We're again, just like a lot of progressives, it becomes we want the state to be the central organizing entityexcept we want to control it. I think that there are some senators who want to get something done. Rep. Peter Meijer, R-Mich., is seen during a group photo with freshmen members of the House Republican Conference on the House steps of the Capitol on Monday, January 4, 2021. The evidence indicates that this LLC was used to unlawfully keep voters in the dark about the true source of a $150,000 super PAC contribution, said Brendan Fischer, senior director of federal reform at the Campaign Legal Center. A nonpartisan watchdog is asking federal officials to investigate a Grand Rapids entity it claims was created to funnel money to a Republican political group working to help elect GOP candidate Peter Meijer to Congress. But in statements during the past week, the four members of Congress who've traded Russian investments have been uniformly opposed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. President Joe Biden reportedly is considering addressing the matter in his State of the Union Address on Tuesday. There's a lot of areas where having different states take different approaches, and being able to compare and contrast what has worked and what hasn't. I think that it is a political imperative and a moral imperative as well", he said. "[5] In his primary campaign, Meijer received funding from several wealthy Michigan-based business families and outraised the other Republican candidates. Meijer launched his campaign for a congressional seat to represent Grand Rapids in July 2019, shortly after Michigan Rep. Justin Amash criticized the hyperpartisan environment within Congress in a scathing op-ed in the Washington Post and announced he was leaving the Republican Party and becoming an independent. Tonight we voted on the American Rescue Plan. [21] Meijer defeated Lynn Afendoulis in the August 4 primary election. The Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint Friday with the Federal Election Commission saying the newly created company called Montcalm LLC appears to be a shell corporation used as part of a "straw donor" arrangement to hide the true donorand evade contribution limits. But now the Michigan GOP has put forward a number of candidates, such as [secretary of state hopeful] Kristina Karamo and others, who embrace this misinformation. Only a handful of federal lawmakers have established qualified blind trusts, which can be expensive and time-consuming to formalize. I think it's deeply worrisome when the former elected officials who successfully won statewide in a state like Michigan, when you have a party that actively seeks to purge them. That has tremendous value and allows us to pass legislation based on empirical data, demonstrated efficacy rather than talking points and assumptions. I would actually say, a lot of the posturing you see on TV and social media is not necessarily reflective of many serious, sober-minded individuals who are not going to abandon their principles. I think we should have policy-oriented conversations rather than a conversationrather than a politics whose goal is to channel the anger of the electorate in a way that best benefits the candidate personally. [29] His primary opponent was John Gibbs, a former Trump administration official. J.B. Pritzker, a Hyatt Hotel heir, is the wealthiest, worth $3.4 billion, followed by President Trump, with a net worth of $2.5 billion. But thats no difference for Meijer who has his $50 million-plus trust fund to rescue him if he gets sick. However, he also is skeptical that the House select committee investigating the violence of that day will be successful at changing many voters' views of what occurred. www.dccc.org. I think it's a vitally important exercise to air disagreements, to not pretend that one party or one individual or one approach has all of the answers. As an American, as somebody who believes in this republic and swore an oath to the Constitution, we are going down a very dangerous path that we need to turn around right now. That's something we need to reckon with. Washington, D.C. 20003. That is what gives power and control to the government, rather than the government, rather than being first and foremost subjects. The money behind the candidates in Michigan - Part III: DeVos-funded [52] He believes Republicans should take on the problem with conservative solutions. After graduating from Columbia University in 2012 with an undergraduate degree in cultural anthropology, Meijer worked in Afghanistan as a director at the International Safety NGO Organisation, an international charity that supports the safety of aid workers in conflict zones such as Syria and Somalia. The Brain Trust | Columbia | Zuckerman Institute Meijers uncle Doug Meijer also contributed $5,600. [56], in May 2022, Meijer was one of 16 House Republicans to vote for the Recovering America's Wildlife Act. Scholten conceded late Wednesday. We can allocate all the money in the world from the federal government. "This is yet another