Candidate for legal professional basic Andrea Campbell hit again at her opponents on Sunday and defended her marketing campaign’s fundraising to date amid calls to swear off company backed donations.
“I have to be crystal clear, there is such misinformation and frankly it’s disappointing that my opponent is spreading lies in this race,” she stated. “There is no super PAC money in the AGs race, there is no corporate funding.”
Campbell appeared on WCVB’s “On The Record,” the place she instructed the hosts her marketing campaign has raised greater than her opponents utilizing grassroots organizing, not company donors.
“I’m proud that residents in Massachusetts continue to invest in me and my candidacy and this campaign. Close to 95% of my money is from Massachusetts residents, compared to my opponents where nearly 50% of their dollars are coming from out of state,” she stated.
The argument made by Campbell’s opponents is {that a} political motion committee referred to as “Better Boston,” which donated to Campbell’s run within the Boston mayoral race, has the money readily available to upend the race for legal professional basic ought to it again a candidate.
Lawyer and former U.S. Senate candidate Shannon Liss-Riordan just lately joined former Assistant Attorney General Quentin Palfrey in a so-called “People’s Pledge” to reject PAC marketing campaign donations in the course of the race.
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown made an identical association in 2012.
Jordan Meehan, marketing campaign supervisor for Liss-Riordan, stated Campbell’s refusal to do the identical is telling.
“Andrea Campbell has been asked repeatedly whether she would disavow outside spending in this race and she has repeatedly refused to do so. It is clear that Campbell is hoping that the same charter school special interests that supported her failed Mayoral run dump millions into this race,” Meehan stated in an emailed assertion.
“If that’s not the case, she should come forward and state plainly that she will disavow any super PAC setup to support her,” Meehan stated.
“Better Boston” put about $1.6 million into Campbell’s mayoral bid. Part of the issue with them getting concerned now, Palfrey has stated, is that the PAC has acquired $45,000 from Jim Walton, a member of the household that owns Walmart. The Massachusetts AG has sued that firm earlier than, Palfrey identified.
“Campbell has refused to sign the People’s Pledge or to ask the corporate donors to Better Boston to stay out of the AG race. We hope the Campbell (campaign) will change her mind and join Palfrey and Liss-Riordan in signing the People’s Pledge,” a spokesperson for the Palfrey marketing campaign instructed the Herald.
Both campaigns have indicated they’ll formally and publicly signal the pledge on the State House Monday at 2 p.m.
Regardless of who funds the PAC or what they resolve to do, Campbell identified Sunday that the group hasn’t but waded into the legal professional basic’s race and even when they did, she will’t management them or work with them by legislation.
“Legally that is an impossibility, candidates cannot coordinate with PACs,” she stated. “When I say misinformation and lies it truly is that.”
According to filings, “Better Boston” hasn’t spent any cash this 12 months.
Palfrey’s marketing campaign didn’t return a request for remark by press time.
Herald wire service contributed to this report.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”