Revolving door crony capitalism spins Lansing

By Jack McHugh | Michigan Capitol Confidential

Tim Carney covers the crony capitalism beat for the Washington Examiner, and reported recently that former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood has joined the board of a company that during his tenure benefited from extensive subsidies from the department he headed.

Carney sums up: “So LaHood used his power as a top government official to give taxpayer money to Proterra. Now Proterra is paying LaHood.”

Similar revolving door relationships are seen in this state as well. A few weeks ago former state representative Andy Coulouris appeared before a legislative committee in Lansing where he was lobbying for a bill to keep generous benefits flowing to his current employer, Hemlock Semiconductor. Coulouris resigned from the House in April 2010 to take a job lobbying for Hemlock’s parent company.

at Michigan Capitol Confidential.

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