example of why members should not be trading stocks.". No, we are first and foremost determinants determining how we are governed. There's a difference between an explanation and excuse. At 32, the newest congressman from Grand Rapids Township will stand out in the House as one of its youngest members and will be joining a group of at least18 Iraq veteranscurrently serving in the chamber. After a heated campaign, Meijerdefeated Democrat Hillary Scholten of Grand Rapids 53% to 47%, according to unofficial returns. Peter Meijer Reflects on Trump, GOP after Primary Loss - National Review Rizik is also the registered agent for the Meijer Family Office LLC, according to state records. The Brain Trust of the Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute serves as the voluntary board of advisors to guide the work of Columbia University researchers as they uncover the mysteries of the brain. The Meijer chain was founded in Michigan in 1934 and pioneered the concept of a superstore. Peter Meijer Seat Lost: Thanks, Donald Trump | National Review It's official: Democrat Hillary Scholten will represent Michigan's third congressional district. Peter Meijer's not a RINO but might help remake the GOP Gottheimer said that "Ukraine urgently needs the continued assistance of Western allies to hold off Russian troops from Kyiv including additional sanctions by the U.S. to cut off Putin's revenue at the source. ", "Here are the 35 House Republicans who voted for the January 6 commission", "These are the 9 House Republicans who voted to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress", "House votes to repeal 2002 Iraq War authorization", "House passes bill to streamline visa process for Afghans who helped US", "House votes to evacuate more Afghan allies as US war ends", "House passes sweeping defense policy bill", "H.R. I think nothing could be further from core conservative principles. As he was trying to build name recognition, Ford constructed a Quonset hut downtown that he painted to promote his campaign, Meijer said. Stephen Kokx, a writer and lifelong resident of Meijer's district, recently spoke with Big League Politics about Meijer and his perception among the people who elected him. The family currently has no investments in these funds," Lee spokesperson Zoe Sheppard said. Washington West Michigan Republican freshman U.S. Rep. Peter Meijer has drawn a primary challenger after voting last week to impeach former President Donald Trump. [45][46], In July 2021, Meijer voted for the bipartisan ALLIES Act, which would increase by 8,000 the number of special immigrant visas for Afghan allies of the U.S. military during its invasion of Afghanistan, while also reducing some application requirements that caused long application backlogs; the bill passed the House, 40716. The Defense Department and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were not given advance notice. By the next year, sales were an estimated $5 billion. [5] He is married to Gabriella Zacarias. "Lee last week advocated for the "most crushing of sanctions on Russia" in response to its invasion of Ukraine. A "straw" donor is one who uses another's name to make political contributions in an effort to evade reporting requirements which is illegal under federal campaign finance law. The newly created 'Montcalm LLC was not the true source of the $150,000 super PAC contribution. Amash has represented the district for nearly 10 years. PDF inancial D iScloSure eport I think in order to stop that trend, folks need to be honest and not just tell their constituents what they want to hear and not just play to the crowd, but have some fundamental principles rather than viewing everything as a subjective matter. 524 Peter Meijer - The Axe Files with David Axelrod - Podcast on CNN Audio", "Meijer heir puts his military experience to use helping Hurricane Sandy victims", "Baghdad Missive: Stay Civil, On Subject", "3rd District U.S. House: Peter Meijer, Republican", "Peter Meijer Wins 3rd Congressional District Republican Primary", "DeVos family throws support behind congressional candidate Peter Meijer", "Rep. Dan Crenshaw endorses Peter Meijer for Congress", "House Republican leader endorses Peter Meijer in race to replace Justin Amash", "Rep. Steve Scalise endorses Peter Meijer for Congress", "Glad to support @VoteMeijer who served his country in uniform and now we need him to fight for West Michigan in Congress. [8] He legally readopted the family name at age eighteen. "So, I'm excited to bring young energy and young perspectives.". About | Bloomberg Philanthropies What we saw on Wednesday is that the President is unfit for office, Meijer said on national television on January 11. [24], Ultimately, Meijer defeated Scholten, 53%47%. Peter Meijer - Wikipedia Ep. But Peter Meijer is well aware that his vote to impeach Trump could shorten his time on Capitol Hill. Not a lot of politicians get to vote on impeaching a sitting U.S. president in their first week of office. "It's important that the Republican Party looks more like the country as a