Campaign records show contributions from corporate-backed entities despite anti-PAC stance.
In recent years, several members of Congress have publicly pledged to reject donations from corporate PACs, seeking to distance themselves from corporate influence. However, this commitment appears inconsistent with the latest financial disclosures, particularly concerning Representative Mike Levin (D-CA). Levin’s second-quarter financial documents reveal significant contributions from corporate-funded entities, raising questions about his adherence to the principles he has endorsed.
Levin co-sponsored the Ban Corporate PACs Act in 2021 and 2022, a legislative effort aimed at prohibiting for-profit corporations from creating separate political funds. Despite this, Levin, along with other Democrats who have criticized corporate PACs, has benefited from substantial donations from corporate-backed leadership committees. Federal Election Commission filings show that between April and June, these Democrats received thousands of dollars from such committees and, in some cases, directly from corporations.
“I don’t object to the ban, but corporate money gets into these campaigns anyway through other vehicles — if not directly from corporate PACs,” remarked Craig Holman, a government affairs lobbyist for Public Citizen.
Rep. Mike Levin stands out among these critics. During the second quarter of 2023, he accepted over $20,000 from 13 corporate-backed leadership committees, including those associated with Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), and Sara Jacobs (D-CA).
For instance, Rep. Suzan Delbene’s (D-WA) Evergreen PAC, which donated $2,500 to Levin’s campaign in 2022, contributed another $3,000 in June 2023. Evergreen PAC has received funds from corporations like Comcast, T-Mobile, Visa, Microsoft, and CVS. Additionally, Levin’s campaign accepted $1,000 in June from Shore PAC, connected to Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-NJ), which is supported by PACs for AT&T, CVS, and Amazon.
This financial support starkly contrasts with Levin’s previous statements. In May 2022, he tweeted, “Since I started running for Congress, I haven’t taken a dime in corporate PAC money. I’m proud to have cosponsored the Ban Corporate PACs Act, which would stop corporate PACs altogether.”
Despite this apparent inconsistency, Levin has not yet provided an explanation or response. Requests for comments from his campaign, as well as those of Reps. Golden, Pappas, Hayes, and Magaziner, have gone unanswered, leaving constituents seeking clarity on this issue.
