* WBEZ digs into the seemingly endless super PAC ‘blitz’ in four congressional primaries…
National special-interest groups, which now include deep-pocketed cryptocurrency and artificial intelligence interests, have spent tens of millions of dollars to influence four hotly contested Democratic congressional primaries in the Chicago area.
Through Thursday, super PACs whose donors are hard to track had reported spending more than $31.4 million, including more than $6.1 million for attack ads that are swamping voters ahead of Tuesday’s primaries.
The portions from the crypto, AI and pro-Israel groups total $26.9 million, a WBEZ review of federal campaign disclosures has found.
The super PAC spending is far more than the last time the Chicago area had U.S. House primary races without an incumbent. In 2022, U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson’s campaign saw more than $1.1 million in super PAC support, while U.S. Rep. Delia Ramirez’s bid got a $1.5 million boost.
Click here for WBEZ’s breakdown of each PAC and their backers.
* An AIPAC-affiliated group that has spent $266,000 in opposition of 9th CD candidate Kat Abughazaleh is running negative broadcast ads against Junaid Ahmed in the 8th CD…
A lawyer for 7th Congressional candidate La Shawn K. Ford sent a cease-and-desist order to a crypto currency funded PAC March 10, demanding it stop producing and disseminating video and print political attack ads containing what it calls “false, misleading, and defamatory statements” against Ford.
According to the AdImpact group of Alexandria, Virginia, as of March 6, the cryptocurrency funded PAC, Fairshake, of St. Paul, Minnesota, has spent $1.92 million on video and printed mailer attack ads suggesting Illinois State Rep. Ford (D-8) was convicted of felonies related to bank fraud, that he has been part of a pattern of corruption and had engaged in “misuse of power” while serving in the Illinois General Assembly. […]
the Illinois House of Representatives,” and that Ford has never, as alleged in the video, “been involved in ‘A Pattern of Corruption,’ has never been tried on, convicted of, or pled guilty to ’17 federal felony counts of fraud,’ has never “used his power and position to try to hide his fraud and self-dealing,’ (and) has never ‘filed a resolution in the legislature to keep his colleagues quiet and stop them from commenting to the press.’”
Reyna said he was giving Fairshake the chance to acknowledge in writing that they will in fact cease “this tortious conduct.”
In the event that Fairshake does not cease its “dissemination of these false, misleading and defamatory statements,” Reyna wrote, “actual malice will be inferred.”
…Adding… Ralph Nader…
La Shawn Ford is running for an open Democratic seat in the 7th Congressional District of Illinois. He is a courageous, progressive state lawmaker. I saw that during the wrongful death litigation against Boeing, whose knowingly dangerous 737 MAX killed 346 people in a crash near Indonesia and another crash in Ethiopia.
Illinois had a crazy law that prohibited punitive damages in lawsuits brought by the families of their loved ones killed by the criminal negligence or worse of the companies. Had Boeing seriously injured these 346 innocent human beings, it would have had to pay punitive damages in the courts. So it was cheaper under this law to kill the victims than injure them. NO MORE.
In 2023 one – just one – lawmaker in Springfield, a young legislator by the name of La Shawn Ford looked at this crazy law and said – this is wrong, wrong, wrong and I am going to change this law.
At first, his colleagues thought he was dreaming – beat the Boeing and corporate lobbyist? Well, he did, persuading the Illinois Assembly and the Illinois Senate to pass a bill no one thought was possible for decades. That is the kind of character, determination and persuasiveness you’ll see in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Who is plastering television with ads against La Shawn Ford? The AIPAC – Israeli government can do no wrong lobby – which includes Netanyahu’s genocide with American made weapons in Gaza and the supporters of the war on Iran that is pushing gasoline prices on the Trump Pump skyward. Also the crooked cryptocurrency lobby because Assemblyman Ford voted in Springfield, with many other lawmakers, to regulate this out of control risky money laundering currency. Don’t be fooled by the fake sponsors of these lying ads – as from the “Fairshake SuperPAC.”
