Markey’s anti-super PAC crusade collides with group attacking Moulton
Senator ed Markey (D-MA), who has previously campaigned to ban super PACs from intervening in Democratic primaries, is currently benefiting from a super PAC supporting his reelection amid a contentious primary against Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA). Despite federal laws prohibiting coordination or funding from super PACs, Markey has not publicly condemned anti-Moulton advertisements from the Commonwealth Together PAC. this PAC, which describes itself as representing Massachusetts workers and progressive groups, has run ads criticizing Moulton’s net worth and financial holdings, and also attacking his progressive credentials, while Moulton campaigns have condemned these ads as misleading.
In the past, Markey signed a letter urging the DNC and Senate leadership to endorse a resolution banning super PACs from primaries, though critics argue such resolutions lack enforceability under current laws. the primary controversy underscores ongoing debates about dark money influence in Democratic primaries, with some questioning the feasibility of truly banning super PAC involvement. Both campaigns have remained silent or dismissive toward certain criticisms, highlighting the contentious and complex nature of this intra-party contest.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) lobbied Democrats to ban super PACs from meddling in their primaries. Now, despite his crusade, he’s being bolstered by one in a messy primary against Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA).
Candidates are prohibited under federal election laws from coordinating with or receiving money from super PACs. Still, Markey has so far declined to denounce several anti-Moulton ads from the pro-Markey Commonwealth Together PAC ahead of the Sept. 1 primary, the same sort of intervention that he’s lobbied the Democratic National Committee to curb by forbidding such “dark money” organizations from spending in primaries.
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In the latest ad released Thursday, backed by a six-figure spend, Commonwealth Together condemns Moulton for having reportedly grown his net worth to $13 million during his nearly 12 years in Congress and owning stocks related to his work on the House Armed Services Committee. Similar ads released in recent months accuse Moulton of being insufficiently progressive compared to Markey, a co-author of the Green New Deal, who’s seeking a third term in the Senate.
But last year, Markey was among the senators to sign onto an open letter led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) urging Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and DNC Chairman Ken Martin to endorse a national party resolution barring Democratic-aligned super PACs from getting involved in such primaries.
“Getting super PAC money and dark money out of Democratic primaries is not some pie in the sky dream,” the letter said.
However, that’s exactly how Democratic critics of the proposal have described it. Former DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison questioned the ability to legally enforce a party resolution that would do nothing to change federal law. Former Kamala Harris campaign staffer Ammar Moussa said Democrats might as well “tie one hand around our backs” because Republican groups would still be able to spend in Democratic elections to sway the outcomes in favor of weaker candidates.
Neither Commonwealth Together PAC nor the Markey campaign responded to requests for comment. The super PAC describes itself as a union-based group “representing more than a quarter million Massachusetts workers, along with environmental and progressive leaders across the state, to support Ed Markey’s reelection and ensure that Massachusetts voters understand the clear choice they face this September.”
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Moulton’s campaign has condemned the ads, particularly one from April about Immigration and Customs Enforcement that claimed the congressman “voted with Republicans to thank ICE.” The claim was deemed “misleading” and “mostly false” by fact-checking news outlets FactCheck.org and PolitiFact.
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“It’s funny that [Markey’s] corporate donors have tried to brush over his past by attacking Seth with claims already proven ‘misleading’ by independent fact-checkers,” the Moulton campaign said in a May statement.
The Washington Examiner reached out to the Moulton campaign for additional comment.
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