Bernie Sanders, the Independent Senator from Vermont who is running on the Democratic side for the Presidency in 2016, and who has been a consistent critic of Super PACs during his campaign, admitted during an interview with CNN on Monday that he has been accepting money from the group, The National Nurses United for Patient Protection. Mr. Sanders has repeatedly criticized his opponents for using the tactic which does not directly connect the organization with the candidate but does say in messages that are placed on TV ads that the candidate “approves this message”.
“What I have said over and over again is that I have not and will not raise a nickel for a Super PAC” Mr. Sanders said during the interview. Mr. Sanders has not only slammed his Republican opponents for using the Koch Brothers Super PAC, but in September he also went after his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton for going after him using a Super PAC questioning his foreign policy.
“Yesterday (Monday September 14th) one of Hillary Clinton’s most prominent Super PACs attacked our campaign pretty viciously” Senator Sanders said in an email to supporters. “They suggested I’d be friendly with Middle East terror organizations, and even tried to link me to a dead Communist dictator”. (referring to former Venezuelan Dictator Hugo Chavez.)
The two candidates have been fighting a fierce battle for the Democratic Party’s nomination where Mr. Sanders was once even leading Mrs. Clinton. After the second Democratic debate, Mrs. Clinton is up two points in New Hampshire, which was once considered a safe zone for Mr. Sanders.
The National Nurses United for Patient Protection Super PAC has reportedly spent more than $550,000 in support of Bernie. “I am the only Democratic candidate who does not have a Super PAC”, Mr. Sanders continued in the interview. “They are nurses, and they are fighting for the health care of their people. They are doing what they think is appropriate. I do not have a Super PAC.”
The attacks that came from the Clinton side came from the group Correct the Record which is founded by Media Matter’s President David Brock who has connections with Mr. and Mrs. Clinton.
“I do not have a Super PAC friend” Sanders’ September e-mail continued. “I am not going to travel around the country begging millionaires and billionaires for money.” “That’s not just going to happen.”
Up until this point, Sanders has been trying to wage a campaign that he said would be based on ideas and not personalities. But as the campaign begins to slip away for Mr. Sanders he has been going more and more on the attack against the presumed Democratic frontrunner.
“It was the kind of onslaught I expected to see from the Koch brothers or Sheldon Adelson, and it’s the second time a billionaire Super PAC has tried to stop the momentum of the political revolution we’re building together.”
If Sanders was truly a believer of not accepting Super PAC money and keeping super PAC money out of his political campaign he should return all of the money that he has that is connected with the group and renounce his connection with the group for the rest of his campaign. In a new poll that was released yesterday, the lead that Mr. Sanders once had in New Hampshire has been erased and he now trails Mrs. Clinton 44 to 42 and in Iowa Mr. Sanders is down 51 to 42.
Links to sources:
1) New York Times article: https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/11/24/bernie-sanderss-rejection-of-super-pacs-is-not-universal
2) The Hill Article: https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/253694-sanders-goes-on-the-attack-against-Clinton
3) Real Clear Politics: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/president/
Deb says
Clinton is not a foregone conclusion.. Bernie won in New Hampshire, try to keep up.
Tom says
Where in the article does it say that I am a Clinton supporter?
David Block says
This is a very misleading article. First, there is a difference between a PAC and a SuperPAC, and it is not clear which one the Nurses association is.
Second, they are independent from Sanders, and he has no control over what they do — unlike SuperPACs, which are not supposed to coordinate with candidates, but do anyway.
Lee says
Yes, I agree that it is a misleading article. The Nurses Association may be one or a group of nurse memberships, which in no way, should be confused with SuperPAC monies. As well,
monies received from these memberships will not influence him as a President, other than
his interest in health unions, which already exists.
Rob says
The author uses the candidates own words and actions against him. How is that ” misleading”?
Reta Lane says
This is a complete lie. Nurses are not superpacs! Also Bernie’s campaign is not failing.