Moving forward, Pete for America will not accept any money from lobbyists and we are returning all donations from registered lobbyists who have contributed to date -- that's $30,250 from 39 individuals.
Mayor Pete will not be influenced by special-interest money, and we understand that making this promise is an important part of that commitment.
We understand that making this decision and being vocal about our values is important; that the decision means more than just whether or not we are willing to accept money from a specific individual.
Standing up for our collective values not only includes saying we believe that campaigns should not take money from lobbyists; it also means being aware of the loopholes that still allow special interests to impact the campaign.
This campaign will:
- Not accept money directly from individuals who are registered as federal lobbyists
- Not allow registered lobbyists to serve as bundlers for our campaign, because that would still allow them to use their influence to benefit our campaign
- Add new language to our contribution forms about our standards around lobbying and donating
- Implement internal procedures and audits to ensure we are living by these commitments
- Not accept money from corporate PACs
- Not accept money from the fossil fuel industry
You've held us to a higher standard, and we're grateful for your partnership. We're going to need your continued support.
We've launched a grassroots fundraising team -- a group of supporters who is organizing around campaign finance goals. Already, that team of supporters has raised close to a half million dollars from their personal networks.
If you're interested in joining that team, please sign up here:
www.peteforamerica.com/grassroots-fundraising-team
Thanks for your support, your commitment to our better future, and for holding us to a higher standard.
Mike
Mike Schmuhl Campaign Manager Pete for America
