A new political action committee backed by a major New York hedge fund and Democratic politician turned cable news commentator Bakari Sellers plans to spend more than $1 million in a bid to oust progressive second-term Michigan Democrat Rashida Tlaib from the U.S. House of Representatives in November’s midterm elections.
Politico reports Urban Empowerment Action PAC announced a new campaign to “elect solutions-oriented Democrats” to Congress.
“UEA PAC’s premier race will be in Michigan’s 12th Congressional District, where the group plans to spend upwards of $1 million on TV, digital, mail, radio, and print advertising to support Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey in her campaign to restore infrastructure, improve educational opportunities in the district, and support the Biden-Harris agenda in D.C.,” the new group saidIn a statement Friday.
Politico does not mention UEA’s biggest contributor: According toOpenSecrets.org was the New York-based hedge funds Third Point LLC. They were founded by multibillionaire investor Daniel S. Loeb. They have donated $76,355 to PAC.
Tlaib responded swiftly, tweeting, “Yet another Wall Street billionaire-funded Super PAC running interference in local races, spending millions to peddle lies and distortions, pushing a pro-corporate agenda on a district that has consistently stood against the corporate greed hurting our families.”
Another Wall Street billionaire supported Super PAC to interfere in local races, spending millions on lies and distortions, pushing a procorporate agenda on a district which has always stood against corporate greed that is harming our families. https://t.co/n7l23xLGqm
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) May 27, 2022
According to Politico, Sellers — the former South Carolina state lawmaker and failed lieutenant governor candidate who regularly appears on CNN as a political analyst — is fundraising for UEA PAC. When asked about Winfrey’s endorsement, he replied: Politico’s “The Recast” that “we are hoping that we can have a candidate that doesn’t have varying distractions.”
Tlaib, who is Palestinian-American, and “Squad” colleague Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) — the first Muslim-American women elected to Congress — have been smearedBoth Republican and Democratic lawmakers deemed them anti-Semites for their advocacy for Palestinian rights, their condemnation Israel’s crimes, including apartheid, and their willingness and ability to criticize President Joe Biden over “unconditional” U.S. support for Israel.
Tlaib appeared earlier this month. introducedA resolution acknowledging the Nakba — or “Catastrophe” — in which Zionist Jews ethnically cleansed more than 750,000 Palestinian Arabs from their homeland while establishing the nation of Israel.
Sellers, on one hand, is a strong supporter for Israel. He also bristles at Tlaib’s vote against Biden’s bipartisan infrastructure bill, which she rejected after Democratic leadership broke a promise to pass the measure in tandem with the Build Back Better Act. This sweeping climate and social spending package is still not passed due in large part to obstructionist right-wing members of Tlaib’s own party.
Progressives reacted angrily Politico’s reporting.
“Fuck this. We’ll make sure Rashida buries them,” activist Brett Banditelli tweeted. “She represents all working-class people in her district and in her city.”
Imagine spending $1million to get rid of your ex. @RashidaTlaibInstead of focusing on organizing Detroit, let’s ensure Michigan goes blue.
It reveals the true priorities and motivations of people who claim they represent the community. https://t.co/jwnN08JfYm
— People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) May 27, 2022
Strategist Waleed Shahid tweeted: “With Islamophobia on the rise, it is disgraceful to single out the *only* Palestinian member of Congress, who is a civil rights lawyer and represents one of the most Arab-American districts. Shouldn’t you focus on holding the Dem majority?”
