{"id":2642782,"date":"2026-08-10T16:36:01","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T20:36:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dark-money-pac-deploys-1-5-million-ad-campaign-to-support-troy-jackson\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T16:41:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T20:41:14","slug":"dark-money-pac-deploys-1-5-million-ad-campaign-to-support-troy-jackson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dark-money-pac-deploys-1-5-million-ad-campaign-to-support-troy-jackson\/","title":{"rendered":"Dark money PAC deploys $1.5 million ad campaign to support Troy Jackson"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdark-money-pac-deploys-1-5-million-ad-campaign-to-support-troy-jackson%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2642782&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>A super PAC titled &#8220;Government That Works,&#8221; with connections to dark money networks and funded mainly by the Sixteen Thirty Fund, has invested over $1 million in support of Democrat Troy Jackson in the Maine Senate race. This spending included digital ads, TV spots, and other campaign-related expenses to boost Jackson&#8217;s chance of unseating incumbent Republican Susan Collins. The PAC&#8217;s funding sources are largely undisclosed, with meaningful contributions from foreign-influenced organizations like the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which has received large grants from affiliated entities. the PAC was established only a year ago and operates as a hybrid entity, combining features of both customary and super PACs under federal regulations. Its funding and activities are linked to broader efforts by left-wing organizations to influence elections, with an emphasis on dark money channels and undisclosed donor networks. These efforts extend to supporting other Democratic candidates and races, with connections to broader political spending and strategies. The campaign and PAC declined to comment.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A pop-up <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/super-PACs\/\">super PAC<\/a> with financial ties to a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/dark-money\/\">dark money<\/a> behemoth has already poured more than $1 million into the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Maine\/\">Maine<\/a> Senate race exclusively in support of newly anointed Democratic nominee <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Troy-Jackson\/\">Troy Jackson<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Government That Works PAC spent $1.5 million over just two days in support of Jackson\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Senate\/\">Senate<\/a> campaign, according to recently released Federal Election Commission filings.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/4681715\/trump-jihadists-elected-democratic-primaries\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Trump says \u2018jihadists\u2019 are being elected in Democratic primaries<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4681450\/dark-money-pac-deploys-ad-campaign-support-troy-jackson\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Dark money PAC deploys $1.5 million ad campaign to support Troy Jackson<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4681415\/tiana-lowe-doescher-third-worldism-abdul-el-sayed-ayatollah-comments\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018That is third worldism\u2019: Tiana Lowe Doescher slams Abdul el Sayed\u2019s leaked ayatollah comments<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pro-Jackson super PAC mounted a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/troy-jackson-replaced-campaign-official-behind-pro-el-sayed-super-pac\/\" title=\"Troy Jackson replaced ... official behind pro-el Sayed ...\">million-dollar marketing campaign<\/a> between <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/forms\/C00915595\/2003658\/se\">July 31<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/forms\/C00915595\/2003790\/se\">Aug. 1<\/a>, deploying large sums on digital ad buys, advertisement design services, TV spots, and television production to boost the Democratic challenger\u2019s chances of unseating incumbent Sen. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Susan-Collins\/\">Susan Collins<\/a> (R-ME). Of that seven-figure spending spree, the Government That Works PAC has dedicated $124,000 in advertising dollars to defeat Collins.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Less than a week before the PAC launched its ad blitz, Jackson became the Maine Democratic Party\u2019s pick to replace <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Graham-Platner\/\">Graham Platner<\/a> after a sexual assault allegation \u2014 on top of several other controversies \u2014 tanked the progressive candidate\u2019s Senate bid.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4670644\/maine-democrats-brace-more-questions-emerge-troy-jackson-rushed-primary\/\"><strong>MAINE DEMOCRATS BRACE FOR MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT TROY JACKSON AFTER RUSHED CORONATION<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Financial statements show that the Government That Works PAC is bankrolled by a left-wing network with obscure funding sources. A bulk of the super PAC\u2019s funding came from a 501(c)(4) charity called the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which does not have to disclose its donors as a nonprofit organization. The left-of-center lobbying giant is widely considered one of the Left\u2019s largest pass-through funding vehicles, functioning as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2022\/01\/29\/us\/politics\/democrats-dark-money-donors.html\">\u201ca clearinghouse of undisclosed cash\u201d<\/a> for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/local-independent-pro-redistricting-outlet-in-virginia-is-owned-by-democrats\/\" title=\"\u2018Local independent\u2019 pro-redistricting outlet in Virginia is owned by Democrats\">left-wing donor class<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In January, the Sixteen Thirty Fund directly gave <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/forms\/C00915595\/1947465\/sa\/ALL\">$4 million<\/a> to the Government That Works PAC. Responsive Government Action, an Illinois tax-exempt entity that itself is an affiliate of the Sixteen Thirty Fund, cut a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/forms\/C00915595\/1989987\/sa\/ALL\">$7 million<\/a> check to the Government That Works PAC at the end of June. Combined, their $11 million dispensed in donations constitutes roughly three-fourths, or 73%, of the PAC\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/committee\/C00915595\/?tab=raising\">$15 million<\/a> in funds raised in its existence of one year.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the Sixteen Thirty Fund\u2019s 2024 tax filings, the organization gave Responsive Government Action <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/nonprofits\/organizations\/264486735\/202533159349305888\/full\">$7.7 million<\/a> in grant money for \u201ccivil rights, social action, [and] advocacy.