Michigan Families for Fair Care (MFFC)

Michigan Families for Fair Care (MFFC) is a left-of-center pop-up organization created in January 2024 by Unrig Our Economy that is funded by left-of-center Sixteen Thirty Fund (1630 Fund). 1 2 MFFC was launched to oppose U.S. Representative John James (R-MI) by arguing that his votes in Congress put Big Pharma ahead of Michiganders. 3

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At-A-Glance

Type: Organization, Other
Formation:

2024

Executive Director:

Steve Lawson

Contents

    Michigan Families for Fair Care advocates against the Rep. James by claiming his votes in Congress demonstrate a lack of concern for the financial impact of them on Michigan families. 4 MFFC is led by Democratic political operative Steve Lawson. 5 6

    Funding

    Michigan Families for Fair Care is a pop-up group of Unrig Our Economy (UOE) that is financed by Sixteen Thirty Fund, an Arabella Advisors-managed fund that The Atlantic called “the indisputable heavyweight of Democratic “dark money” and that makes grants to Michigan Democratic State Central Committee 21st Century Fund. Other UOE pop-up groups include, Lower Costs California, which ran attack ads against Representative Ken Calvert (R-CA) between January and June 2024, and Nebraska For Us, a group opposing U.S. Representative Don Bacon (R-NE). 7 8

    MFFC launched a 12-week, seven-figure attack ad campaign in mid-2024 that panned proposals in Congress that would, it claims, make life harder for families. The ad campaign attacks Representative John James (R-MI). 2 9

    Activities

    On June 28, 2024, Michigan Families for Fair Care celebrated the 12th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court upholding the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and accused Representative John James (R-MI) of supporting a proposed budget that would eliminate protections for people with pre-existing conditions and roll back Affordable Care Act subsidies for expanding coverage. 10

    MFFC issued a press release advocating that Rep. James support fully funding WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) and not restrict access to SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). 11

    MFFC and  Social Security Works, a group that is also a convening member of the more than 300 member left-of-center Strengthen Social Security Coalition, including Democratic Socialists of America,  SEIU, Michigan Liberation, and Mothering Justice, held a rally outside of Rep. James’s office urging him to not support raising the retirement age of Social Security on June 4, 2024. Anastasey Manolatos, organizing director of For Our Future Michigan, spoke at the rally. 12

    MFFC Held an event during Teacher Appreciation Week that claimed that Rep. James had voted to cut nutrition assistance. 13

    On June 24, 2024, MFFC posted on Facebook in opposition to Rep. James’s past support for abortion restrictions, and on May 2, 2024, posted in opposition to Rep. James’s support for repealing the Affordable Care Act. 14

    People

    Steve Lawson is executive director of MFFC and describes himself as a Democratic campaign operative. Previously he was campaign director of the Michigan House Democratic Fund and deputy caucus director of the Michigan House Democratic Fund. 6

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    References

    1. Abramowitz, Andrew. “Pop-up Organizations.” Andrew Abramowitz, PLLC, December 21, 2021. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://aalegalnyc.com/pop-up-organizations/.
    2. Kaminsky, Gabe. “Left-Wing Billionaires behind Astroturfed ‘grassroots’ Operation Attacking House GOP – Washington Examiner.” Washington Examiner – Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, July 18, 2024. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/investigations/3086696/left-wing-billionaires-behind-astroturfed-grassroots-operation-attacking-house-gop/.
    3. Account, Info. “State Rep. Denise Mentzer to Join Michigan Families for Fair Care Launch Event to Call on Rep. John James to Put Michiganders over Corporations .” Michigan Families for Fair Care, February 14, 2024. https://www.michiganfamiliesforfaircare.org/news/state-representative-denise-mentzer-to-join-michigan-families-for-fair-care-launch-event-to-call-on-rep-john-james-to-put-michiganders-over-corporationsnbsp.
    4. Williams, Bradley. “New Ad: Local Business Owner Speaks on the High Costs of Health Care .” Michigan Families for Fair Care, March 19, 2024. https://www.michiganfamiliesforfaircare.org/news/new-ad-local-business-owner-speaks-on-the-high-costs-of-health-carenbsp.
    5. “Michigan Families for Fair Care.” Michigan Families for Fair Care. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.michiganfamiliesforfaircare.org/.
    6. Steve Lawson – executive director – michigan families for … Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-lawson-69021bbb.
    7. Green, Emma. “The Massive Progressive Dark-Money Group You’ve Never Heard Of.” The Atlantic, November 2, 2021. Accessed July 28, 2024. https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2021/11/arabella-advisors-money-democrats/620553/.
    8. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990) (multiple). Sixteen Thirty Fund. 2015-2021. Schedule I.
    9. Account, Info. “State Rep. Denise Mentzer to Join Michigan Families for Fair Care Launch Event to Call on Rep. John James to Put Michiganders over Corporations .” Michigan Families for Fair Care, February 14, 2024. Accessed July 29, 2024. https://www.michiganfamiliesforfaircare.org/news/state-representative-denise-mentzer-to-join-michigan-families-for-fair-care-launch-event-to-call-on-rep-john-james-to-put-michiganders-over-corporationsnbsp.
    10. Lawson, Steve. “Michigan Families for Fair Care Celebrates the Anniversary of the Supreme Court Upholding the Affordable Care Act.” Michigan Families for Fair Care, June 28, 2024. https://www.michiganfamiliesforfaircare.org/news/michigan-families-for-fair-care-celebrates-the-anniversary-of-the-supreme-court-upholding-the-affordable-care-act.
    11. Account, Info. “Can Michiganders Count on Rep. James to Prioritize Fully Funding WIC & Protecting Snap over a Govt. Shutdown?” Michigan Families for Fair Care, February 28, 2024. https://www.michiganfamiliesforfaircare.org/news/can-michiganders-count-on-congressman-james-to-prioritize-fullynbsp-funding-wic-and-protecting-snap-over-a-government-shutdownnbsp.
    12. Lawson, Steve. “Michigan Advocates Gather to Call on Rep. John James to Not Gut Social Security Benefits.” Michigan Families for Fair Care, June 6, 2024. https://www.michiganfamiliesforfaircare.org/news/michigan-advocates-gather-to-call-on-rep-john-james-to-not-gut-social-security-benefits.
    13. Lawson, Steve. “Michigan Families for Fair Care Celebrate Michigan Educators.” Michigan Families for Fair Care, May 13, 2024. https://www.michiganfamiliesforfaircare.org/news/michigan-families-for-fair-care-celebrate-michigan-educators.
    14. “Michigan Families for Fair Care.” Facebook. Accessed July 28, 2024. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555475810203.