Democratic Primaries

lapucelle

(18,276 posts) Sun Jan 26, 2020, 11:39 AM Jan 2020

Common Cause complaint targets Sanders super-PAC

Common Cause filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) alleging reason to believe that Our Revolution, a nonprofit political organization established by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in 2016 and now supporting his 2020 presidential campaign, violated the federal ‘soft money’ ban.

Sanders has been a longtime critic of super PACs and so-called “Dark Money” groups, but Our Revolution appears to be skirting campaign finance law, which forbids groups founded by officeholders from using large donations to fund political activity, such as Sanders’ 2020 bid.

The 55-page complaint documents that Our Revolution has solicited contributions explicitly to elect Sanders president, received donations far in excess of the applicable $5,000 limit and spent funds in connection with federal elections, including current voter mobilization efforts supporting Sanders in Iowa

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“Americans expect and deserve to have our campaign finance laws enforced and they expect political organizations to abide by the law, regardless of their political views,” said Paul Seamus Ryan, Common Cause vice president for policy and litigation.

“The facts surrounding Our Revolution, including its founding by Sen. Sanders, its receipt of six-figure contributions, its failure to disclose donors to the FEC, and its political spending in Iowa and elsewhere, point to a clear violation of the federal soft money ban,” said Ryan. “Common Cause is a nonpartisan organization and we work to hold power accountable regardless of party affiliation or policy positions. It is critically important that the soft money ban be enforced, or outside groups founded by candidates will become a commonplace means to evade contribution limits and disclosure requirements.”

In 2018, Common Cause filed a complaint against America First Policies and America First Action, outside groups founded by President Trump’s campaign after the 2016 election, alleging violation of the same soft money ban that Our Revolution appears to have violated. That complaint is still pending

http://njtoday.net/2020/01/24/common-cause-complaint-targets-sanders-super-pac/

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

18 replies

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Common Cause complaint targets Sanders super-PAC (Original Post) lapucelle Jan 2020 OP

Maybe they're trying to prove that PAC money is inherently corrupt? bluedye33139 Jan 2020 #1

Our Revolution is not a PAC. Like Citizens United, it is a dark money organization. lapucelle Jan 2020 #2

Mahalo, lapucelle and Common Cause! Cha Jan 2020 #3

Isn't it ironic that Citizens United and Our Revolution were both set up the same way? lapucelle Jan 2020 #4

So much Irony! and hypocrisy. Cha Jan 2020 #6

+1000 nt UniteFightBack Jan 2020 #7

Bernie lost eight key founding OR staffers over this. ehrnst Jan 2020 #11

Thanks for this. Demsrule86 Jan 2020 #5

I wonder if he will address this. nt sheshe2 Jan 2020 #8

According to the AP (which broke the story) lapucelle Jan 2020 #9

The hesitation is indeed interesting. Lawyering up? Calling in the PR consultants? ehrnst Jan 2020 #10

This needs to be spread far and wide NCProgressive Jan 2020 #12

The AP has an ongoing investigation. lapucelle Jan 2020 #13

The hidden donors could be Russian oligarchs or republicans NYMinute Jan 2020 #14

There are several donations at six figures. Perhaps millionaire and billionaire money. N/T lapucelle Jan 2020 #15

I know ... and instead of making people think of the worst NYMinute Jan 2020 #16

K! Cha Jan 2020 #17

Bernie should be allowed to play the same game that trump does. Under The Radar Feb 2020 #18

bluedye33139

(1,474 posts)

1. Maybe they're trying to prove that PAC money is inherently corrupt?

Reply to lapucelle (Original post)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 11:51 AM

Jan 2020

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

lapucelle

(18,276 posts)

2. Our Revolution is not a PAC. Like Citizens United, it is a dark money organization.

Reply to lapucelle (Original post)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 12:23 PM

Jan 2020

Bernie Sanders’s new political group won’t have to disclose its donors

A group that decries the influence of money in politics should know that donor disclosure matters. Even as a 501(c)(4), Our Revolution could set an example for other nonprofits that spend on elections and choose to reveal this crucial information. Without doing that, it’s just another dark money group.

https://sunlightfoundation.com/2016/08/26/bernie-sanderss-new-political-group-wont-have-to-disclose-its-donors/

*******************************************************************************************************

Shadow group provides Sanders super PAC support he scorns

Bernie Sanders says he doesn’t want a super PAC. Instead, he has Our Revolution, a nonprofit political organization he founded that functions much the same as one.

Like a super PAC, which is shorthand for super political action committee, Our Revolution can raise unlimited sums from wealthy patrons that dwarf the limits faced by candidates and conventional PACs. Unlike a super PAC, however, the group doesn’t have to disclose its donors — a stream of revenue commonly referred to as “dark money.”

