WESA: McCormick’s PAC “May Be An Effort to Help Position McCormick’s […] Run For U.S. Senate […] And Maybe Move A Book or Two Along The Way.”
McCormick’s PAC Invested in Digital Ads Promoting his Book and “Donor Mementos” From a Bookseller
PENNSYLVANIA — Mega-millionaire David McCormick is using his PAC, Pennsylvania Rising, to boost his own book sales, according to reporting from WESA. Despite claiming the PAC was intended to boost Republican efforts, it’s actually investing in digital ads promoting his recent book Superpower in Peril and spent hundreds on “donor mementos” from an online bookseller which sells the book.
WESA: McCormick PAC boosts Republicans … and his brand
- When Dave McCormick established his Pennsylvania Rising political committee this spring, his stated goal was “to provide resources to strong Republicans running at the state and local level and to support efforts to increase participation in upcoming elections.” But a review of its operations adds weight to suspicions that it also may be an effort to help position McCormick’s own widely anticipated run for U.S. Senate next year — and maybe move a book or two along the way.
- But the committee also appears to have invested slightly more than $1,100 in Facebook ads to boost the profile of a book McCormick released earlier this year, “Superpower in Peril.” This spring, Pennsylvania Rising launched a brief Facebook ad campaign for the book, urging those who saw the spot — most of whom apparently lived outside the state — to buy the book and learn “what made me the man I am today,” as one ad puts it. “I’m asking you to read it all the way through.”
- Reports also show the committee spent $860.72 for “donor mementos” purchased from online book wholesaler Bulkbooks: The site lists McCormick’s book for sale, though the reports don’t identify what materials were purchased from the site, and Gregory did not respond to a query about it.
- Those book-related expenditures raised the eyebrows of state Democrats.
- “The real David McCormick is a Wall Street mega-millionaire who only cares about his own bottom line — that’s why he’s using his political PAC to boost his own book sales,” said Pennsylvania Democratic Party spokesperson Maddy McDaniel.
- Citing McCormick’s career with global asset management firm Bridgewater Associates — whose investments in China and other countries have been criticized by McCormick foes — she added, “David McCormick has made it clear he’s out for himself, not Pennsylvanians.”
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