A few weeks ago I posted a viral thread which broke out the ~$12 million raised/spent by David Hogg's Leaders We Deserve PAC during the 2023-2024 cycle. I just ran the numbers for LWD PAC for the first quarter of the 2025-2026 cycle; they raised just over $1.5M and have spent just under that:
So far this cycle, out of the $1.56 million Leaders We Deserve PAC has raised, they've donated exactly $8,500 to Democratic candidates: $5,000 to Nadarius Clark, an incumbent VA Delegate. $3,500 to Christian Menefee, running for TX-18.
Meanwhile, they've spent: $146,000 on "Consulting" (Communications Consulting, Digital Consulting, Fundraising Consulting, Compliance Consulting, Administrative Consulting & Finance Consulting) $335,000 on "List Acquisition" (ie, paying for YOUR email addresses & phone numbers)
$330,000 on "Digital Ads" (I have no idea if these are ads promoting candidates/issues, which would be fine...or ads promoting LWD PAC, which wouldn't be so fine) $226,000 on "Administrative Expenses from 2024" $60,000 on SMS Texting (ie, sending those irritating donation beg texts)
$55,000 to EveryAction (aka NGP VAN)...I'm pretty sure this is the for the spam emails clogging up our in boxes) $52,000 on RENT Yes, they're spending $13,000 per month on rent to "Jemal's Mickelson LLC" even though they only have 3 paid employees.
Speaking of payroll, Leaders We Deserve appears to be paying both David Hogg and Kevin Lata over $10,000 per month each. That's $120K/year apiece. A 3rd employee, Sarah Koo, is paid around $3,900/month. However, they've also already paid over $50,000 in payroll *taxes*. Huh.
What? Can you not trust anyone? He’s not supposed to get a salary??? wtf 🤬
I mean I don’t want him to get a salary, he isn’t supposed to.
Huh? I’m not attacking him here, I’m simply breaking out where the money the PAC raises is going.
I am understanding that now. I didn’t know that this was going on, unfortunately. I’m learning. Thanks for not blocking me. I just have ties to the MSD- Parkland shooting so I’m sort of defensive.
No problem. Don’t get me wrong, I’m *not* a fan of what he’s doing here (I think he should either run the PAC or be on the DNC but not both at the same time).
Sure. This all makes me sick about politics and politicians.
Most of the rest is standard ($57K to ActBlue in CC processing fees, web hosting, bank fees, etc etc)...but they also have $21,000 in credit card payments for unknown (or at least unlisted) expenses. Oh...and $12,000 for a RETIREMENT PLAN?? Kudos for being so proactive at 25 years old, guys...
So far this cycle, just 0.54% of what Leaders We Deserve LLC has raised has gone to actual Democratic candidates. Obviously it's early in the cycle, so this could increase significantly over the remaining 21 months of the cycle. For instance, last cycle ~30% of what they raised went to candidates.
These stats are eye-opening. So much for helping the Dems who should be taking over for the dinosaurs, eh?
Speaking as apparently the only Dem who has NOT started a PAC...
Don't take my word for it, though; you can dig through their quarterly (and cycle) filings here: www.fec.gov/data/committ...
I guess because I am looking at this from my cellphone it’s hard to see what David got. I see the first amount of 5k I will look it up on my computer. So unfortunate.
By contrast, here's how *my* Dem fundraising project works: --You pick which candidates to donate to from the list --96% goes directly to those candidates --4% goes to ActBlue to cover CC processing --0% goes to me unless you want to leave a tip *after* completing your donation Blue26.org
Well dang.. he’s gonna really get a lot of nobody elected 🙄
Also: --I don't send texts --I don't send email --I don't call or send snail mail --I don't buy (or steal) contact info from anyone else --I make it clear which candidates donations go to --I list the PVI rating/lean of each distirct so you have at least some idea of how tough the race is
So he's paying himself $10,500 per month. 🤔
I'm choosing candidates that are incumbents and not supported by Hogg if they're new to run for a certain office.
The notion the DNC has ever been or ever will be “ neutral” goes against what the campaign consultant industry wants. Ergo, it’s a non-starter- except in press releases. I am extremely grateful this murky morass of consultants get exposed.
My experience with campaign staffers is they view themselves as the ones with the bigger brains and better ideas who learn to be adept at puppet mastering on the sly.
Again, the payroll taxes number is way off as I explained a few weeks ago. Unless I can see the books and how they are itemizing things, I can't tell you if they're reporting something wrong or over withholding. But something is hinky. 😳
Good work! Thank you!
Wait. I thought that the new Dem mantra is “no more consultants.”