The object of McPhillips’ ire was an ad backing his candidate launched earlier that week by the Democratic Coalition, a progressive super PAC.
Super PACs are barred by campaign finance laws from contributing directly to candidates like Fetterman or coordinating with their campaigns. Rare, however, is the occasion when a campaign would use its platform to call one out for soliciting donations. But the Democratic Coalition has ruffled feathers in Democratic circles before.
McPhillips’ missive on Twitter was cheered by several progressive operatives who have previously accused the group of soliciting money from impassioned liberals only to spend it on its own operations. To which McPhillips replied: “Fuck around and find out, grifters.”
But it’s a charge the group rejects, saying the super PAC has been transparent with donors, and is only looking to help elect Democrats.
The Democratic Coalition has been around since 2016, when it launched as the Democratic Coalition Against Trump amid a wave of similar-minded organizations looking to harness the #Resistance energy that animated critics of the then-president.
Rebranded as the Democratic Coalition, it is run by progressive consultant and fundraiser Scott Dworkin. The group bills itself as “one of the largest grassroots Resistance operations in the country.” One landing page for the group on the Democratic fundraising platform ActBlue says the super PAC plans to “produce ads to support Dems in competitive…
