A recent attack ad against progressive Squad member Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) depicts her as a radical threat to Democrats’ agenda. The ad, funded by Pennsylvania billionaire Jeffrey Yass, who is the single largest donor to the Republican party this cycle, features images of pro-abortion rights protests, the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and former President Donald Trump, warning that “our rights are under attack” and “our democracy at risk.” Yass, a major investor in TikTok’s parent company and a supporter of Trump, is also closely tied to the man who instigated the Capitol riot. Lee criticized the ad for painting her as an extremist with the backing of Yass, who does not support President Biden.
Yass made his fortune as an international stock trader, avoiding high taxes and investing in various companies, including TikTok’s parent company and a shell company that took Trump’s social media company public. He has been a significant donor to the Republican party and has supported Bhavini Patel, a Pittsburgh-area council member challenging Lee as a moderate alternative. Republican dollars have been finding their way into Democratic primaries this year, with groups like the American Israel Public Affairs Committee super PAC allegedly funneling money into races to support moderate candidates.
Moderate PAC, founded in 2022 by Ty Strong, aimed to raise $20 million to protect moderate Democrats from progressive primary challengers. Yass, who was the group’s only donor in the 2022 midterms, contributed $1 million in July, with most of the funding going towards ads against Lee. Strong initially claimed that Yass was not behind the ads, but financial disclosures revealed that Yass had donated $800,000 to Moderate PAC. The group raised only a small portion of funds from sources other than Yass, with Strong eventually admitting to Yass’ substantial donation.
Patel, despite initially denying Yass’ support and claiming that Moderate PAC was funded by labor unions, eventually acknowledged Yass’ backing. She agrees with Moderate PAC’s message that Lee is not sufficiently supportive of Biden but expressed discomfort with Yass’ endorsement, stating that she wishes he wasn’t her supporter. Patel, a lifelong Democrat, denounced Trump and Yass in response to questions about their support. Lee refuted claims of her lack of support for Biden, highlighting her interactions with Biden cabinet members and Vice President Kamala Harris, as well as her participation in party-led rallies for abortion rights.
The primary campaign between Lee and Patel has been marred by controversy surrounding the involvement of Republican donors and groups supporting moderate candidates. Lee criticized the use of Yass’ funding to attack her as an extremist, given his support for Trump and involvement in tax avoidance schemes. Patel, while agreeing with the message of Moderate PAC, expressed discomfort with Yass’ support and emphasized her commitment to being a lifelong Democrat. The influence of wealthy donors like Yass in Democratic primaries raises questions about the extent to which progressive values can be upheld within the party.
