Protect Our Future

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Protect Our Future(POF) is a Democratic political action committee (PAC) started in 2022. It is funded primarily by Sam Bankman-Fried.

Contents

Funding

In 2022 Bankman-Fried provided initial financial support for Protect Our Future PAC. Protect Our Future was launched as a Democratic political action committee with $10 million in initial funding aiming to support "lawmakers who play the long game on policymaking in areas like pandemic preparedness and planning", according to Politico. [1] Bankman-Fried had provided the majority of the $14 million raised by May 2022 for the PAC. [2] A spokesperson for the PAC said Bankman-Fried had donated $13 million, while Nishad Singh had donated $1 million. [3]

As of June 2022, Bankman-Fried contributed over $23 million to the PAC. [4]

2022 Democratic primary

POF spent funds in several 2022 Democratic primaries. In the 2022 Democratic primary between Shontel Brown and Nina Turner, POF spent at least $1 million in support of Brown, [5] largely on radio, TV, and digital ads. [2] This amount was significant, given that the Brown campaign itself raised $4 million. [2] POF spent at least $2 million for Georgia Representative Lucy McBath. [5]

POF spent at least $7 million in the 2022 Carrick Flynn campaign for Oregon district 6 Representative. [2] An opposing candidate alleged that POF coordinated with a Flynn campaign, an action illegal under federal law. POF denied this allegation. [6] The Flynn campaign may have coordinated with POF through a strategy called red-boxing, whereby the campaign highlights particular language on its website in a red box that POF replicated in its advertising. [7]

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References

  1. Adragna, Anthony (January 27, 2022). "A new Democratic super PAC has entered the chat: Protect Our Future will invest $10 million in Democratic primaries for lawmakers who take "a long term view on policy planning."". Politico.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Sloan, Karen James (May 3, 2022). "Crypto cash flows into midterm elections as the industry flexes its political clout". CNBC. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  3. Sutton, Sam; Montellaro, Zach (April 19, 2022). "Revealed: The $14M mystery behind a new crypto super PAC". Politico. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  4. Iwayemi, Timi (June 6, 2022). "Sam Bankman-Fried's Multimillion-Dollar Game". The American Prospect.
  5. 1 2 Grim, Ryan (April 15, 2022). "Crypto PAC Throws in $1 Million to Back Ohio Rep. Shontel Brown Over Nina Turner". The Intercept.
  6. Monahan, Rachel (March 2, 2022). "Congressional Campaign Alleges Super PAC and Democratic Candidate for Oregon's New Seat Are Improperly Coordinating". Willamette Week.
  7. Goldmacher, Shane (May 16, 2022). "The Little Red Boxes Making a Mockery of Campaign Finance Laws". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 June 2022.