Our Revolution, Accused of Dark-Money Spending for Sanders, Took Only Six Donations Over $5,000

[BeckyDem]

Our Revolution, Accused of Dark-Money Spending for Sanders, Took Only Six Donations Over $5,000 in 2019, None Larger than $25,000


Aída Chávez

February 26 2020, 2:08 p.m.

Rival presidential candidates have been attacking Sen. Bernie Sanders over the advocacy groups boosting his campaign, accusing the Democratic frontrunner of taking untraceable dark money and contributions from super PACs and from the nonprofit he founded in 2016, Our Revolution.

The problem with the charge: It’s not dark money, and it’s not big, either.

The issue arose most recently during the Nevada debate, when Sen. Elizabeth Warren said that everyone onstage besides her and Sen. Amy Klobuchar had taken money from super PACs, which can take in and spend money for candidates with fewer restrictions than a campaign. Her statement cast shade on Sanders, and seemed to raise questions whether the political spending is at odds with the Vermont senator’s rejection of money in politics. Warren didn’t mention names, but Pete Buttigieg tweeted about the “nine dark money groups” that make up a coalition called People Power for Bernie and include Our Revolution, the youth-led climate group Sunrise Movement, and a super PAC affiliated with the National Nurses union. Our Revolution in particular has received scrutiny because it is a 501(c)(4), which allows it to accept large donations without disclosing its donors, unlike super PACs.



In response to an Intercept inquiry, Our Revolution provided information on its donors, which is not yet public, saying that in 2019, it only received a total of six donations over $5,000. Last year, the average individual contribution to Our Revolution was $17.73, with 99.99 percent of its donations coming in under $5,000, according to the group.

The six big contributions totaled $78,289.53 last year, or roughly 4 percent of its revenue. The biggest contribution was around $25,000. Our Revolution, from all sources, took in $1.87 million in 2019, and the bulk of that was spent on state and local races or other organizing campaigns separate from the Sanders presidential run.

https://theintercept.com/2020/02/26/our-revolution-bernie-sanders-donor-contributions/

[DanTex]

1. Yeah, this was always a ludicrous and desperate smear.

[BeckyDem]

2. Too many to count but yea, this was one of them.

[brooklynite]

11. So, SuperPAC spending is only bad if the donations are high dollar?

Good to know.

[DanTex]

15. Trying to compare grassroots groups and unions to wall-street funded SuperPACs is a perfect example

of why Bernie is the leading candidate. You really think people can't tell the difference? They can.

[brooklynite]

16. The only SuperPAC I contribute to isn't Wall Street funded...

[DanTex]

17. Really? No investment bankers putting in big dollars?

OK, I believe you. But most of those big SuperPACs get their money from wealthy bankers and executives.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

12. Add one more to the pile!! It's awesome though... creates more Baseless Bernie Bashing Backlash!!

SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[denem]

18. "Baseless Bernie Bashing Backlash"

[LanternWaste]

21. And awkward alliteration makes its advance ad-copy appearance.

Awesome, indeed! It shows an added interest in the English language.

Impressive!

[RandySF]

3. Are these records available at the FEC?

Or are we taking their word for it?

[George II]

4. Watchdog alleges that political nonprofit founded by Bernie Sanders violated campaign finance laws

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a staunch opponent of secret campaign contributions, declined to call on a political nonprofit organization he founded to disclose its donors despite a Federal Election Commission complaint alleging that the group violated campaign finance laws by accepting donations above the legal limit.

The watchdog group Common Cause filed a complaint to the FEC alleging that the Sanders-founded group Our Revolution violated election laws by accepting nearly $1 million from donors who contributed more than the legal limit over three years and whose identities were not disclosed. Some donors gave six-figure sums, The Associated Press reported. The complaint argued that since the group was founded by Sanders, it should comply with campaign laws restricting contributions to $5,000 rather than act as an independent political nonprofit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The AP previously reported that the group functions "much the same" as a super PAC and flouted campaign finance laws. The group publishes the names of some donors on its website, even though it is not required to do so. But it allows donors to choose to remain anonymous.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The group's activities are small compared to some nonprofits and super PACs, raising just $2.7 million in 2018. About $500,000 came from 15 anonymous donors, two of whom made six-figure donations, The Washington Post reported. Tax filings and FEC records show the super PAC National Nurses United for Patient Protection previously contributed $300,000 to the group and the Sixteen Thirty Fund, a nonprofit that shields its donors' identities, contributed $100,000 in 2017, according to the AP.

https://www.salon.com/2020/01/23/watchdog-alleges-that-political-nonprofit-founded-by-bernie-sanders-violated-campaign-finance-laws/

[George II]

19. No it doesn't.

[beachbumbob]

5. dark money goes to PACs who have no requirment to release donor info

hence DARK MONEY

[beachbumbob]

14. not when it concerns dark monies does it matter, really if the money is spurring the

attacks does it matter if PAC or a SuperPAc as dark money is what it is


for the billionth time

[LanternWaste]

6. So now it's bad again... a lot of flip-flopping by his guys on this one.

only two weeks ago, the faithful flock were justifying his use of dark money.

Now that it's questioned, I'm guessing it will become, along with the media and polling, a boogey-man again, used to frighten children and keep oneself in the warm embrace of His holy light.

[HarlanPepper]

7. More gaslighting from Greenwalds pro Putin rag

[BeckyDem]

10. Lol

[HarlanPepper]

13. Yeah, that was my reaction when I started reading the propaganda.

[BeckyDem]

22. What can you do? Election day can't arrive soon enough for me.

[showblue22]

20. Thank you .

Exactly! We're suppose to take this seriously?

[W_HAMILTON]

23. So that means Sanders's dark money organization received more money from god-knows-where...

...than Buttigieg, Biden, etc. have received from individual billionaire donor.

Sanders should stop slurring other Democrats with these misleading attacks and "clean up his own house first."