{"id":1463718,"date":"2024-01-25T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theintercept.com\/?p=458660"},"modified":"2024-01-25T11:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T11:00:00","slug":"facing-aipac-onslaught-rep-summer-lee-announces-record-small-donor-fundraising-haul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2024\/01\/25\/facing-aipac-onslaught-rep-summer-lee-announces-record-small-donor-fundraising-haul\/","title":{"rendered":"Facing AIPAC Onslaught, Rep. Summer Lee Announces Record Small-Donor Fundraising Haul"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Expecting an<\/u> onslaught<\/span> of spending from pro-Israel groups, Democratic Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee\u2019s campaign announced Thursday it had raised over $1 million, dwarfing typical fundraising numbers in Democratic primaries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lee, a member of the progressive Squad in Congress, does not take money from corporate PACs, and more than 90 percent of the contributions were made in increments of less than $250, according to her campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Lee is one of the major targets of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee this cycle. The group plans to spend at least $100 million<\/a> to oust critics of U.S. military support for Israel from Congress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cA Republican-funded Super PAC threatened to spend $100 million against us \u2014 and our grassroots people-powered movement has responded loud and clear,\u201d Lee said in a statement Thursday. \u201cI am so proud of the multigenerational, mulitracial movement we have built in Western Pennsylvania to protect and expand our democracy \u2014 it is our greatest defense against the dark money Super PACs and corporate lobbies who seek to undermine it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

AIPAC tried and failed to recruit several challengers to run against Lee, The Intercept reported<\/a> last year. Lee overcame $5 million<\/a> in AIPAC spending<\/a> against her 2022 campaign. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Candidates\u2019 2024 fundraising disclosures are due to the Federal Election Commission on Wednesday. Lee\u2019s top challenger, Bhavini Patel, a borough council member in Edgewood, Pennsylvania, announced<\/a> earlier this month that her campaign had raised more than $310,000 in the final quarter of last year. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patel has not said whether AIPAC recruited her to challenge Lee, but her campaign is in touch with the group, according to a source familiar with the race. (Patel\u2019s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)<\/p>\n\n\n