The campaign finance act says groups “directly or indirectly established” by federal officeholders or candidates can’t “solicit, receive, direct, transfer, or spend funds” for federal electoral activity that exceeds the “limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements” of the law. Those limits are currently set at $2,800 for candidates and $5,000 for political action committees.

Our Revolution has taken in nearly $1 million from donors who gave more than the limits and whose identities it hasn’t fully disclosed, according to tax filings for 2016, 2017 and 2018. Much of it came from those who contributed six-figure sums.

It won’t have to publicly reveal its 2019 fundraising until after this year’s presidential election. And money it raises between now and then won’t have to be disclosed until the following year.

https://apnews.com/345bbd1af529cfb1e41305fa3ab1e604

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Cha

(297,323 posts)

3. Mahalo, lapucelle and Common Cause!

Reply to lapucelle (Original post)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 03:40 PM

Jan 2020

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

lapucelle

(18,276 posts)

4. Isn't it ironic that Citizens United and Our Revolution were both set up the same way?

Reply to Cha (Reply #3)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 04:00 PM

Jan 2020

And both benefit from the Citizens United SC decision concerning the use of dark money.

Six figure sums multiple times from undisclosed donors are the antitheses to transparency in funding.

MAHALO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Cha

(297,323 posts)

6. So much Irony! and hypocrisy.

Reply to lapucelle (Reply #4)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 04:08 PM

Jan 2020

Thank you!!!

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

UniteFightBack

(8,231 posts)

7. +1000 nt

Reply to lapucelle (Reply #4)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 04:16 PM

Jan 2020

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)

11. Bernie lost eight key founding OR staffers over this.

Reply to lapucelle (Reply #4)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 06:35 PM

Jan 2020

https://www.democracynow.org/2016/8/25/our_revolution_bernie_sanders_launches_new

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Demsrule86

(68,586 posts)

5. Thanks for this.

Reply to lapucelle (Original post)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 04:02 PM

Jan 2020

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

sheshe2

(83,791 posts)

8. I wonder if he will address this. nt

Reply to lapucelle (Original post)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 04:33 PM

Jan 2020

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

lapucelle

(18,276 posts)

9. According to the AP (which broke the story)

Reply to sheshe2 (Reply #8)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 04:39 PM

Jan 2020

Our Revolution denies any wrongdoing. Spokesman Paco Fabian called the complaint “meritless” and “legally flawed.” Sanders’ campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

https://apnews.com/cd7a58676b6fc8cbe2f9783f469d0bee

and

Sanders’ campaign did not respond to a detailed list of questions from The Associated Press.

https://apnews.com/345bbd1af529cfb1e41305fa3ab1e604

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

ehrnst

(32,640 posts)

10. The hesitation is indeed interesting. Lawyering up? Calling in the PR consultants?

Reply to lapucelle (Reply #9)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 06:32 PM

Jan 2020

Focus groups on possible responses?

Working to find any connection, no matter how irrelevant or flimsy, to somthing that could be brandished as PROOF of connection with a "corporation" or "corporate funding" to PROVE Common Cause is simply a tool of the "corporate machine" that is seeking to take Bernie down?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

NCProgressive

(1,315 posts)

12. This needs to be spread far and wide

Reply to lapucelle (Original post)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 07:23 PM

Jan 2020

Especially after all the untruths about him not accepting money from superpacs.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

lapucelle

(18,276 posts)

13. The AP has an ongoing investigation.

Reply to NCProgressive (Reply #12)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 07:36 PM

Jan 2020

The story isn't going away.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

NYMinute

(3,256 posts)

14. The hidden donors could be Russian oligarchs or republicans

Reply to lapucelle (Original post)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 08:11 PM

Jan 2020

It is better for Sanders camp to disclose them and get ahead of this story; otherwise people will imagine the worst.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

lapucelle

(18,276 posts)

15. There are several donations at six figures. Perhaps millionaire and billionaire money. N/T

Reply to NYMinute (Reply #14)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 08:24 PM

Jan 2020

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

NYMinute

(3,256 posts)

16. I know ... and instead of making people think of the worst

Reply to lapucelle (Reply #15)

Sun Jan 26, 2020, 09:17 PM

Jan 2020

it would be better for Sanders to disclose those names

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Cha

(297,323 posts)

17. K!

Reply to lapucelle (Original post)

Mon Jan 27, 2020, 02:22 AM

Jan 2020

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

Under The Radar

(3,404 posts)

18. Bernie should be allowed to play the same game that trump does.

Reply to lapucelle (Original post)

Tue Feb 18, 2020, 09:08 PM

Feb 2020

If Bernie founded the group his election cannot “coordinate” according to the rules, but I doubt under a microscope that any of them follow the rules exactly.
Bernie claims small donation only campaign but has a super packed.....looks hypocritical

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden

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