Bernie Sanders Urges Democratic Leaders to Ban Super PAC Donations in Primaries

Senator Bernie Sanders has made a strong appeal to the leaders of the Democratic Party, urging them to eliminate the influence of super PACs in primary elections. In a letter shared exclusively with Face the Nation, Sanders characterized these fundraising organizations as contributors to a ‘corrupt system’ within American politics.

Super PACs, which can raise unlimited funds for candidates but are prohibited from coordinating directly with them, have significantly impacted the funding landscape. According to Sanders, corporate-backed super PACs have already disbursed over $517 million during the current midterm election cycle.

Concerns Over Outside Funding

In his correspondence, Sanders specifically addressed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin. He highlighted the case of Haley Stevens, a Democratic candidate for the Michigan Senate, who received over $50 million from outside organizations, including $30 million from the pro-Israel group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Stevens was ultimately defeated by Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, her opponent in the primary.

Sanders pointed out that AIPAC is reportedly planning to invest ‘tens of millions’ to support Republican candidate Mike Rogers, who will face El-Sayed in the general election. He expressed concern that such financial influence undermines the integrity of the primaries.

Call for Reform

During his appearance on Face the Nation, Sanders stated, «What you are seeing is, it doesn’t matter that you’re a Democrat or Republican. It’s not just AIPAC, it’s the AI people, it’s crypto. They will take over the primaries and try to get their point of view through, get their special interests accomplished, regardless of which party.» He criticized the current system that allows outside entities to influence primary elections, emphasizing that it is essential for the Democratic Party to take control of its own electoral processes.

While Sanders acknowledged that candidates will likely continue to accept PAC money during general elections without broader reforms, he insisted that the Democratic Party can act within its primaries. «You can’t allow Democratic candidates to be outspent 50 to 1. But it is a corrupt campaign finance system, and Democrats can take charge of what takes place within their own primaries right now,» he stated.

Proposed Changes

In his letter, Sanders urged the need for a constitutional amendment to repeal the Citizens United ruling, which has facilitated the influx of unlimited independent spending by outside groups since 2010. He also called for legislation to enable public funding of elections. However, his most immediate recommendation was for the Democratic Party to prohibit super PACs from participating in primary elections.

«I urge you to take action and make clear that the Democratic Party will no longer maintain this corrupt system,» Sanders wrote. He expressed hope that despite the ideological differences within the party, there would be consensus against allowing Republican special interests to dictate the outcomes of Democratic primaries. «The time to act is now,» he concluded.