NEWS: Sanders, Lee to Introduce Bill to Abolish Super PACs, Stop Billionaires from Buying Candidates

WASHINGTON, May 20 – With AIPAC, crypto and AI super PACs already spending over half a billion dollars this primary season, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Summer Lee (D-Pa.) today introduced legislation to ban super PACs from buying our elections. The Abolish Super PACs Act would cap the contribution limit of individuals to super PACs at $5,000, effectively abolishing them and putting power back into the hands of the people. “In the 2024 elections, Elon Musk — the richest man in the world — spent at least $290 million to elect Trump, while the 100 richest billionaire families in the country spent $2.6 billion to elect the candidates of their choice. As we enter the 2026 elections, we’re seeing billionaires spend far more money in a primary or midterm than at any time in history,” Sanders said. “You, as a citizen, get one vote. They, as oligarchs, get to buy the candidates. That’s not democracy. If we’re going to create a government that works for all, and not just the 1%, we have to end Citizens United, get super PACs out of elections, and move to public financing of elections. This bill is an important step forward and I am proud to support it.” “Super PACs have allowed limitless money to flow into our elections and influence every aspect of our lives. Our government is now undeniably held in the hands of the powerful and wealthy few. I’m proud to be the lead sponsor of the Abolish Super PACs Act in the House to put democracy back in the hands of the people, and I’m grateful for Senator Sanders’ partnership and leadership in the Senate,” Lee said. Since the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, election spending by billionaires has skyrocketed by more than 16,000%, reaching a total of $2.6 billion during the 2024 election cycle. In the 2026 election cycle, AI, crypto and AIPAC-aligned super PACs are projected to spend hundreds of millions of dollars. In addition to Sanders and Lee, the legislation is cosponsored by 17 members of the House of Representatives. The Abolish Super PACs Act is endorsed by Common Defense, Court Accountability, Dream Defenders, End Citizens United, Equal Citizens, Free Speech For People, Gen-Z for Change, Grassroots Global Justice Action Fund, IfNotNow Movement, Jewish Voice for Peace Action, Justice is Global Action, Move to Amend, MPower Change Action Fund, National Iranian American Council Action, Our Revolution, Peace Action, RepresentUs, RootsAction, Rural Organizing, Sunrise Movement, US Campaign for Palestinian Rights Action, and Women’s March. Read the bill text here . Read a summary here .