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July 16, 2020
This week in money-in-politics

Influential ‘dark money’ network steers millions to pro-Biden super PACs


Sixteen Thirty Fund, an expansive liberal “dark money” network that emerged as a key player in the 2018 midterms, is injecting millions of untraceable dollars into super PACs backing presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

The influential nonprofit donated a total of $5.7 million to two pro-Biden groups, Unite the Country and American Bridge 21st Century, on June 30, according to Federal Election Commission filings. Together those super PACs have spent $35 million backing Biden and attacking President Donald Trump on the airwaves.

American Bridge recently launched a $25 million ad campaign in Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — the key states to Trump’s 2016 upset — bashing Trump over his response to the devastating coronavirus pandemic.
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** Billionaire Democratic donors give big to anti-Trump Lincoln Project
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A prominent anti-Trump super PAC run by Republican operatives is bringing in big money from billionaire Democratic donors. The Lincoln Project raised $16.8 million from April through June, with 45 percent of its fundraising coming from small donors. The Lincoln Project’s strategy of frequently producing viral attack ads against President Donald Trump but spending relatively little to place them on traditional airwaves in swing states has come under scrutiny.
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** TikTok deploys lobbyists tied to Trump, top Democrats as US considers ban
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TikTok is one of the most popular and fastest-growing apps in the U.S. But unless its pricey lobbying campaign pays dividends, the video sharing app’s time in the limelight could be coming to an end. Both President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have said the U.S. is considering banning TikTok, which is run by the Chinese company ByteDance, amid concerns that users’ data could be shared with the Chinese Communist Party.
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** Collins challenger Sara Gideon gets big money boost heading into the general
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Maine House Speaker Sara Gideon sailed to victory in Maine’s Democratic Senate primary this week to challenge Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) in the general election matchup critical to Democrats’ quest to take control of the Senate. Already, Gideon is outpacing Collins in fundraising. Gideon raised nearly $24.2 million to run against Collins, who has raised only $16.8 million. Heading into the general election, both candidates have roughly similar amounts of cash on hand.
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House GOP super PAC relies on ‘dark money’ in bid to take back lost seats


House Republicans’ flagship super PAC is relying heavily on “dark money” funding from an allied nonprofit to bolster its reserves as it plans an aggressive push to reclaim the House.

The Congressional Leadership Fund has received nearly $20 million from American Action Network, a closely tied nonprofit that does not disclose its donors. That total — which includes some in-kind contributions for research work — makes up nearly one-third of the super PAC’s fundraising this cycle. The Congressional Leadership Fund brought in over $7 million from its allied dark money group in June alone, according to new Federal Election Commission filings.

The cash boost comes as the super PAC readies a flurry of ads to boost Republican House candidates over their Democratic counterparts. The Congressional Leadership Fund plans to go on the offensive, reserving $43 million in Fall ads mostly targeting Democratic freshmen. Democrats hold a substantial majority in the House after flipping 41 seats in the 2018 midterms.
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OpenSecrets in the News

See our media citations from outlets around the nation this week:

* ** Trump, more than Biden, is tapping into Facebook targeting tools (Bloomberg) ([link removed])
Since entering the presidential contest in April 2019, Joe Biden has spent $21 million on Facebook ads compared to $33 million for President Trump over the same period. But the two campaigns are spending the money very differently.

* ** Democrat Mike Espy outraises GOP Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith nearly 3-to-1 (Mississippi Today) ([link removed])
In Mississippi, Democrat Mike Espy raised nearly three times the money Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith raised in the second quarter of 2020.

* ** Why banks are steering more political donations to Democrats (American Banker) ([link removed])
Affiliates and employees of commercial banks have traditionally favored Republicans in their political giving, but this cycle sees the industry steering a greater percentage of political contributions towards Democrats.

** The New Yorker ([link removed])

** CNBC ([link removed])

** The Ponca City News ([link removed])

** News Center Maine ([link removed])

** The Gazette ([link removed])

** AL DÍA ([link removed])

** Detroit Free Press ([link removed])

** OC Media ([link removed])

** The Washington Examiner ([link removed])

** Business Insider ([link removed])

** E&E News ([link removed])

** PolitiFact ([link removed])

** BBC Brazil ([link removed])



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