To the editor:

 

Here we are in the last days of August, Fred Upton nowhere to be found.

Usually, August is a time for town hall meetings across the country where representatives are able to speak directly to concerns of their constituents.

In Michigans’s Sixth congressional District we have to ask, “Where is Fred?” It is disheartening to learn of all the time he has spent in the first six months of this year flitting from fundraiser to fundraiser from Florida to Michigan to New York, raising money through his Pac T.R.U.S.T. (Team Republicans Using Sensible Tactics).

Catering these events alone cost Upton’s TRUST PAC $88,000. He seems to have plenty of time and money when it comes to courting big business. Here’s a look at who he does have time for, according to Kent Cooper’s post on Political Moneyline, http://blogs.rollcall.com/moneyline/chairman-upton-caters-to-industry-donors/

“Major bundles of contributions included $25,000 from five executives of Cheniere Energy; $17,250 from 32 executives of Exelon Corp.; $15,000 from two executives and a spouse at Koch Industries; $12,000 from six executives of Pfizer Inc.; and $12,000 from three executives and a spouse at Castle Harlan Inc.

“Besides individual donors, Cheniere Energy Inc. PAC gave $5,000 and Koch Industries Inc. PAC gave $5,000. Other contributions included $5,000 each from the PACs of the following companies: AT&T Inc., Comcast Corp., DTE Energy Co., Duke Energy Corp., Entergy Corp. T-Mobile USA Inc., among others. Several giving $2,500 included Clear Channel Communications Inc., General Electric Co., Verizon Communication Inc., Viacom International Inc., among others.”

When the event has the promise of a checkbook Fred can find his GPS and show up, but when it’s the people he’s supposed to be representing, he cannot be found.

Next time you would like to speak to Fred, turn on your TV set and talk to one of his many campaign commercials that are already running.

Or, better yet, I am sure we will find a whole forest of mail in the coming months from his campaign about how Upton is for all of US … those of US with checkbooks, that is.

 

Jim Bussler