whole and that we also have our government that reflects more of the people that seeks to represent," Meijer said. Meijer noted that the House GOP was expected to have a bad night on Tuesday with a loss of five to 15 seats, but instead they added at least seven seats, leavingDemocrats with a slimmer House majority. Rep. Peter Meijer doesn't regret taking on Trump, and he could help remake the GOP. It may have been an act of political suicide, Meijer said of his vote to impeach Trump. Rizik is also the registered agent for the Meijer Family Office LLC, according to state records. I also really appreciate the opportunity to talk with individuals who, in good faith, have arrived at different conclusions, and be able to either defend how I arrived at my position or to gain a perspective, or getting information that maybe I didn't have. [53], On March 21, 2021, Meijer signed a letter pressing Biden to stop Enbridge Line 5, an oil pipeline, from being shut down in May. What are your thoughts on that? Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. [32] In November 2022, Gibbs lost the general election to Meijer's 2020 opponent, Hillary Scholten. [40], During the presidency of Joe Biden, Meijer had voted in line with the president's stated position 36% of the time. It's been two decades since Michigan had a Republican senator. We shouldn't be looking at this first and foremost through a partisan lens. I think they need a little bit more of a complex flavor profile. Peter Meijer, Hillary Scholten clash over health care - mlive expressed an intent to try to assassinate, SCOTUS Now Just Another Congressional Committee, Secret Chinese Police Stations in Europe Are 'Tip of the Iceberg', Trump's Attorney Just Blew Carroll Rape Case, King Charles Says Royals Require 'Acting Ability', Ukraine Will Regain 'Significant Territory' From Russia, Florida GOP Paves the Way to Help Ron DeSantis Challenge Trump. According to a financial disclosure form he filed in 2019, the congressman has access to multiple trusts, including a blind family trust with more than $50 million in assets. The bill would prevent the children of long-term visa holders who came to the U.S. legally with their parents from having their visas expire the day they turn 21. "Not only embracing conservatism and the Republican party's long history of conservation and environmental protection but extending that forward is frankly where the country is. General Unrestricted Fund The General Unrestricted Fund is the most flexible for spending, and contributions are used in maintaining the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. And are you optimistic about the direction politics is going? Named Funds You may elect to create your own named PGIM, Inc. (PGIM), formerly Prudential Investment Management, is the asset management arm of American life insurance company Prudential Financial. "I've spent several years as a combatant in Iraq, as a civilian non-combatant in Afghanistan working on humanitarian aid operations and saw how what our government does or doesn't do lives hang in the balance," Meijer said. Party People: Mike Pence campaigned with Meijer in October. I'm not saying there shouldn't be an alternative. Peter Meijer votes against American Rescue Plan, introduces $DOGE (Direct Dollars Over Government Excess) plan saving a trillion dollars and giving every American $2400 instead of $1400. [5] He was later employed by Olympia Development of Michigan of Ilitch Holdings as an analyst from April 2018 to January 2019. But also, I think, frankly, view it as their responsibility as I do mine to not just throw up your hands and say, "There's nothing we can do." A few members of Congress or their spouses have, or recently had, stakes in Russian companies. They operate based on persuasion and trying to do that. GOP Rep. Peter Meijer Rules Out Write-In Bid If He Loses Primary Meijer and Khanna's office told Insider that they both, in principle, support a ban or restrictions on members of Congress from trading individual stocks. Hank remains executive chairman of the $18.1 billion (2019 revenues) company, which has 256 stores in six Midwestern states, including Michigan, where it will soon help administer Covid-19 vaccines. It shouldn't take a legal complaint for a super PAC donor to disclose what should have been made public in the first place., Scholten, Meijer's opponent,called the allegations appalling., For too long, the rich and well-connected in West Michigan have used their wealth to rig the system in their favor at the expense of everyday families, she said. Representative Peter Meijer, a Michigan Republican, made history within 10 days of officially being sworn in as a House member, becoming the first freshman lawmaker to vote to impeach a. [5] During this time, Meijer also worked on veterans projects such as Project Rubicon, was on the advisory board of the With Honor super political action committee, and assisted with urban renewal projects throughout Michigan. I grew up watching The Daily Show where Jon Stewart would play a clip, and it