La Shawn Ford listens to the people and acts for the people.
* Last month, U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky withdrew her endorsement after Donna Miller received campaign contributions from American Israel Public Affairs Committee donors and backing from an AIPAC super PAC running TV ads in support of her campaign. Cook County Commissioner Tara Stamps also appears to have rescinded her endorsement. Stamps is no longer listed on Miller’s endorsement page.
Click here for an archived version of Miller’s website.
At question is the Abughazaleh’s characterization of her upbringing as working class, including an anime-inspired campaign mailer that showed her childhood home as a modest dwelling.
Her opponents have pointed out that the home was actually a $3.2 million residence, and are questioning her arguments that her upbringing was working class. […]
“This is something I think is being treated like some type of shocker, but I was given a lot of opportunities as a kid,” she said. “I was really lucky to have that, and I also as an adult have struggled like so many of my friends have.”
When asked by NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern if she considered herself “poor,” she was emphatic.
“Am I poor? Right now, yeah,” she said. “I have depleted my savings. I have been financially independent since I was 21.”
* MS Now unearthed a slimy group offering influencers money for posts attacking Abughazaleh. MS Now…
The job offer, reviewed by MS NOW, came with a brief explaining how the group wanted Amanda — who declined to give her real name citing privacy concerns — to post for her roughly 100,000 followers. Democracy Unmuted explained that it wanted creators to “engage voters” and encouraged them “to look past viral personalities and ask real questions about who is running and why.”
The suggested talking points were all focused on Abughazaleh, the youngest candidate and a former journalist for the left-leaning website Media Matters. The offer called for influencers to “highlight more than one” of Abughazaleh’s alleged shortcomings: she was inexperienced, came from a wealthy family, may live with her partner in a different neighborhood and is too new to the area to serve. […]
One, from Justin Kralemann, a Missouri creator who posts about progressive politics, recited whole sentences from the Democracy Unmuted brief. Kralemann, wearing a white hat with “WOKE” emblazoned on the front, mispronounced Abughazaleh’s name and told his combined one million followers on Instagram and TikTok that it was important “to look past viral personalities and ask who is running and why” — a quote matching a suggested quote in the brief.
MS NOW requested an interview with Kralemann on Thursday evening, asking about the video and whether it was part of a paid campaign. Kralemann immediately removed his posts and declined, adding a statement that said in part: “Shortly after posting, I realized it did not meet the standards I’ve set for my platform, so I removed it.”
* More…
*Sun-Times | Broadview 4? Feds drop conspiracy charges against 2 ICE protesters, including Dem who ended campaign: Still charged are congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, Oak Park village trustee Brian Straw, 45th Ward Democratic committeeperson Michael Rabbitt and Andre Martin. They are accused of a conspiracy to impede a federal officer. Abughazaleh is seeking the Democratic nomination for Illinois’ 9th District congressional seat in Tuesday’s primary.
* Punchbowl | Warren stumps for progressives in Illinois: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) is taking a swing through Illinois to stump for progressive candidates ahead of the primaries there next Tuesday. Warren will appear with Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who is running for Senate; Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who is looking to replace retiring Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.); and nonprofit executive Junaid Ahmed, who is running for Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi’s (D-Ill.) seat. Krishnamoorthi is seeking the Democratic nomination for Senate.
Does the phrase “bank of mom and dad” mean anything to you?
- Rahm’s Parking Meter - Friday, Mar 13, 26 @ 2:49 pm:
People paying influencers to attack candidates. That’s a heck of a loophole in campaign finance.
I’ve attacked her for free. And I voted against her too.
- Socially DIstant Watcher - Friday, Mar 13, 26 @ 2:45 pm:
“I have depleted my savings.”
Does the phrase “bank of mom and dad” mean anything to you?
- Rahm’s Parking Meter - Friday, Mar 13, 26 @ 2:49 pm:
People paying influencers to attack candidates. That’s a heck of a loophole in campaign finance.
I’ve attacked her for free. And I voted against her too.