A super PAC allied with Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., poured money into a group that has deployed inflammatory tactics designed to pit Muslim and Jewish voters against Kamala Harris.
The McConnell-aligned Senate Leadership Fund gave $1.5 million to the FC PAC, formerly known as the Future Coalition PAC, which has faced criticism for its wedge tactics this election cycle.
In ads targeted at Arab voters in Michigan, the PAC highlighted the Jewish faith of Harris’s husband Doug Emhoff, a move that observers decried as antisemitic.
A recent Snapchat ad from the FC PAC targeting ZIP codes with large Arab populations in Michigan stated that Harris would be “a real pro-Israel president, right when we need one.” It added that her husband Doug Emhoff would be “the first Jewish presidential spouse ever!”
Flush with money from the Senate Leadership Fund as well as a new $2 million cash infusion from a dark-money nonprofit reportedly funded by Elon Musk, Thursday’s campaign finance report shows the FC PAC is not slowing down ahead of the November 5 election.
A screenshot from a Snapchat ad paid for by the FC PAC and targeted at voters in Pennsylvania ZIP codes with large Jewish populations. Screenshot: Snap Inc. A screenshot from a Snapchat ad paid for by the FC PAC and targeted at voters in Michigan ZIP codes with large Arab populations. Screenshot: Snap Inc.Super-Sized Attacks
When supporters of George W. Bush wanted to spread scurrilous rumors about the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., during the 2000 presidential primary, they found a low-tech, low-cost way to target their audience while remaining anonymous: They put racist fliers on the windshields of cars outside a debate.
Accusations flew that Bush hatchet man Karl Rove was behind dirty tricks targeting McCain, but the campaign disavowed it. No organization’s name was attached, and no Federal Election Commission filings were linked to the actions.
Today, a raft of ugly campaign ads — some playing on stereotypes, some leveraging misdirection — come not from the shadows, but from FEC-registered groups with millions in their war chests. Thanks to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision, the proliferation of anonymous donations, and online ad microtargeting,........