didn't matter if it was a Republican or a Democratyou know, played a clip of the same individual arguing against a four-years-later version of themselves. This is my frustration with a lot of one-size-fits-all approaches from the federal government. Rep. Peter Meijer, a Republican from Michigan, and the husband of Rep. Susie Lee, a Democrat from Nevada, used to have Russia-related investments but said Monday they sold them in 2021 and. I am a huge fan of cereal. [12] He was also a volunteer emergency medical technician for Columbia University's emergency medical services. Or you know, the Capitol Police invited people in. U.S. House Republican leader endorses Peter Meijer for Congress Unrestricted contributions less than $10,000 go the general fund. Those are things that we can at least make progress on in a bipartisan way. [40][41] The next day, Pelosi sent a letter to all House members saying that "the Departments of Defense and State have requested that Members not travel to Afghanistan and the region during this time of danger" because such travel "would unnecessarily divert needed resources" from the evacuation efforts. But Peter Meijer has a fifty-million-dollar trust fund and doesnt care about us. 7691, the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2022, which would provide the Ukrainian government with $40 billion in emergency aid. We need to be focusing on political violence in a sober, level-headed way, rather than excusing it when it comes from our side. Peter Meijer promised to fully repeal our health care protections, letting insurance companies deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and charge older Americans five times more an age tax.. "There is no public record of Montcalm LLC conducting any activities other than making a political contribution," the complaint states. Thats a lot of money for those of us who dont have fifty-million-dollar trust funds. You previously said that you see right now that Republicans see "no alternative" to Trump. I do think there's room for an agreement. Thanks to his family fortune, Meijer is now part of an exclusive club of ultrawealthy politicians, from Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy to Nelson Rockefeller and Michael Bloomberg, who is worth $54.9 billion despite spending more than $1 billion to defeat Donald Trump in 2020, including his own failed presidential run. (1/2)" Nobody has bathed themselves in glory or esteem. Incumbent Rep. Peter Meijer, who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump, fell short in the Republican primary on Tuesday, losing to John Gibbs, a former Trump administration official who has promoted conspiracy theories and said he does not believe Joe Biden was legitimately elected. A spokesman for Meijer's campaign said Friday that "this has nothing to do with Peter Meijer.". [51], Meijer has acknowledged the existence of anthropogenic climate change. This is much to do about nothing and is just about opponents trying to score cheap political points," Moore said. The complaint also asks the FEC to probe whether Montcalm failed to register as a political committee as required by federal law. Lorsque vous utilisez nos sites et applications, nous utilisons des, authentifier les utilisateurs, appliquer des mesures de scurit, empcher les spams et les abus; et. afficher des publicits et des contenus personnaliss en fonction de vos profils de centres dintrt; mesurer lefficacit des publicits et contenus personnaliss; et. He ran slightly ahead of Trump, who narrowly carried the district with 51% of the vote. [22] He raised $2.7 million during the campaign, to Scholten's $3 million. The amendment also revised the address for the Montcalm/Meijer donation to45 Ottawa Ave.,S.W., Suite 1000, which is the address for Rizik's law firm, Miller Johnson Snell & Cummiskey. I think one of the sad realities that have come of this momentI've attended many events where very little of policy substance was discussed. It didn't tackle why it is so much more expensive in this country to build infrastructure than in any other developed nation in the world. The day after Montcalm's donation, the Congressional Leadership Fund which is asuper political action committeeendorsed by House GOP leadership spent additional money on ads inthe Grand Rapids market against Peter Meijer's Democratic opponent, Hillary Scholten, according to federal filings. Sign up for notifications from Insider! In a phone interview Monday, Meijer confirmed that the trust, for which he is the "sole beneficiary with no authority or advisory role" in it, dumped all of its individual stocks in early 2021, including the shares in Yandex. [30] Meijer lost the August 2 primary to Gibbs. How does that work? ", Meijer said Thursday his priorities will include ensuringan affordable health care system,protecting the Great Lakes, tackling the climate crisis and working on "ending our endless wars.". These investments come to light in the midst of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has prompted the US government to hit Russia