Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling on Democratic Party leaders to prohibit super PAC spending in Democratic primary elections, singling out AIPAC after the pro-Israel organization spent millions of dollars in Michigan’s high-profile Senate primary.
In an open letter released Sunday, Sanders urged Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Democratic National Committee Chairman Ken Martin to dismantle what he described as a “corrupt system” of campaign financing by banning super PAC involvement in Democratic primaries.
Much of Sanders’ criticism centered on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), which poured approximately $32 million into an unsuccessful effort to defeat Abdul El-Sayed, an outspoken critic of Israel, in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary. El-Sayed ultimately prevailed over Rep. Haley Stevens, who was widely viewed as a pro-Israel moderate.
Sanders also pointed to reports indicating that AIPAC is now considering investing heavily in support of Republican nominee Mike Rogers, who is expected to face El-Sayed in a closely watched general election this November.
“It is absurd that they spend tens of millions of dollars to try to determine who the Democratic nominee is and, if they fail, then proceed to support the Republican candidate in the general election,” said Sanders. He added that corporate PACs, including “crypto, AI and other online betting special interests,” have spent a record $517 million this election cycle.
The Vermont independent, who caucuses with Senate Democrats, has long advocated overturning the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision through a constitutional amendment. That ruling opened the door for corporations and outside groups to spend unlimited sums on political campaigns. In his latest letter, Sanders argued that Democrats need not wait for constitutional changes and instead should immediately “prohibit super PACs from participating in its primaries.”
AIPAC quickly rejected Sanders’ proposal.
“Millions of Democrats are AIPAC members who are proud to help elect principled Democrats,” AIPAC said Monday in its response to Sanders.
The organization also responded on X, writing, “This letter isn’t about democracy or campaign finance — that’s why he doesn’t name the billionaire super PACs that back him. Sanders just wants to blacklist Americans who disagree with him.”
During an appearance Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Sanders acknowledged that Democrats would likely be at a major disadvantage if they voluntarily abandoned super PAC support in general elections. Nevertheless, he argued that the party should “take charge of what takes place within their own primaries right now.”
Sanders remains one of the most prominent progressive Jewish politicians in the United States. Over the past year, he has thrown his support behind a number of left-wing candidates critical of Israel, including El-Sayed, Adam Hamawy, who captured the Democratic nomination in New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Although Sanders first rose to national prominence through his focus on economic inequality, he has increasingly centered his criticism on Israel’s military campaigns in Gaza and Iran. Last year, he became the first sitting U.S. senator to declare that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza. Earlier this year, a record 40 senators voted in favor of his “Block the Bombs” resolutions seeking to halt certain U.S. weapons sales to Israel.
{Matzav.com}
