Media
Unions Pouring Big Money in Pennsylvania Elections
As we’ve pointed out in the past, unions—often using campaign contributions collected at taxpayer expense—dominate political spending and electioneering.
Well, the first campaign finance reports for the 2014 gubernatorial election have been released, and sure enough, unions (along with millionaires self-financing their own campaigns) are pouring money in. As Media Trackers PA reports, union PACs have given more than $500,000 directly to candidates already, not counting the millions unions spend from dues supporting or opposing candidates with independent ads.
Media Trackers’ review of campaign finance documents filed with the PA Department of State reveals that, to date, labor unions have collectively made contributions totaling more than $550,000 to State Treasurer Rob McCord and Montgomery County Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz.
We’ve noted before the unfortunate irony that State Treasurer Rob McCord signs the checks that fund government union PACs before those union PACs contribute to his (or his opponents’) campaign.
Another former state treasurer has also weighed in on the issue of taxpayer collection of union political money. Bob Casey, now U.S. Senator, also signed checks from the state treasury over to government union PACs, while his campaigns were funded by those same union PACs. According to FollowtheMoney.org, Casey’s top eight “noteworthy contributors” as a candidate for state offices were all Union PACS, five of which use taxpayer resources to help collect their political money.
Not surprising, Casey supports this political power cycle.
Noteworthy Contributor |
Years |
Records |
↓Total↓ |
---|---|---|---|
SERVICE EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONAL UNION Public Sector Unions |
2002-2004 | 9 | $840,000 |
UNITED FOOD & COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION General Trade Unions |
2000-2002 | 8 | $170,500 |
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS General Trade Unions |
2002-2004 | 5 | $105,900 |
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS Transportation Unions |
2002 | 2 | $100,000 |
ELECTRICAL WORKERS LOCAL 98 General Trade Unions |
2004 | 6 | $49,500 |
PENNSYLVANIA AFL-CIO General Trade Unions |
2000-2004 | 23 | $31,600 |
AFSCME COUNCIL 13 Public Sector Unions |
2004 | 4 | $20,000 |
ASSOCIATION OF PENNSYLVANIA STATE COLLEGE & UNIVERSITY FACULTIES Public Sector Unions |
2004 | 2 | $20,000 |
Taxpayer resources should never be used for politics. Click here to tell your lawmakers to end this practice and its corrupting influence.