NJ-07: Michael Roth (D), now backed by super PAC, once said he'd reject help from 'dark money'
At an Indivisible Lambertville/New Hope candidate forum in January, Michael Roth took a hard line against “dark money” meddling in the Democratic primary for New Jersey’s 7th congressional district.
“Dark money in our politics is poison,” Roth said. “I will pledge that if there’s dark money in our primary race, I will come out – even if it’s helping me – I will come out and say that dark money, where we don’t know where it’s coming from, has no place in our election.”
This week, however, a new super PAC called Coalition for Progress began spending money on pro-Roth mailers – mailers that Roth’s own campaign explicitly courted via a red box on his campaign website. In a statement to the New Jersey Globe, a Roth spokesperson said that Roth “stands by his insistence that nameless, faceless, dark-money PACs have no place in our politics,” but that rejecting outside help entirely would put him at a disadvantage against Democratic foes with super PAC backing.
“Every other candidate in this race appears to be working with outside organizations – including those who will not disclose their funding – and we’re not going to run in one of the most competitive House races in the country with one hand tied behind our back,” the spokesperson said.
https://newjerseyglobe.com/congress/michael-roth-now-backed-by-super-pac-once-said-hed-reject-help-from-dark-money/