"Arizona Grassroots Action" Super PAC filed papers this past week to raise unlimited money for GOP Congressional candidates. Earlier today, Arizona's Politics reported on a new joint fundraising effort to benefit Arizona House Speaker Andy Tobin and USAF Col. Martha McSally (ret.) in their campaigns to secure GOP nominations for Congressional races. Arizona Grassroots Action is connected to that effort, sharing the same officers and "political financial consulting" firm.
The Federal Election Commission ("FEC") filing lists the Virginia-based Republican firm of Huckaby Davis Lisker as Arizona Grassroots Action's ("AGA's) main address, Treasurer, and Custodian of Records. The same firm is handling the McSally Tobin Victory Committee (also filed last week).
(AGA lists Lisa Lisker and Julie Miller from HDL as Treasurer, Custodian of Records and Designated Agent the joint fundraising committee lists Keith Davis - also from HDL - and Lisa Lisker in those roles.)
While neither the Tobin campaign nor the McSally campaign has responded to Arizona's Politics' requests for information, it would appear that both committees are likely to hold a fundraiser(s) for the candidates in the near future, and that the Super PAC is a way to permit unlimited contributions.
Tobin and McSally are running in closely contested swing districts CD1 and CD2. They both have primary competition for the nominations to face Democratic incumbent Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick and Ron Barber (respectively).
There is not supposed to be "coordination" between candidates' committees and Super PACs - as stated by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy in the landmark Citizens United opinion, but that line has been rapidly becoming more blurry. Coordinated fundraising may be the next frontier.
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2 comments:
He who has the gold makes the rules. Our election process is bought and paid for by the rich.
Thanks for reading - and commenting - daddyjim. I hope you stick with us as we continue to keep Following Money In Arizona's Politics.
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