Elizabeth Warren Changes Her Tune On Super PAC Spending

One way Elizabeth Warren was able to prove her progressive bonafides was swearing off of large donations and any super PAC spending on her campaign, allowing her to compete for progressive voters alongside Bernie Sanders. However, after disappointing finishes in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada Warren now has the largest super PAC in the Democratic Primary race with $14 million in advertisement spending on upcoming primary states.

This represents a sharp 360 degree turn from earlier in the race, as Warren was vying for Sanders' base of support. She claimed to be just the same as Sanders, she swore off large donations, was supportive of Medicare for All and was seen as a hero in the fight against corruption in American politics.

However, after Warren's steep decline in the polls she has become desperate. Warren's excuse for the change is the much-heard excuse: "If everyone else is doing it then why shouldn't I?" Warren has also chosen to use identity politics in her defence, claiming that if all of the men in the race have a super PAC then why shouldn't the two women, Warren and Klobuchar. In her latest line of attack against her former progressive friend, Bernie Sanders, Warren has also accused him of taking dark money contributions and having super PACs backing him, which isn't true in the slightest.

The most common line of attack Warren and others have used is that pro-Sanders groups Our Revolution, Sunrise Movement and National Nurses United are the "dark money groups" that are backing Sanders. Our Revolution is a pro-Sanders group which raises money for Senate, House and local candidates who share the same ideological goals as Sanders. Not a single penny of the money that Our Revolution has raised has gone to Sanders directly, meaning that it cannot be considered a SuperPAC benefitting Sanders. Furthermore, the Sunrise Movement and National Nurses United only raise money in order to fight for their causes, climate change and Medicare for All respectively.

Aida Chavez of The Intercept reported on how these three organisations raised money, what they did with that money and exactly how it is spent. Unlike a super PAC, Our Revolution discloses it's donors and donations that are over $250, while the organization has only received six contributions over $5,000.

After Warren came third in Iowa and fourth in New Hampshire, the cash had started to dry up for Warren. Progressives who were choosing between her and Sanders subsequently decided to support the candidate who was winning - Sanders. Large donors started to flee as they were worried that she had no chance to win and Warren had no choice but to form a super PAC in order to keep her presidential hopes alive.

Now, what is Warren's new super PAC called and who is behind it? The super PAC is called "Persist PAC" which is self-described as a group run by progressive women. However, more digging has shown that the super PAC is funded by Charles Koob, who is the Custodian of Records and Treasurer of the PAC. Koob, has previously worked in one of the highest-ranking positions for the oil drilling advocacy group 'Securing America's Energy Future' (SAFE).

Being funded by the former head of an oil lobbying group will not do Warren any favours when asking to be taken seriously on the issue of climate change or attempting to rally against the influence of lobbyists corrupting the political system. Warren has now lost all credibility and friendships from the progressive, Sanders wing of the Democratic Party.