Pop-up Super PAC Michigan Sunrise has now reported more than $590,000 in independent expenditures in Michigan's 7th Congressional District Democratic primary in support of progressive candidate Will Lawrence and targeting one of his opponents, Matt Maasdam, with nearly all of the spending flowing through two Wyoming companies formed just days before receiving the work.
Michigan Sunrise was registered with the FEC on July 20 with a treasurer named Bill McAlister, a name subsequently changed to Robert W McAlister that same day. The address is linked to a commercial shipping store in Battle Creek, Michigan.
The latest independent expenditure filings with the FEC show the super PAC spent $522,219 on text messaging and media placement through America Media Partners LLC, with $98,886 supporting Lawrence and $423,333 opposing Maasdam. The expenditure filings came just a day after the committee disclosed a separate $68,062 direct mail expenditure supporting Lawrence through Timberline Point LLC. Together, the filings bring the committee's disclosed spending to more than $590,000 over a matter of days.
The spending comes amid growing scrutiny of Michigan Sunrise PAC after Punchbowl News reported the committee shared characteristics with other outside groups—including Lead Left, Real Change and Progressive Champions—that have been linked to efforts to influence Democratic primaries in competitive House districts.
Corporate records reviewed by PolitiFi show America Media Partners LLC was organized in Wyoming on July 16, just 4 days before Michigan Sunrise registered with the FEC, and 10 days before receiving more than half a million dollars in reported campaign work. Likewise, Timberline Point LLC was organized on July 22, three days before Michigan Sunrise PAC reported paying it $68,062 for printing and postage.
The use of recently created Wyoming LLCs mirrors a broader trend in political spending in which newly formed entities are used as campaign vendors, often making it difficult to determine who is ultimately providing consulting, advertising or production services.
Michigan Sunrise PAC's spending also mirrors several characteristics previously identified in other "mystery" super PACs that intervened in Democratic primaries this cycle. Committees including Lead Left PAC, Real Change PAC and Progressive Champions PAC—which were entirely funded by a dark money GOP-linked Super PAC, Conservative Americans in a $7M operation designed to boost candidates viewed by many Democratic strategists as weaker general election opponents, while obscuring the identities of those behind the spending.
Like Michigan Sunrise, those PACs also used pop-up LLCs, mostly in Wyoming, to route their spending through. Unlike those PACs, however, Michigan Sunrise has used the standard FECfile method of submitting their paperwork. Popular Information's Judd Legum was able to catch those earlier PACs with the findings that they were using Crimson, a submission software almost exclusively used by Republican committees.
Then there's the issue of the bank used by Michigan Sunrise. Black Hills Community Bank is a little known, seldom used financial institution—but records show it is the bank of choice for Republican Congressman Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, as well as South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, also a member of the GOP. The committee’s website, like its suspected predecessors, is bare-bones and offers little information.
The spending targets one of the country's most closely watched Democratic House primaries. Lawrence, a Sunrise Movement co-founder backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, has emerged as a leading progressive candidate in Michigan's 7th District, while Maasdam—a former Navy SEAL and military aide to President Barack Obama—has attracted support from more establishment Democrats. The winner will challenge Republican Rep. Tom Barrett in November.
Outside spending in the race has accelerated as Democrats debate which candidate is best positioned to flip the swing district. Whether additional filings reveal who is behind Michigan Sunrise PAC's vendor network—or whether the Wyoming companies appear in other political committees—remains an open question. Michigan Sunrise is likely to file contribution disclosures in late August, although that will be too late for Michigan Voters to know who is funding these messages.
Conservative Americans PAC did not respond to request for comment at the time of publishing.