WASHINGTON – With names such as AMERICPAC, PAC to the Future or Searchlight Leadership Fund, it is difficult to see what CUNA is spending credit unions’ campaign contributions on; but each of these so-called leadership PACs represents a vital link to its sponsors, who guide the Democratic majority in the House and Senate.
CUNA’s contributions to these PACs help build bridges to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (AMERICPAC), Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (PAC to the Future) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Searchlight Leadership Fund), allowing CUNA to double its maximum contribution to each – with $10,000 going to the lawmakers’ campaign funds and another $10,000 to their leadership PACs.
Through the first 17 months of the current 24-month campaign cycle, CUNA and its state league affiliates have contributed more than $250,000 to congressional leadership PACs with names such as: Battle Born PAC, Blue Dog PAC, Blue Grass PAC, Eureka PAC, The Freedom project, Freedom Fund, Growth and Prosperity PAC, Prairie PAC, Tuesday Group PAC, Trust PAC, Mill to the Hill PAC, and Together for Our Majority PAC, also known as TomPAC.
Then there’s the New Democratic Coalition, Democrats Win Seats PAC, and the New Democratic Coalition PAC, each of which received $10,000 from CUNA.
And: the New Republican Majority Fund, $10,000; Republican Mainstream Partnership PAC, $5,000; and, the House Conservatives Fund, $10,000.
CUNA yesterday reported it made $5,000 contributions last month to Hoyer’s AMERIPAC and BridgePAC for Democrat Bart Stupak, and of $2,500 to Victory Now PAC, for Democrat Chris Van Hollen.
Also getting $5,000 contributions from CUNA were the Congressional Black Caucus PAC and CHC/BOLD PAC, which stands for Committee for Hispanic Causes/Building Our Leadership Diversity.
In the last elections, CUNA and the leagues contributed more than $500,000 to leadership PACs.