\u201d That same reporting year, Responsive Government Action\u2019s revenue skyrocketed from $975,000 in 2023 to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/projects.propublica.org\/nonprofits\/organizations\/922635543\/202533219349315393\/IRS990\">more than $12 million<\/a> in 2024, reflecting that the Sixteen Thirty Fund\u2019s grant support represented a lion\u2019s share of the subgroup\u2019s proceeds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2025, the watchdog group Americans for Public Trust released <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/americansforpublictrust.org\/document\/trade-names-of-the-arabella-advisors-network\/\">a report<\/a> identifying Responsive Government Action as one of the many trade names used by the Sixteen Thirty Fund to conceal its involvement in electioneering efforts across the country.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the most prolific outside spenders, the Sixteen Thirty Fund has financed various <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3460567\/marc-elias-loses-lawsuit-foreign-funding-kansas-ballot-campaigns\/\">voter-persuasion drives<\/a> over the past decade with paid issue-advocacy campaigns. Top donors to the group include the Berger Action Fund, which is funded by Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss. Thanks to what conservatives believe is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/3265218\/billionaire-hansjorg-wyss-gop-foreign-influence-loophole-fight\/\">a foreign-interference loophole<\/a>, the Sixteen Thirty Fund has been able to spend <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.realclearpolicy.com\/articles\/2024\/12\/24\/close_the_loophole_thats_allowing_foreign_nationals_to_influence_our_elections_1080663.html\">over $130 million<\/a> influencing the outcomes of ballot initiatives. While foreign actors are <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/help-candidates-and-committees\/foreign-nationals\/\">strictly prohibited<\/a> from spending directly in American elections, in some states, they can <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/3390731\/foreign-cash-ballot-initiatives\/\">circumvent federal restrictions<\/a> by rerouting funds to charitable organizations, such as the Sixteen Thirty Fund, which can back campaigns for or against ballot measures.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4669758\/troy-jackson-swapped-out-campaign-official-super-pac-el-sayed\/\"><strong>TROY JACKSON SWAPPED OUT SENATE CAMPAIGN OFFICIAL ALSO BEHIND THE SUPER PAC BACKING ABDUL EL SAYED<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Government That Works PAC\u2019s political spending is connected to other contests in the 2026 election cycle. It gave <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/disbursements\/?data_type=processed&#038;committee_id=C00915595&#038;recipient_name=C00918268&#038;two_year_transaction_period=2026\">$3.75 million<\/a> earlier this year to the Lose Star Rising PAC, which spent almost <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/independent-expenditures\/?two_year_transaction_period=2026&#038;data_type=processed&#038;q_spender=C00918268&#038;cycle=2026&#038;is_notice=false&#038;most_recent=true&#038;candidate_id=S6TX00552\">$2.6 million<\/a> opposing former Democratic Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett\u2019s failed Senate run while dispensing another <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/data\/independent-expenditures\/?two_year_transaction_period=2026&#038;data_type=processed&#038;q_spender=C00918268&#038;cycle=2026&#038;is_notice=false&#038;most_recent=true&#038;candidate_id=S6TX00479\">$1 million<\/a> backing her primary opponent, James Talarico, ahead of the Texas primaries. Crockett ended up losing the Democratic nomination to Talarico.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/docquery.fec.gov\/cgi-bin\/forms\/C00915595\/1910774\/\">Created<\/a> only a year ago, the Government That Works PAC is based in Washington, D.C. Its chief financial officer, Christopher Koob, is <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/person\/christopher-koob\/\">a longtime Democratic consultant<\/a> who previously served as the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee\u2019s director of compliance. Prior to that, Koob was the director of finance convention operations at the Democratic National Committee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the PAC\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.governmentthatworks.us\/\">bare-bones website<\/a>, the committee\u2019s tagline says it is \u201cElecting Leaders to Make Government Work Again.\u201d Its <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.governmentthatworks.us\/donate\">donation page<\/a> similarly says the PAC is working to \u201csupport the next generation of candidates\u201d committed to running a more effective government.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Structured as <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/press\/resources-journalists\/political-action-committees-pacs\/\">a hybrid PAC<\/a>, the political action committee combines a traditional PAC\u2019s ability to donate directly to individual candidates with the unlimited advertising ability of a super PAC. Under federal fundraising rules, hybrid PACs can do both: contribute to candidates and accept unlimited amounts of cash from donors, corporations, and other organizations for financing purportedly \u201cindependent\u201d ad campaigns that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/help-candidates-and-committees\/candidate-taking-receipts\/understanding-independent-expenditures\/\">are not conducted<\/a> in coordination with any candidate or political party.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hybrid PACs drew scrutiny following the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fec.gov\/legal-resources\/court-cases\/carey-v-fec\/\">2011 case<\/a> <em>Carey v. FEC<\/em>, which held that hybrid PACs are allowed to operate as long as they maintain distinct bank accounts to keep \u201csoft\u201d money for ad expenditures separate from \u201chard\u201d candidate contributions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Washington Examiner<\/em> contacted Jackson\u2019s campaign and the Government That Works PAC for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dark money PAC spends $1.5M supporting Maine&#8217;s Troy Jackson<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3767,"featured_media":2642783,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26206521144611.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[80825,51516,33642,5894,82490],"class_list":["post-2642782","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-campaign-advertising","tag-dark-money-2","tag-political-funding","tag-politics","tag-troy-jackson"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26206521144611.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2642782","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3767"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2642782"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2642782\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2642786,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2642782\/revisions\/2642786"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2642783"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2642782"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2642782"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2642782"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}