Lots of attention is focused on whether State Representative Joey Andrews and has a conflict of interest by holding interest in a solar company and voting on legislation making it easier for large-scale solar developments in Michigan.
Rep. Andrews is a partner in Parasol Solar, founded in 2015 with a Niles address to “bring solar panels to residential and commercial customers” in the region. He’s also the vice chair of the House Energy, Communications, and Technology Committee – the same committee that just approved legislation to remove local municipalities from the decision-making process on large scale solar developments – and instead give that decision to a three-person, governor-appointed panel.
Asked about the potential conflict, Representative Andrews says it’s not a conflict. He says Parasol Solar is no longer operating.
“The company’s not operational. We more or less shut it down in 2019, aside from a one off for a former customer in 2021. There’s no income, no assets, no employees. It’s just (an) empty LLC that sits on the books.”
Andrews says even if the company were still operating, it gives him perspective on what the industry is all about.
“I don’t benefit from this in any way, but on the contrary, I would argue that my time in the industry has given me a lot of perspective on the issue and understanding and I think that that’s true of anybody in any industry. We’ve had members of the legislature that own restaurants and farms and all manners of businesses and that comes with some expertise and some knowledge of the industries, which helps inform and make us better legislators on the issues that we’re legislating on.”
Adding to the perception problem, Representative Andrews’ sister is a registered lobbyist on clean energy issues. Andrews says she has not lobbied him directly.
“No, no, I mean, we’re family, so like, you know, we talk, but she hasn’t paid for dinner for me or something like that, or, you know, spent money to lobby me on anything, no.”
State House Republicans have criticized the potential conflicts of interest. State Representative Jay DeBoyer of Clay Township calls it “part of a pattern of apparent financial self-interest” in the Democrat caucus, referring to Andrews and State Rep Angela Whitwer whose private company clients were recently found to have numerous ties to public legislation that moved through her committee.
