Occupy Wall Street Super PAC: Activist Looks To Form Political Action Committee
from Huffington Post 2-17-12
One Occupy Wall Street activist wants to put the protest's money where its mouth is.
John Paul Thornton, a member of the Occupy Alabama movement, filed papers with the Federal Election Commission to form the Occupy Wall Street Political Action Committee, Mother Jones reports. But Thornton's group probably won't get a boost from the Occupy leadership. Occupy Wall Street spokesman Karanja Gacuca told MoJo that if it ever were to come to a vote it's unlikely Thornton's move would be approved at by the movement's General Assembly.
Thornton said he was inspired to file the papers after watching comedian Stephen Colbert discuss his super pac on his TV show. Colbert’s organization, called Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow has raised $815,000, according to Politico.
SuperPACs -- the category of fundraising group that Colbert's and Thornton's groups fall under -- have been a flash point for controversy during the campaign season. There's no limit on the amount of money they can collect from an individual donor or the amount of cash they can spend campaigning, but they can't coordinate directly with any candidates.
Super PACs advocating for Republican candidates Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum have poured millions into buying ad space on Michigan's airwaves ahead of the state's primary on February 28, according to MSNBC. President Obama came under fire earlier this month after he reversed his stance on super PACs, dropping his opposition to the organizations.
That could be because the groups are so popular. More than 300 organizations have filed papers with the FEC to become super PACs since 2010 court decisions paved the way for their creation, according to The Hill.
The concern that Super PACs will boost the influence of money in politics, likely hasn't fallen deaf on the Occupy movement's ears. Demonstrators marched in New York City and in Washington, D.C. late last year to protest against pricey fundraisers hosted by the Obama campaign.(http://eye-on-washington.blogspot.com)
