Welcome to Pay Dirt—exclusive reporting and research from The Daily Beast’s Lachlan Markay on corruption, campaign finance, and influence-peddling in the nation’s capital. For Beast Inside members only.
Jack Abramoff is out there raising money for a conservative political group that aims to kill Democrats’ controversial Green New Deal proposal. At least he’s trying to; in spite of his household name status, the disgraced former lobbyist doesn’t seem to be having much luck.
Since February, Abramoff has affixed his name to at least three fundraising emails for the group Protect American Values PAC, which lists him as its “honorary chairman.” One email from late March implores supporters to “keep your foot on their necks” and “join our Patriot Insurgency Force.” That Force “ will be the most effective tool in the conservative movement’s 2020 arsenal, but I just sat down with my team and found out we’re still $35,429.28 short of our monthly goal.”