The now suspended campaign to amend the Michigan constitution to provide civil rights protections for women and the LGBT community had just over $1 million in cash on hand earlier this month when it filed its campaign finance reports.
The report shows the ballot committee had $1,011,851 in cash on hand. But $1 million of that came as a loan from co-chair Dana Nessel's brother, and Dallas real estate developer, Ariel Nessel. Another $10,000 was donated by the Glengariff Group, a polling firm that also donated $47,000 in in-kind services to the campaign. The remaining cash on hand was raised through a handful of donors — with Sybil Offen of Plymouth donating $1,700, Debra Bennett of Haslett donating $100, Emily McAllister of Plymouth donating $50, and Chad Cyrowski of Ferndale donating one dollar.
The report also shows the campaign — in addition to the $47,000 in-kind donation from Glengariff Group — received $249,652.34 of in-kind contributions from campaign loyalists. Truscott Rossman, a public relations and communications firm in Lansing which handled publicity on the project, provided $49,275.84 worth of services, and Dykema law firm, which co-chair Richard McLelland works at, provided $35,876.54 in services. Nessel's own law firm provided $50,000 of legal services, while Howard Edelson, for Edelson Group of Ann Arbor, provided $67,500 in services.
Nessel has told other news agencies she intends on starting her own nonprofit educational and political organization to address LGBT equality issues, so it is unclear what will happen with the current cash on hand in the committee's possession. Regardless, $1 million will either have to be paid back to Nessel's brother or written off.
Fair Michigan Had $1 Million on Hand
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