ADVERTISEMENT

Beto Slams Biden for Taking PAC Money

Biden reversed his PAC pledge amid fundraising woes

October 24, 2019

Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke criticized former vice president Joe Biden for announcing he would accept donations from super PACs and corporations.

The former Texas congressman said he agrees with Sen. Bernie Sanders's (I., Vt.) campaign, which accused Biden of trying to "buy the primary" by accepting money from "billionaires and corporations."

"There is no room for political action committees, or super PACs," O'Rourke told CNN's Erin Burnett on Thursday. "There is no truth to the idea that corporations are people and money is speech, and they can spend unlimited amounts of money to involve themselves in change and undermine our democracy."

"I haven't taken PAC money for more than five years," he added. "That's the way that our democracy should work, and I'm going to stay with my commitment not to take PAC money or super PAC money in this race."

On Thursday Biden's campaign announced its decision to reverse its stance on accepting super PAC donations, following a quarter of weak fundraising numbers. In a statement, Biden's deputy campaign manager blamed President Donald Trump for trying to sabotage Biden's primary run.

Biden finished September with $9 million on hand, a far cry from rivals Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.), South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg (D.), and Sanders, each of whom had more than $20 million.

"The former Vice President has been unable to generate grassroots support, and now his campaign is endorsing an effort to buy the primary through a super PAC that can rake in unlimited cash from billionaires and corporations," Sanders's campaign manager said in a statement.