GOP “Dark Money” Interferes in Democratic Primary

An out-of-state GOP “dark money” Political Action Committee has made a $50,177 independent expenditure in the Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Democratic primary supporting Elizabeth Lancaster over incumbent Buta Biberaj.

The Mission America PAC, funds were split evenly with $25,088 designated “in opposition to Buta Biberaj (D)” and $25,088 “in support of Elizabeth Lancaster (D).”

In recent days, Republican and independent voters in Loudoun County received mail underwritten by Mission America PAC urging them to vote against Biberaj, citing conservative and right-wing news outlets’ headlines including The Daily Wire, New York Post, Fox News, The Washington Free Beacon and others.

The PAC received contributions in the 2021-2022 election cycle from the Republican Senate majority funds of Oklahoma and Kansas. Because the organization is a Federal PAC spending money in a Virginia primary, it will not have to report on its donors for this cycle until July, after the June 20th primary.

The independent expenditure was made shortly after the Lancaster campaign claimed in its extremely late campaign finance report (due in mid-April, filed in early June) to have only raised $4,365 from when it announced in January 2023 until June 3, 2023 – and made no expenditures in the same time period.  It is difficult to believe that a political campaign spent no money in a four-month period.

It also appears that the independent expenditure is mostly targeted at getting non-traditional Democrats to vote in the Democratic primary.  This mirrors similar attempts being currently undertaken by the Fairfax County Republican Party to interfere in the Fairfax County Democratic primary next door. 

“The Loudoun County Democratic Committee is prohibited from making endorsements in contested Democratic Primaries, but I, as Chair, have a duty to inform our members when it appears Republican “dark money” is attempting to interfere in our primaries,” LCDC Chair Avram Fechter stated. 

“I call on all Loudoun County voters who want to ensure that candidates who represent the values of and principles of the Democratic Party win our primaries to ensure that they vote on or before June 20th”. 

Information for voting on June 20 can be found HERE.

While it is too late to get a mail-in ballot or absentee ballot, if you have one, follow the guidelines and get your ballot in the mail today.