In today's world of permanent campaigning, 'leadership PACs'—political action committees established by individual politicians -- have served as an invaluable vehicle for members of Congress to support their political allies.
The crew discusses the 2021 gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, the mayoral elections taking place in more than two dozen major cities and special elections for vacant House seats.In today's world of permanent campaigning,"leadership PACs" -- political action committees established by individual politicians -- have served as an invaluable vehicle for members of Congress to support their political allies.
During the 2020 election cycle, there were at least 120 members of Congress whose leadership PACs reported that less than 50% of their spending was in the form of political contributions to other candidates, political allies, or parties, according to the report. Early in 2019, then-North Carolina GOP Rep. George Holding's leadership PAC made two such contributions, giving a total of $5,000 to a fellow North Carolina Republican House hopeful running in a GOP primary.
"Most members of Congress use their leadership PAC for their intended purposes -- aiding other candidates, their parties, and political allies," Issue One Research Director Michael Beckel told ABC News. For a typical member, Beckel said, 70% of their leadership PAC's expenditures go toward political expenditures.
Holding's PAC did not respond to ABC News' request for comment, but the then-congressman told CQ Roll Call in a statement last year that as co-chair of the U.K. Caucus and co-chair of the British American Parliamentary Group, he"traveled to London at no expense to the taxpayer for the purpose of developing and maintaining a leadership role on U.K./U.S. issues."
Tens of thousands of dollars of Paul's PAC money also went to travel, lodging and meals at high-end establishments, including The Breakers, a five-star resort in Palm Beach, Florida, and BLT Prime at former President Donald Trump's hotel in Washington, D.C. Paul's PAC also spent money on tickets at Nationals Park, home of Washington's Major League Baseball team, and at Karlštejn Castle, a tourist destination outside Prague in the Czech Republic, according to the report.
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