Ban all fundraising by state officials during legislative session. Prohibit all state officials and their staff members from soliciting or receiving campaign contributions while the legislature is in session.
Ban fundraising by state officials during legislative session and prohibit solicitation or receipt of campaign contributions while the legislature is in session.
Occurrences
Evidence
Michigan campaign finance law prohibits cash contributions above $20 and cash expenditures above $50, and bars anonymous contributions and contributions made in another person's name. The provision does not address a session-based ban on fundraising by state officials or solicitation/receipt of campaign contributions while the legislature is in session.
Michigan law defines 'contribution' broadly for campaign-finance purposes, including payments and transfers made to influence elections. It does not itself impose a prohibition on fundraising by state officials during legislative session or solicitation/receipt of contributions while the legislature is in session.
Michigan law restricts use of public resources for political contributions and expenditures. That is a different restraint from banning fundraising by state officials during a legislative session, and it does not prohibit solicitation or receipt of campaign contributions while the legislature is in session.
Assessments
The promise was to enact a specific ban on fundraising by state officials during legislative session and to prohibit solicitation or receipt of campaign contributions while the legislature is in session. The provided evidence shows Michigan campaign-finance law regulates contributions in other ways, such as defining contributions and restricting certain uses of public resources or cash/anonymous contributions, but does not impose the promised session-based fundraising prohibition. There is also no evidence here that John James, a federal officeholder, secured or materially advanced enactment of such a Michigan state-law ban. Based on the record provided, the promised policy was not delivered.