fred Upton's 26 years in Congress. Those that know him well over that period of time, see that he is simply not the man that many helped to get started in politics. Originally supported by citizens of both parties and independents to remove a corrupted incumbent, many of the behaviors he now exhibits are a serious concern to many inside and outside his home 6th Congressional District. Like the former friend, Howard Wolpe, many have given Fred warnings and shared these concerns about him become a "right-wing extremist". On his current path, he may soon not recognize himself, the "old" Fred and the "new" Fred.
As Upton's capable opponent put it during their second debate:
“Our founding fathers never intended that there to be “professional politicians” in Congress. They expected former soldiers, businessmen, farmers and citizens of all stripes would run for office, not professional politicians.”
- Mike O’Brien, from notes taken during the second debate October 23, 2012
It may be time for a change, and this cycle he has a serious challenger in Mike O'Brien, on November 6, 2012 the voters decide which Fred Upton they want. Our choice is clear, new Fred must go.
VIDEO from the Mike O’Brien campaign a “Clear” choice.
READ the FULL INTERVIEW of Mike O’Brien posted on October 18, 2012 on Michigan’s own Eclectablog. O’Brien talks about the race tightening, several emerging issues in the campaign, parallels between Upton and Mitt Romney
RELATED: MI-06 Mike O'Brien Shreds Fred Upton in first debate: Polls show Michigan Congressional Race Closing (October 23, 2012)
Permissions and Disclaimer: The authors of this post are not employed by or members of the O’Brien campaign and it is an independent piece not endorsed by the candidate or campaign staff. A couple of the contributors to this piece have know Fred Upton for decades. PERMISSION is GRANTED to re-post any portion or full content of this work, as long as a link to the original is used.