Future Forward Accused of Illegally Concealing Donors, Watchdog Reveals
President Joe Biden / Getty Images
President Joe Biden’s favorite super PAC is facing allegations of unlawfully hiding its donors from the public, as it strengthens its ties to the White House.
Future Forward, along with its affiliated dark money nonprofit, has enlisted former White House officials Cristóbal Alex and Pili Tobar to spearhead a high-budget advertising campaign aimed at Latino voters in swing states, according to the Washington Post. This campaign will coincide with a $25 million ad purchase from the Biden campaign and the Democratic National Committee, all of which will portray the president as an energetic and dynamic leader, as reported by the Post.
The dark money connections of Future Forward could potentially lead to legal troubles for the group. In August, a complaint was filed with the Federal Election Commission, alleging that the super PAC used its dark money affiliate to conceal some of the donors behind its $400 million funding, similar to previous cases that resulted in fines and criminal convictions for other political activists, as reported by the Washington Free Beacon.
Biden’s collaboration with Future Forward, which has been endorsed by his aides as the leading super PAC supporting his reelection campaign, comes less than a year after the president publicly supported a Democratic bill that aimed to eliminate the influence of dark money in American democracy. Biden had previously denounced dark money as a “serious problem facing our democracy.”
Ironically, Future Forward relies on dark money to sustain its operations. In July, the group claimed to have raised $50 million in the first half of 2023. However, subsequent campaign finance disclosures revealed that the majority of these funds were channeled to its dark money affiliate, Future Forward USA Action. The donors funding the Latino ad campaign will remain undisclosed, and the group is not required to disclose its 2023 finances to the IRS until after the 2024 election.
Furthermore, Future Forward has a significant $12 million discrepancy in its financial disclosures, as reported by the Free Beacon. While its dark money affiliate reported giving $15.3 million to the super PAC in 2021, Future Forward stated that it only received $3.4 million from the dark money group in 2023, according to the Federal Election Commission.
“The numerous and blatant discrepancies in the recent filings by both the nonprofit and the super PAC are deeply concerning,” expressed Kendra Arnold, executive director of the watchdog group Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust.
Alex and Tobar are not the first former Biden officials to join forces with Future Forward. In July, Biden’s 2020 campaign finance director, Katie Petrelius, was assigned to the super PAC to assist with fundraising, as reported by the New York Times.
Anita Dunn, a senior Biden adviser who previously consulted for Future Forward, hinted at the possibility of the president headlining fundraisers for the super PAC.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
If Future Forward is concealing its donors, who is actually influencing the policies and decisions of the Biden administration?
Y the president himself, raises concerns about transparency and accountability in his administration. If Future Forward is indeed concealing its donors, it raises questions about who is really influencing the Biden administration’s policies and decisions. Is it serving the interests of the American people or those who have contributed significant amounts of money to the super PAC?
For a president who has promised to prioritize ethics and transparency, this accusation against one of his favorite political allies is a contradiction. It undermines the credibility of President Biden’s administration and casts doubt on his commitment to campaign finance reform.
The issue of dark money in politics is not new, but it is certainly one that needs urgent attention. The Supreme Court’s Citizens United ruling in 2010 opened the floodgates for unlimited and undisclosed campaign contributions, allowing super PACs and nonprofit organizations to spend vast sums of money without revealing their donors. This has created a shadowy landscape where wealthy individuals and corporations can influence elections and policy-making behind closed doors.
It is crucial for organizations like Future Forward to be held accountable for their actions. If they are indeed violating campaign finance laws by concealing their donors, they should face the appropriate legal consequences. Wealthy donors should not be able to buy influence and manipulate the political system while keeping their identities hidden from the public.
Furthermore, President Biden must address these allegations head-on. He cannot simply distance himself from Future Forward and assert ignorance about their dark money practices. As the leader of the Democratic Party, he has a responsibility to uphold the values of transparency and integrity that his campaign promised.
If Future Forward and its dark money affiliate are found guilty of breaking the law, it will further erode trust in our political system. It will reinforce the perception that wealthy and powerful interests have undue influence, and it will undermine the integrity of our democracy.
In order to restore faith in our government, we need comprehensive campaign finance reform that addresses the issue of dark money. Measures must be taken to increase transparency and accountability, such as mandating the disclosure of all campaign contributions and imposing stricter regulations on the activities of super PACs and nonprofit organizations.
The American people deserve a political system that is truly representative and responsive to their needs. They deserve to know who is funding the campaigns of their elected officials and what interests those donors have. Only through meaningful campaign finance reform can we ensure that our democracy is not for sale to the highest bidder.
The allegations against Future Forward should serve as a wake-up call to all Americans. We must demand an end to the era of dark money in politics and fight for a more transparent and accountable democracy. The time for action is now.
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