Progress Kentucky is an independent expenditure political action committee (PAC) opposing the re-election of Mitch McConnell. The SuperPAC was formed in December 2012.[1] Progress Kentucky's slogan is a play on Senator Mitch McConnell's 2010 statement setting the Republican Party's agenda for last two years of the first term of President Barack Obama:
"The single most important thing we want to achieve: Electing a new US Senator to represent Kentucky."[2]
Progress Kentucky was founded by Kentuckians in order to collect and spend money from donors on traditional media, new media, as well as organizing a grassroots ground game which includes direct actions.[3]
As per FEC rules established in the wake of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, the group is legally prohibited from coordinating with any candidate or candidate committee.
On January 18, 2013, Progress Kentucky protested outside a McConnell speaking engagement at a Commerce Lexington luncheon, with the theme "He's no fiscal cliff hero."[4][5]
In February 2013, Progress Kentucky drew criticism for tweets sent suggesting that the Senator Mitch McConnell's wife Elaine Chao's Chinese roots have led him to embrace anti-American policies.[6] Progress Kentucky later apologized for the claims.[7]
On April 11, 2013, WFPL, the NPR affiliate in Louisville, KY, announced that a Louisville area Democrat, Jacob Conway, alleged that two people affiliated with Kentucky Progress, Shawn Reilly & Curtis Morrison, recorded a strategy session of Senator Mitch McConnell (R) while standing in the hallway.[8] Morrison, who had ceased volunteering for Progress Kentucky in February, took complete responsibility for making the recording in an essay he published in Salon the following month writing "Shawn never wanted me to release the recording, and our friendship ended in the wake of that disagreement."[9] On August 27, 2014, WHAS political blogger Joe Arnold said there is the appearance of no criminal charges being filed against Morrison.[10]
References
edit- ^ Adelson, Aaron. "Group Protests Senator Mitch McConnell" Archived 2013-02-17 at archive.today, ABC 36, Louisville, 18 January 2013. Retrieved on 2 February 2013.
- ^ Arnold, Joe. "McConnell touts fiscal cliff deal; protesters say he's no hero " Archived 2014-09-16 at the Wayback Machine, WHAS 11, Louisville, 18 January 2013. Retrieved on 2 February 2013.
- ^ " Defeating McConnell Super-PAC's Goal for 2014 ", West Kentucky Star, Frankfort, 9 January 2013. Retrieved on 1 February 2013.
- ^ Adelson, Aaron. "Group Protests Senator Mitch McConnell" Archived 2013-02-17 at archive.today, ABC 36, Louisville, 18 January 2013. Retrieved on 2 February 2013.
- ^ Brammer, Jack. "McConnell: Congress must change Medicare and Social Security to fix debt", Lexington Herald-Leader, Lexington, 18 January 2013. Retrieved on 2 February 2013.
- ^ "Progress Kentucky Targets Mitch McConnell's Wife, Elaine Chao, For Chinese Roots". Huffington Post. 2013-02-27.
- ^ "Progress Kentucky issues apology to Elaine Chao" (Press release). Progress Kentucky. February 26, 2013.
- ^ Bailey, Phillip M.; Colston, Kenny; Bullard, Gabe (11 April 2013). "Source: Progress Kentucky Behind Mitch McConnell Campaign Recording". WFPL. Louisville Public Media. Retrieved 28 August 2014.
- ^ Morrison, Curtis (May 31, 2013). "Why I secretly recorded Mitch McConnell". Salon. Retrieved 2 June 2014.
- ^ Arnold, Joe (27 August 2014). "Man behind secret recording of McConnell appears to avoid charges". WHAS Political Blog. WHAS. Retrieved 28 August 2014.