The Independent View: Outside super Pacs and State Races

Whether you are for or against an issue or candidate, should an out-of-state super Pac be allowed to spend their money in your state, for or against the issue or candidate? The Supreme Court says YES. I might be for many of the issues and candidates supported by a super Pac, but I am against their influence. So lets look at one and their influence.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg formed a super PAC to spend between $10 and $15 million on elections in 2012 in order to help moderate candidates and aid ballot referendums supporting gay marriage.

Bloomberg said in a statement that the candidates who will benefit from his super PAC will be moderates who support gun control and the market-driven education reform that Bloomberg has championed during his time as mayor.

According to The New York Times, Bloomberg's super PAC supported candidates including former Maine Gov. Angus King, who ran as an independent for Maine's open Senate seat and won; Democrat Gloria Negrete McLeod, the challenger to incumbent Democratic Rep. Joe Baca in California and won; and Republican Rep. Bob Dold in Illinois.

The effort is lead by New York City Deputy Mayor for Government Affairs and Communication Howard Wolfson, who is also the former spokesman for Hillary Clinton.

The super PAC effort is the biggest national push by Bloomberg, who is winding down his third term as mayor and will not seek reelection to a fourth term.

In 2013, Mayor Bloomberg scored a political knockout when he helped chase a pro-gun Democrat out of a special congressional election in Illinois.

Illinois state Sen. Toi Hutchinson abandoned her campaign yesterday, two days after Bloomberg’s political committee unleashed attack ads over her past opposition to tough gun restrictions. She cited the gun issue in her concession and threw her support behind Bloomberg’s candidate, former Democratic state Rep. Robin Kelly.

Bloomberg’s Independence USA political action committee has spent $1.4 million in the election to succeed former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. It is poised to spend up to $2 million for the Feb. 26 Democratic primary, more than any of the 17 candidates have raised.

The winner of the primary is almost guaranteed to take the seat in the overwhelmingly Democratic district.

Bloomberg also set his sights on another candidate in the race, Debbie Halvorson, a one-time congresswoman with an “A” rating from the National Rifle Association. She had been in the lead until Bloomberg began bombarding the air waves.

Please let me know how you feel about super Pac money.