The United Democracy Mission (UDP), the tremendous PAC of pro-Israel lobbying group the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), raised greater than $1.8 million in March, in response to a brand new submitting with the Federal Election Fee. The UDP, which has almost $33.4 million money available, is a principal spending automobile in AIPAC’s plan to shell out $100 million this yr opposing candidates who criticize Israel’s warfare on Gaza.
Additionally in March, AIPAC’s PAC made a report excessive $4.1 million in contributions to scores of congressional lawmakers and federal candidates, making up the majority of its $4.3 million in spending final month, in response to a FEC submitting launched yesterday. The highest two recipients of earmarked contributions by way of the PAC throughout the interval, in response to a evaluate of FEC knowledge, have been AIPAC-endorsed challengers to progressives: Westchester County Govt George Latimer, who acquired $909,000 in his run in opposition to Rep. Jamaal Bowman in New York; and legal professional Wesley Bell, who acquired $387,000 in his race in opposition to Rep. Cori Bush in Missouri. Total, AIPAC’s PAC acquired $3.8 million in March, a rise over the prior two month-to-month studies.
This month, UDP rolled out a spending barrage within the crowded Democratic major in Maryland’s Third Congressional District: almost $1.9 million supporting Maryland state Sen. Sarah Elfreth. UDP is just about the one outdoors spending group to hop into the race.
Of that quantity, UDP spent greater than $1.7 million on media manufacturing and placement for Elfreth, greater than 5 occasions the quantity Elfreth’s marketing campaign has spent total by way of March. UDP has additionally spent $115,500 on unsolicited mail and $50,000 for cellphone requires Elfreth over the previous two weeks.
Within the area of twenty-two Democratic candidates, one in every of Elfreth’s rivals is former U.S. Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, who grew to become a nationwide determine after defending the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Dunn has outpaced Elfreth in each fundraising and marketing campaign spending, with complete disbursements of $2 million by way of the top of March.
Elfreth instructed Jewish Insider she doesn’t favor situations on help to Israel; Dunn additionally rejected situations on help to Israel, in response to personal place papers seen by HuffPost and by Politico.
One other candidate within the Maryland major is labor lawyer John Morse, who has been outspoken on the human toll of Israel’s army motion in Gaza—prompting political observers to recommend to HuffPost that UDP’s spending behind Elfreth is meant to squash the Bernie Sanders-endorsed Morse. Early voting within the Maryland contest to interchange Rep. John Sarbanes, who introduced final yr he was not standing for re-election, runs from Might 2-9, and the state’s Major Election Day is Might 14.
Earlier this month, Dunn fired again at UDP’s announcement that it could spend on advertisements within the major, denouncing “the intrusion of a MAGA Republican-funded super-PAC into the race,” and calling on each candidate within the race to reject UDP’s spending. In a press launch, Dunn highlighted the hefty contributions that UDP has acquired from backers of Donald Trump, like billionaire GOP megadonor Bernie Marcus, and donors to Ted Cruz, like entrepreneur David Zalik.
Yesterday, Jewish Insider reported that at a candidate discussion board, each Elfreth and Dunn stated they’d assist efforts from Maryland Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen to require that the weapons acquired from the U.S. are utilized in accordance with U.S. regulation, worldwide humanitarian regulation, and the regulation of armed battle. Each Elfreth and Dunn’s campaigns instructed the outlet they imagine Israel to be performing in accordance with armed battle legal guidelines, so of their views help to Israel wouldn’t be affected.
In March, UDP spent half 1,000,000 {dollars} attacking progressive Kina Collins, a gun violence prevention advocate who mounted a second consecutive problem to Democratic Rep. Danny Davis in a district on the West Aspect of Chicago. In an October assertion, Collins condemned Hamas’ assault and decried Israel’s “warfare crimes” in opposition to the Palestinian individuals, comparable to slicing off meals and water provides, calling for a ceasefire.
Within the major election held March 19, Davis defeated a area of challengers together with Collins and Chicago Metropolis Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin, each of whom barely outraised the longtime incumbent in marketing campaign contributions. UDP’s advertisements attacking Collins targeted not on help to Israel, however on a radio interview assertion she made in the summertime of 2020 calling to chop funding for Chicago police.
Leaping right into a Republican major, UDP this month has additionally spent over $500,000 to oppose former Republican Rep. John Hostettler in Indiana, in a race for an open seat after Rep. Larry Bucshon’s announcement that he’ll retire from Congress. UDP’s advertisements go after Hostettler for voting in opposition to a decision in 2000 expressing assist for Israel, together with different votes on army help to Israel.
UDP’s Newest Donors
Funding trade donors led the best way within the March month-to-month FEC submitting for UDP. The group’s largest donor final month was Los Angeles-based theatrical producer Linda Rubin, who listed her occupation as “self-employed / investor.” Rubin donated $250,000 on March 1, matching the quantity she gave to UDP in April 2023. In L.A., the Broadway producer leads Linda B. Rubin Productions, which describes itself as combining her philanthropic and theatrical efforts.
Michael Sacks, chairman and CEO of Chicago-based various asset administration agency GCM Grosvenor, additionally donated $250,000 on March 1. Sacks has been a big donor to Democratic Social gathering teams this election cycle, giving greater than $1 million mixed to tremendous PACs the Senate Majority Mission (SMP), Home Majority Mission (HMP), and the Biden Motion Fund joint fundraising committee, in response to FEC data. Since 2016, Sacks has been a director of the Obama Basis. His agency is a member of commerce group the Managed Funds Affiliation (MFA), whose CEO warned congressional Democrats in 2022 in opposition to proposals addressing the “carried curiosity loophole” utilized by rich funding managers to decrease their taxes.
Richard Pzena, founder and CEO of Pzena Funding Administration, donated $150,000 to UDP on March 15 after having given the identical quantity in Might of final yr. A marketing campaign donor to either side of the aisle up to now few years, Pzena contributed $26,000 to Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley’s joint fundraising committee Staff Stand for America, $10,000 to the pro-Haley tremendous PAC SFA Fund, and maxed out to her marketing campaign with $13,200.
