"Common Cause Files Complaint Against Pro-Bernie Sanders Group Our Revolution for Violating Soft Mon

[Gothmog]

Our Revolution is a dark money dirty pac. https://electionlawblog.org/?p=109102

Today, 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. Sen. Sanders has been a longtime critic of super PACs and so-called “Dark Money” groups. The complaint documents that Our Revolution has solicited contributions explicitly to elect Sanders president, received contributions far in excess of the applicable $5,000 contribution limit and spent funds in connection with federal elections, including current voter mobilization efforts supporting Sanders in Iowa.

Under the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, an entity directly or indirectly established by a federal candidate or officeholder is not allowed to “solicit, receive, direct, transfer, or spend funds in connection with an election for Federal office” unless the “funds are subject to the limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements” of federal law.

According to Our Revolution’s tax returns showing contribution amounts but not contributor names, data compiled and first reported by the Associated Press, from 2016 to 2018 Our Revolution raised almost $1 million dollars from contributors who gave in excess of the applicable $5,000 contribution limit, including multiple contributions of between $100,000 and $300,000. Our Revolution has not disclosed any of its contributors to the FEC, as required by federal campaign finance law.

[TwilightZone]

1. That seems a little...ironic.

[Gothmog]

2. Here is the full press release

I am glad that Common Cause is challenging sanders and his dark money PAC https://www.commoncause.org/press-release/common-cause-files-complaint-against-pro-bernie-sanders-group-our-revolution-for-violating-soft-money-ban/

Today, 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. Sen. Sanders has been a longtime critic of super PACs and so-called “Dark Money” groups. The complaint documents that Our Revolution has solicited contributions explicitly to elect Sanders president, received contributions far in excess of the applicable $5,000 contribution limit and spent funds in connection with federal elections, including current voter mobilization efforts supporting Sanders in Iowa.

Under the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, an entity directly or indirectly established by a federal candidate or officeholder is not allowed to “solicit, receive, direct, transfer, or spend funds in connection with an election for Federal office” unless the “funds are subject to the limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements” of federal law.

According to Our Revolution’s tax returns showing contribution amounts but not contributor names, data compiled and first reported by the Associated Press, from 2016 to 2018 Our Revolution raised almost $1 million dollars from contributors who gave in excess of the applicable $5,000 contribution limit, including multiple contributions of between $100,000 and $300,000. Our Revolution has not disclosed any of its contributors to the FEC, as required by federal campaign finance law.

“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. 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.

[The Valley Below]

3. About time!

[MineralMan]

4. Uh-oh. Dissension in the ranks.

You're either a PAC or you're not. There are rules.

Some folks don't follow the rules. On both sides. Some folks think they're above the rules, because, you know, reasons.

[Gothmog]

5. This will be fun to watch

Link to tweet

[The Valley Below]

7. Setting up a dark money organization that is very plainly operating in contravention of the law

is dIsQuAlIfYiNg.

Illegal and hypocritical.

[ehrnst]

8. Waiting for the attacks on Common Cause from Sanders surrogates and supporters.

[Gothmog]

9. Watchdog files FEC complaint against pro-Sanders group

sanders laundered a ton of dirty money

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

10. sanders funneled 8 million dollars illegally from his secret PAC/Super Pac "Friends Of Bernie Sander

Link to tweet

[ehrnst]

11. Friends of Bernie Sanders, Inc, and the recipient of the $, Bernie2020, share the same office....

https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/0581439D:US

Note some interesting details here:



https://opencorporates.com/companies/us_ca/C4255992

And look who the officers are for Bernie 2020 Inc - the recipient of those transfers:

[The Valley Below]

12. I wonder if he will withdraw from the race as a result of this plainly criminal activity?

[betsuni]

13. K&R

[R B Garr]

14. Hypocrisy exposed!

Great development. Thanks for posting.

[Cha]

15. KR!!!

[Gothmog]

16. More dark money is flowing towards sanders

Link to tweet