Michigan members of the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction, Reps. Dave Camp (R) and Fred Upton (R), raised significant campaign contributions from corporate interests with business before the so-called “supercommittee” in the third quarter of the year according to Public Campaign’s analysis of new campaign finance filings that was released by Michigan Citizen Action today.

“Will Dave Camp and Fred Upton create a balanced approach to deficit reduction or one balanced on the backs of everyday Americans that, unlike corporate sponsors, can’t afford to make campaign contributions?” said Erin Knott, deputy director of Michigan Citizen Action.

According to the analysis of Federal Election Commission records:

• Camp received at least $97,760 from health interests in the third quarter and $30,500 from insurance interests. Upton took at least $115,240 from the sector and $11,000 from insurance interests.

• Camp received at least $109,900 from the finance, insurance, and real estate (FIRE) sector. Upton received at least $15,250 from these Wall Street interests. Closing the “carried interest” loophole for hedge fund managers or other taxes on Wall Street transactions could be part of the supercommittee deal,

• Camp received at least $83,750 from energy and natural resource interests, including $71,000 from oil and gas interests—about twice the amount he received from Big Oil in the first two quarters of the year combined. Upton received at least $60,900 from energy interests, including $45,000 from oil and gas interests. That includes a $2,500 donation from the political action committee of the American Petroleum Institute, the Big Oil trade group that said the supercommittee should let the industry “do our thing.”

• Overall, Camp raised $701,807 in campaign contributions in the third quarter, only seven percent of which ($45,970) was from Michigan donors. Upton raised $394,955 in the third quarter from known contributors, nearly 85 percent of which was from donors outside of Michigan.

“This supercommittee shouldn’t cut Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security to protect tax loopholes for bankers or oil companies,” said Knott. “But both Camp and Upton have taken big cash from those interests that’d like to keep their special deals in place.”

In August, Public Campaign and two-dozen groups urged supercommittee members to give up fundraising while serving on the panel. Just one, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), said he would stop raising money for himself while on the panel and analysis of his FEC data shows he kept to that pledge. Camp and Upton both said they would not schedule additional fundraisers, but would still attend those already on the calendar.

A close look at Camp’s filings shows he attended a fundraiser with casino executives in Las Vegas in early September, time he could’ve been back home responding to questions from seniors and families in his district about why he voted in favor of deep cuts to Medicaid and Medicare while supporting tax breaks for millionaires and big corporations.

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Michigan Citizen Action (MCA) is a progressive citizens lobby that champions the rights of all people. Using progressive policies and the power of grass roots networks, MCA advances social, racial and economic justice for all. MCA relies on the support of its 11,000 members, partners and allies to make Michigan a better place to live and work.

Public Campaign works to ensure that the voices of regular Americans are heard in the political process by advocating for far-reaching changes in campaign finance law and by holding our elected officials accountable for the access and special favors they give big political donors.