Candidate Who Promised Not to Take Corporate Money Allegedly Took Corporate Money

A recent NOTUS review of financial records found that the congressional campaign of Paige Cognetti, the mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania, accepted funding from political committees that have accepted large amounts of corporate money.

According to NOTUS, Cognetti has accepted donations from numerous political committees that receive large sums of money from corporate PACs, including money from Boeing, JPMorgan Chase, and UnitedHealthcare.

Cognetti is running to unseat Rep. Josh Bresnahan, R-Pa., possibly changing the balance of power in the House of Representatives.

The progressive candidate has taken at least $5,000 from Blue Hen Federal PAC, a committee sponsored by Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., NOTUS reported. That committee “has received hundreds of thousands of dollars this election cycle from a who’s who of corporate and trade association PACs,” the outlet wrote.

The outlet also reported that Coons’ committee is tied to companies including Visa, Pfizer, Northrop Grumman, FedEx, Google, McKinsey, Eli Lilly, and Fox Corp., among others.

Blue Hen Federal PAC did not return the Daily Signal’s request for comment.

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Cognetti’s campaign also has received $4,000 from the campaign committee of Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., the House Democratic Party whip. That committee, NOTUS reports, is “partly bankrolled by numerous corporate PACs, including those sponsored by Delta Air Lines, Verizon, Allstate Insurance and law and lobbying firm Alston & Bird.”

Her campaign also took money from dozens of Democrat leadership PACs that report significant corporate contributions. These include PACs of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Ted Lieu.

Emma Mustion, Cognetti’s campaign communication director, reaffirmed the candidate’s promise to run a race free of corporate money.

“Paige is independent and doesn’t work for anybody but the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania,” she told NOTUS. The campaign director added: “Paige is the only candidate in this race who does not accept donations from corporate PACs, supports a federal ban on corporate PAC donations, and will never be handed a corporate check in exchange for special access or political favors.”

Cognetti’s pledge to reject corporate PAC money has become a key feature of her campaign. It is cited in endorsements from advocacy groups and lawmakers. NOTUS cites End Citizens United and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona as examples.

End Citizens United told the Daily Signal that corporate money did not directly stem from corporate PACs or individual corporations. The group said it is not rescinding its endorsement of the Democrat.

In a statement to the Daily Signal, Peter Brath, Bresnahan’s campaign manager, accused Cognetti of exploiting a loophole to accept corporate money while deceiving voters.

“Paige Cognetti doesn’t care whether she is dishonest with the people of Northeastern Pennsylvania as long as she can use them to advance her career,” Brath said. “Only a brazen liar and unabashed hypocrite like Cognetti would make a pledge not to accept corporate dollars then find a loophole to do exactly that.”

Federal records show that these contributions have been vital for her campaign. As of June 30, Cognetti’s campaign had $800,000 more on hand than Bresnahan’s.