with heavy sanctions and triggered boycotts of Russian products and culture, from vodka to soccer. [66], In 2022, Meijer was one of 14 House Republicans to support a bipartisan agreement on gun control, which included a red flag provision, support for state crisis intervention orders, funding for school safety resources, stronger background checks for buyers under 21, and penalties for straw purchases. Ad Highlights Meijers Promise to Repeal the Affordable Care Act, Today, the DCCC released its first TV ad in Michigans 3rd Congressional District, Struggling, as part of a more than half a million dollar reservation in the Grand Rapids market in the weeks leading up to the election. [23] The 3rd has historically tilted Republican; the district and its predecessors have been in GOP hands for all but 35 months since 1913 (it was numbered as the 5th before 1993). Peter Meijer wants voters to see him for his service . So I'm excited to get to work on those ends.". It may have been an act of political suicide, hetold the Detroit Free Presson January 14, But its what I feltwas necessary for the good of the country, to have accountability in this moment but also to set a path to moving forward.. I'm a big fan of hard-boiled and even enjoy the occasional pickled egg at times. Congressional members' concerns about the pipeline's closure intensified after Biden revoked the Keystone XL Pipeline permit. "Peter Meijer just doesn't get it, and that makes sense when you remember he has a $50 million trust fund to fall back on. Meijer's loss was made. Michigan GOP congressman: 'I would say my goal is to not - POLITICO Not authorized by any candidate or candidates committee. CNBC on Monday reported that Lukoil's president, Vagit Alekperov, is sailing his yacht from Spain to Montenegro as the United States and its allies mull sanctions on the property of Russian oligarchs with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. What is your assessment of that experience so far? You know, how do we make sure that proven and effective means of reducing violence are implemented at the level of government that they have been shown to be most effective. Meijer said he spoke to Scholten, an immigration lawyer,Wednesday night and that he congratulated her on running a "strong andspirited" campaign. An LLC like this is a legitimate tool to use to make a donation. 524 Peter Meijer. [65], Meijer was a co-sponsor of the America's CHILDREN Act. Meijer won the seat vacated by Amash, who announced he was in favor of impeaching President Trump in May 2019 and was the only non-Democrat to vote for it in December 2019. The brothers remained co-CEOs until 2017; Doug is now a member of the executive board. The wealth and family name are a circumstance of birth, as are many of the opportunities that accompany being the heir to one of the largest . Do you think it's a common thing for Republicans and Democrats to have close friendships across the aisle in the current polarized climate? [37] On January 20, 2021, the day of Biden's inauguration, Meijer was one of 17 newly elected House Republicans to sign a letter congratulating him and expressing hope of working across the partisan divide. And then very quickly did some polling and said, "Well, this is the easiest path.". Representative Peter Meijer (R., Mich.) counts himself among that last, unfortunate, group after being defeated by his Trump-endorsed challenger, John Gibbs, last week. [16], From 2013 to 2015, Meijer worked as a conflict analyst for an international NGO. Peter Meijer remains a target for voting to impeach Donald Trump. I think it's essential that we have politicians who don't put their jersey on first. Everything boils down to, again, understandable emotion and frustration, but emotion and frustration where it's more of a, "I will say what you want to hear in order to get your vote," rather than, "This concern of yours has a factual basis, and here's my plan to tackle it," as opposed to, "I'm going to tell people what they want to hear.". The terms of such qualified blind trusts, which congressional guidance states is the "most comprehensive approach" to avoiding "potential conflicts of interest or the appearance of such conflicts," are a matter of public record. And as a fellow Michigander, I've got to ask, does that include Kellogg's cereal? Seven months into his first term in elected office and months before a commission may decide what Michigan's new . I was just worried because Kellogg's was founded and is headquartered in your district, so I thought that might be a bit controversial. [30] In the final days of the primary, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee bought TV ads designed to raise Gibbs' profile, believing that Meijer would be the more difficult opponent in the general election. GOP Rep. Peter Meijer defeated by Trump-backed challenger after - MSN So as one fortunate sons term comes to an end, another is just beginning his. a member of the family behind the Meijer superstore chain, said the stocks sales were made by a trust that he doesn't .