Consumers Energy Monopoly Spending Big to Deceive Southwest Michigan Voters
Utility Giant Created Fake "Faithful Conservtives for Michigan" Front Group to Attack Steve Carra, Critic of Data Center Deals
The Detroit News reports that Consumers Energy is spending big bucks to smear conservative Michigan lawmaker, Rep. Steve Carra, because of his principled opposition to hyperscale data centers:
Two groups connected to Consumers Energy, one of Michigan's dominant electric utilities, are funding TV commercials this summer in a bid to unseat a state House member who's been critical of data center projects.
Republican Rep. Steve Carra of Three Rivers is a conservative member of the state Legislature and has served three terms in Lansing. He chairs a subcommittee that's held five hearings this year examining the impact of data centers.
"The people are speaking loudly and clearly that they DO NOT want hyperscale data centers," Carra wrote on Facebook in May.
About two months after that post, in July, a nonprofit organization named Citizens for Energizing Michigan's Economy, which has received tens of millions of dollars in funding from Consumers Energy in the past, began sponsoring ads promoting one of Carra's Aug. 4 primary opponents: Republican Luke Lori of Three Rivers.
Meanwhile, a second organization, named Faithful Conservatives for Michigan, which has previously received money from Citizens for Energizing Michigan's Economy, began sponsoring negative ads about Carra, accusing him of voting with "the radical left."
"Groups tied to Consumers Energy target Michigan data center critic," The Detroit News, July 20, 2026
It couldn't be simpler: Consumers Energy has created these two fake organizations to conceal from voters its own, direct role in spending millions of dollars in political attacks targeting those who oppose its Data Center Agenda.
They're using names like "Faithful Conservatives for Michigan" to hide their own identity from voters. Otherwise, the fraud would be obvious.
The ads falsely accuse Representative Carra of being "radical left."
In fact, Steve Carra is one of the most conservative members of the Michigan Legislature.
The Coalition to Rescue Michigan recently gave him their highest ranking in the State House. He votes against special interest deals, even when most politicians in both parties vote for them.
And he is one of the only members of the Michigan legislature to post explanations for each of his votes online, so that his constituents fully understand his reasons and can see his principled consistency.
But as The Detroit News noted, Carra is being targeted by the utility monopolies precisely because he opposes their interest in bringing more and more hyperscale data centers into Michigan.
Now, Consumers Energy is using a made-up organization of its own creation to attack Rep. Carra. They hope to send a message to every lawmaker in Lansing: Give us what we want – or else.
It's a legislative blackmail operation, pure and simple, to intimidate lawmakers into bowing down to the utility monopolies.
The History of Consumers' Fake "Faithful Conservatives" Smear Operation
There is no organization called "Faithful Conservatives for Michigan." There is no website, no named staff, nothing – except the business address for the office of Eric Doster, a lawyer who incorporates numerous Lansing swamp-related fake organizations like itself.
Its entire existance is a lie, meant to deceive voters into believing the utility monopolies' propaganda is coming from some sort of grassroots organization.
In fact, "Faithful Conservatives for Michigan" has a history of attacking actual conservatives. Their last victim was now-deceased State Rep. Gary Glenn.
Like Steve Carra, Gary Glenn was a well-known principled conservative leader. He was the director of the American Family Association of Michigan, a leader in the successful effort to pass Right to Work in Michigan (and many years earlier, in Idaho), and much more.
Gary led the nation in health care reform, when as a county commissioner he authored the first Medical Savings Account plan for county employees anywhere in America. He shared a "Freedom Fighter of the Year award with Charlton Heston in 1987.
But when Gary Glenn became a vocal opponent of the utility monopolies as Vice Chairman, and then Chairman, of the House Energy Committee starting in 2015, Consumers Energy targeted him for political assassination.
Through their front groups – "Faithful Conservatives for Michigan" and "Citizens for Energizing Michigan's Economy" – Consumers Energy spent m ore money in the 2018 Michigan State race than Gary Glenn and his opponent, by far – over $2 million.
Attack ads ran non-stop on every television network. Glenn was accused of being "a snake in the Lansing swamp." Mailers paid for by "Faithful Conservatives" (that is, Consumers Energy) accused him of having soliciting bribes.
In fact, Glenn had been a Right to Work activist and simply told a politician it would be in his political interest to support a Right to Work law. The politician, Jim Risch, serving in the Idaho Senate at the time, made the accusation as a threat. All those years later, now high-ranking U.S. Senator Risch authored a letter calling out the utility monopolies' lies about Gary Glenn.
Another state lawmaker, John Reilly, filed an extensive complaint with the State of Michigan, alleging abuse of non-profit status and failing to disclose election finances.
Nevertheless, due entirely to the utility monopolies' overwhelming spending of money in the race, Gary Glenn was defeated.