The Democratic Astroturf Campaign Masquerading as a Grassroots Effort
How "Pass the Torch" went from a GOP Operative Super Pac to a Democratic campaign to push out the incumbent Democratic Candidate
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The Democratic Astroturf Campaign Masquerading as a Grassroots Effort
Days after the Presidential debate that sent the Democratic Party and the Corporate-owned media establishment, including pundits, into a hysterical frenzy slash endless confirmation bias feedback loop, a new mysterious “grassroots campaign” emerged from the chaos.
A Democratic White Knight pledging to save the Democrats from Disarray by vanquishing the incumbent Democratic candidate, President Joe Biden. And to replace him with …. *shrugs*
That self-professed grassroots campaign has a name that should sound familiar: Pass the Torch. If not, the politicians behind it definitely will sound vaguely to undoubtedly familiar. The only question left is who is funding this campaign.
Pass the Torch was created as a Super PAC by GOP operative Steve Schmidt who was tapped to run Rep. Dean Phillips’ (D-MN) presidential campaign. Schmidt left the campaign to run the Super PAC, which quickly drew scrutiny by a watchdog group that filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission alleging Schmidt and the Super PAC of violating campaign laws.
The Pass the Torch Super PAC seems to be disbanded and the website no longer exists. But the message appears to have been revived by Democrats, including ones with deep pockets, who aim to succeed in challenging President Biden. A challenge that resurfaces after Democratic voters chose Biden in the Primary.
What makes this an Astroturf Campaign?
It’s curious that this “grassroots” campaign was suddenly launched after a terrible, no good, neverending news cycle following another flop of a Presidential debate. A debate that told voters nothing new about either candidate, but one that showed the standard of optics is only held in one direction. And it’s not in the direction of the candidate who lied and advocated for his favorite dictator, Vladimir Putin.
This is what makes the Pass the Torch campaign an astroturf campaign. Astroturfing is an organized effort with private backing to intentionally mislead the public to believe its a spontaneous movement organized by the people. The leaders and public figures boosting awareness around this campaign aren’t civil rights advocates or normies. They are politicians, capitalists turned lobbyists, and PR experts.
The three individuals listed on the campaign website are communications and fundraising consultant Wendy Lawton, Rhode Island State Senator Tiara Mack (representing District 6), and former Rhode Island state representative Aaron Regunberg. (It’s important to note that Regunberg ran for Congress and lost to former Biden administration official Rep. Gabe Amo in the primary. He currently serves as Senior Policy Counsel with Public Citizen.)
I reached out to Public Citizen, a progressive think tank, about whether it supported Pass the Torch or was involved in Regunberg’s efforts but have received no response. After my inquiry, Regunberg scrubbed his association with the organization from his Twitter bio.
There has been a lot of speculation as to which anonymous Pass the Torch organizer has been speaking with the press. Some internet sleuths suspected it was Schmidt, but it’s unclear whether he has any involvement. Luckily, Regunberg helped solve the mystery of who was speaking to the press. He Tweeted, Hi it’s me. I’m the problem it’s me!
Who is funding Pass the Torch?
The big question is who is funding this astroturf campaign.
I reached out to Steve Schmidt to inquire whether he was involved and have received no response.
I also reached out to Andrew Yang, the failed 2020 Presidential primary candidate and current leader of the centrist Forward Party, who has promoted the campaign on social media and on his blog, but he has not responded.
Yang isn’t the only failed Presidential primary candidate who has promoted the Pass the Torch campaign. Jason Palmer, a wealthy businessman who now runs a think tank called Together Purple, created a Change.org petition the same day Pass the Torch launched.
-Stephanie
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Thank you good work , they got a sparse turnout this weekend on Sat