U.S. law regulates individual and group campaign contributions to political candidates. Though, through the U.S. Supreme Court precedent set in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, interest group’s free-speech rights are represented in the money they can contribute to causes, like “electioneering” campaigns.

 

Announcing candidacy

Oakland University professor Preston Brooks announced his candidacy for U.S. Representative of Michigan’s Eighth Congressional District on the platform of removing the influence of lobbying from American politics.

Brooks, of the computer science and engineering department, will petition the state Bureau of Elections to add his name as an independent candidate to the 2012 ballot.

The professor vowed to accept no cash donations during his term.

“Both Democrats and Republicans are guilty of the crime,” said Brooks, “and that’s money in politics.”

Both have good ideas, he said, but cannot cooperate for fear of losing the campaign contributions that fund their re-election campaigns.

 

Brooks’ campaign 

Brooks, with a successful ballot petition, will run against Eighth-District Incumbent Rep. Mike Rogers (R — Howell) and Democratic candidate Lance Enderle.

F.E.C. records show Rogers’ 2012 re-election campaign receiving $587,793. Sixty-nine percent of which was contributed by political action committees.

Enderle’s campaign has received $8,625, with $7,325 being committed by the candidate himself.

“I have no interest in financial gain, but run because somebody has to do it,” he said. “I will serve one two-year term and not run for re-election.”

Serving one term without focus maintaining his Congressional seat, he said, will allow complete devotion to the Michigan’s Eighth District, its constituents and to the country.

If successful, the professor said he hopes others will follow in refusing special-interest influence.

The goal of his campaign is to address three fundamental issues, with the first being the influence of money in politics.

Social inequality — “I am firmly on the side of the 99 percent,” he said — is another issue Brooks would address.

The last problem he identified is citizens’ apathy toward national service and public service.

“We’ve abdicated our responsibilities and values,” Brooks said.

“We’ve outsourced our responsibilities to the military, and let P.A.C.s and corporations control politics,” he said.

According to Brooks, his campaign is “all about public service.”

Adrienne LaMilza, Brooks’ campaign manager, said its time that students and today’s young generation take action and become involved in politics.

“It’s the first time in my life that I’ve ever seen such discontentment,” said LaMilza. “I felt compelled to action.”

LaMilza, a recent OU graduate, holds a degree in information technology. LaMilza worked with Brooks on a 10-month sustainable energy project.

The two shared dissatisfaction over the 112th Congress’ inability to compromise.

“We were talking about how to fix it, and I said I would run for Congress,” Brooks said.

A recent CNN poll found that 16 percent of American’s approve of Congress performance.

“This disapproval is evidence of the public’s desire for change,” Brooks said.

Since 2001, Rep. Rogers has served Michigan’s Eighth District. Before Rogers, current Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D — Lansing) held the seat from 1997 to 2000.

“Gerrymandering has completely removed competition against incumbents,” Brooks said.

The only way to defeat an incumbent, he said, is to adopt a more extreme stances, resulting in a divided, idealistic Congress, unwilling to compromise even in the face of government shutdown.

Brooks holds degrees in engineering, nuclear engineering and software engineering. He also has private-sector experience, having established his own software company, VerdeGenix Software, which builds applications for the renewable energy industry.

The professor will continue to teach three courses throughout his candidacy. If elected, he would like to stay as a professor in residence or a special lecturer for the political science department.

Information regarding Brooks’ campaign is available at his campaign website.

 

Contact Raymond Andre via email at [email protected]