Why Does This Democratic Progressive Group Have Close Ties To A Pro-Trump PAC?

[red dog 1]

Last edited Wed Feb 15, 2017, 03:30 PM - Edit history (1)

BussFeed News via Daily Kos
February 10, 2017

NOTE:
The following is from a Buzzfeed article written last September by Andrew Kaczynski..
It's about "Progressive Priorities PAC' - which Kaczynski exposes as actually being a
Pro-Trump PAC.


"Buzzfeed Exposes Continued Russian Involvement In Our Upcoming Midterm Elections"
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/02/10/1632218/-Buzzfeed-Exposes-Continued-Russian-Involvement-In-Our-Upcoming-Midterm-Elections



On September 6, 2016, BuzzFeed News reporter Andrew Kaczynski wrote:

"Two PACs have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars this year...They do similar calls, they have nearly identical websites, they share a treasurer, and neither has disclosed much about where the money is going.
One is pro-Trump..One is progressive.
The Democratic PAC says on it's website it's purpose is 'spreading the Democratic message and values to the people of America.'
Impressively the group has raised six figures of contributions.
But the PAC's close ties to a pro-Trump group - from a shared treasurer to extremely similar websites, contact information, and call formats - and the fact that the PAC's listed director is a 26-year-old recent college graduate with no known political experience (who a source says was unaware of the PAC's activities) raise questions about the PAC's purpose and what it's spending money on.

Progressive Priorities PAC has raised nearly $300,000 and has $72,500 in the bank, according to Federal Elections Commission findings.
Almost all the group's expenditures have been paid to companies that specialize in robocalls.
No money has been donated to liberal candidates.
No known robocalls from the group have been posted online, but complaints about unsolicited calls online suggest the group attempted to concurrently raise money off the candidacies of both Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primary.
Calls seemed to use a short clip from Hillary Clinton, followed by an appeal for cash.
Complaints about the calls have been reportedly posted on telemarketing complaint sites and social media.
More oddly, the group has various ties to a pro-Donald Trump PAC, 'Liberty Action Group PAC'
Their FCC filing are also extremely similar; both groups spend thousands and thousands of dollars at the same robocalling company, Smart Call Media.
And both group's calls share a pattern: a short clip from Clinton, Trump or Sanders, and then ask for a donation.
Both groups' headquarters are listed at WeWork co-working spaces just down the street from each other in Austin."

Read more:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/why-does-this-democratic-progressive-group-have-close-ties-t


(From the "Progressive Priorities PAC" website)
PRESIDENT TRUMP'S WAR ON EQUALITY IS ALREADY TAKING A TERRIBLE TOLL
HELP US PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF REFUGEES AND IMMIGRANTS - AND EVERYONE ACROSS AMERICA...WE STAND READY TO TAKE A STAND ON ANY CIVIL LIBERTIES VIOLATIONS, BUT WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
WITH YOUR HELP, WE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE ACTION WHEN TRUMP OR HIS ADMINISTRATION COMPROMISE ETHICAL NORMS OR HINDER PEOPLE'S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS..MAKE YOUR DONATION NOW.
http://progressiveprioritiespac.com/#/

[AJT]

1. Money making scam by "Smart Call Media"?

[red dog 1]

2. That's possible, I guess...

..but the real reason is probably more sinister than that.
(Don't forget who we're dealing with here)

[Squinch]

3. I just read your post after I read this one:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028632788

....aaaaaaaand all the pieces fall into place.

[GliderGuider]

4. This looks like a textbook example of Vladislav Surkov's techniques.

Always play both ends of the game so nobody knows what's real. The fact that the web sites were so easy to connect is part of the ploy.

[GliderGuider]

5. Here's a link to an article about him, explaining what he does.

The Hidden Author of Putinism - How Vladislav Surkov invented the new Russia

America is being played by the big leagues.

[red dog 1]

7. Thanks for that link

[HassleCat]

6. Stick with what you know.

My advice would be to find a few charities or political causes you like, support them as generously as you can, and decline the others. That way, your chances of getting scammed are minimal.

[red dog 1]

8. Good advice!

Four organizations I support are:

- Democracy For America.com
- BoldProgress.org
- Social Security Works.org
- MoveOn.org

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

9. Good info, and thanks for posting, but considering how much there is to read and process,

it would have been a good idea to put the most important details at the top of your OP. One has to read through a lot of poorly formatted text (no line breaks--though they were there in the excerpted article--which is very hard for many to read) to get to the fact that Progressive Priorities PAC is the "Democratic Progressive Group" that may "Have Close Ties To A Pro-Trump PAC."

I know you just excerpted the article, but Andrew Kaczynski did a poor job by not naming that PAC until so far into the piece. But, with his formatting, it was much easier to skim down to the paragraph with the cogent ID of the PAC.

[red dog 1]

10. Done!

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

11. You're awesome!

Thank you!