Democratic U.S. House candidate Tim Bjorkman uses his first 30-second ad to feature his refusal to take PAC money:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXQXQ_VVg_s
I’m so used to hearing Bjorkman in deliberate, thoughtful prose that it’s almost disorienting to hear him out-Dusty his younger Republican opponent in the quick-cut pop-pop advertising style that marketers use to shout through the clutter of background-noise television. But Bjorkman running at higher voltage than the Republicans appears to be a running theme this month. Now he just has to show that he can raise enough money without PACs to put this video on TV and reach the majority of voters.
Tim Bjorkman debates Dusty Johnson, Libertarian George Hendrickson, and LaRouche independent Ron Wieczorek today at 1 p.m. at Dakotafest in Mitchell.
I just can’t help but think some PACs are evil, and some PACs are good. Why throw the baby out with the bath water?
I agree Adam.
Where in the ad did Bjorkman say he does not take PAC $?
Nevermind. 😶 (embarrassed face)
The criminal enterprise called the GOP, with their own words, show why PAC money has corrupted our democracy. Tim Bjorkman is spot on. Take the big money and foreign corruption out of politics. But I will let the criminal enterprise called the GOP tell you in their own words up to 2 months ago.
“WASHINGTON – Today Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and RNC Finance Chairman Steve Wynn announced additional members of the RNC’s Finance leadership team:
“I am delighted to announce the addition of these longtime friends of the Party and supporters of this administration to our Finance leadership team,” said Chairwoman McDaniel. “Elliott Broidy, Michael Cohen, and Louis DeJoy will serve as National Deputy Finance Chairmen, and Brian Ballard, Bob Grand, Gordon Sondland, Geoff Verhoff, and Ron Weiser will serve as Regional Vice-Chairmen. Together this team will employ their extraordinary talent and understanding of Americans across the country to maintain and build upon our unprecedented fundraising success.”
“Our team is dedicated to the goal of increasing the number of Republican senators and representatives in the Congress, with the firm belief that all Americans will enjoy the benefits of a better future,” said Chairman Wynn. “The challenge of guiding a swollen and overreaching government to a position that serves its citizens in a truly efficient manner will be best served by the leadership our team hopes to achieve.”
Elliott Broidy, National Deputy Chairman
Mr. Broidy is Chairman and CEO of Broidy Capital Management. He served as a National Vice Chairman of the Trump Victory Campaign during the 2016 election cycle and Vice Chairman of the Presidential Inaugural Committee. He has previously held the position of RNC Finance Chairman, and during the Bush Administration he served on the Homeland Security Advisory Council and was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Michael Cohen, National Deputy Chairman
Mr. Cohen is currently the personal attorney to President Donald J. Trump. He served for more than a decade as Executive Vice President Special Counsel to President Trump at the Trump Organization and has sat on the boards of multiple Trump organizations, including Trump Productions, the Eric Trump Foundation, and the Miss Universe Organization. In addition to raising millions of dollars for his campaign, Mr. Cohen has been an active spokesperson and advisor for the President during his interest in seeking office since 2011.”
Bah Zing, three of the crooks and liars are either under indictment, plead guilty or resigned in disgrace. What a mafia?
Ms. Geelsottire, is it tougher for you to listen to a man speaking what he thinks because you hate men or because you are thinking about how you hate that the most libbie fellow in this race is a man and that angers you?
Grudz, uncalled for. Back off.
Debbo, the fact that you missed that line at first isn’t actually embarrassing. Tim doesn’t say the words himself; they are just written on that caption. The ad would be stronger if he said those words aloud.
I understand how the anti-PAC pitch plays well with regular folks outside of a campaign. However, I continue to oppose this unilateral disarmament and support Adam’s position: candidates can discern good PACs from bad.
Cory–just as judges shouldn’t take money from people with issues before them, members of Congress shouldn’t take money from special interests with legislation before them, either. Members of Congress are, in essence, judges of legislation, after all…
But Drey, we all have issues before Congress. What’s the brightline? Is it o.k. to take money from individuals but not groups? If I form a PAC to promote direct democracy, is it o.k. for a candidate to take individual contributions from me and each of my fellow PAC board members but not from our PAC’s massive treasury?
I know Tim’s practical position isn’t about amounts; he’s saying no PAC money, even if it’s just a $100 check from Equality PAC, which would be less than many of the checks the campaign has received from individuals.
I’m genuinely curious: what makes $1,000 from a PAC more harmful than $1,000 from an individual?
Cory–the difference is that almost all PACs exists to promote a very specific mission (a mission that their representatives are not at all shy in reminding you about!), while individuals have dozens of opinions (many dozens, in your case and mine!) and generally no specific mission–the pressure to vote X way is substantially different, if it exists at all.
So what if certain individuals “exist”—or participate in campaign finance—because of a single issue? What if Spencer Cody donates to politicians solely to push abortion bans? What if Nancy Pelosi donates to politicians solely to help elect Democrats to the House and maintain her power?
Conversely, what if my PAC exists to promote direct democracy? What if the Human Rights Campaign’s PAC exists solely to promote civil rights for LGBT Americans? What if the sole purpose of a PAC is really good? What if a PAC actually fights for a broad range of causes… like South Dakota First? Does Tim Johnson’s PAC serve the narrow cause of electing Democrats or the broader cause of supporting all the good policies that fall under the Democratic platform?