An enigmatic advocacy group, newly established and connected to Democratic superlawyer Marc Elias, funneled over $2 million to the primary super PAC supporting President Joe Biden’s 2024 reelection, according to campaign finance disclosures.
The records, released on Monday, disclose that in April, a nonprofit organization named Bright Future Fund contributed these funds to Future Forward, a super PAC comprised of former White House officials. Notably, this super PAC is investing substantial amounts in advertisements to bolster Biden in his anticipated rematch with former President Donald Trump. Bright Future Fund was discreetly incorporated in December of the previous year by Katherine LaBeau, a partner at Elias Law Firm, under a section of the IRS code, 501(c)(4), which allows for political advocacy without tax obligations and donor transparency, as indicated by corporate records in Washington, D.C.
The support for Future Forward from an obscure entity like Bright Future Fund is not unusual in the realm of political spending. However, it highlights the significant role anonymous donors play in fueling Biden’s reelection campaign, even as the president frequently criticizes so-called dark money, stating that it “erodes public trust.”
Future Forward obtains the majority of its funding from its affiliated 501(c)(4) nonprofit group, which is similarly exempt from reporting its donors to the IRS. Recently, the pro-Biden group has faced scrutiny from legal experts regarding parts of its financial disclosures that seemed to be incorrectly filed.
Additionally, Bright Future Fund appears to be linked to another financial disclosure error.
According to a Federal Election Commission filing, a contributor associated with Bright Future Fund in February directed $2.6 million to Forward Majority Action, a PAC supporting Democratic candidates. However, the FEC filing mistakenly identified Bright Future Fund as having an address corresponding to a Kansas City, Missouri-based 501(c)(3) charity named Bright Futures Fund, which is affiliated with the Catholic Diocese, as found by a Truth Voices review of state records.
Charities registered under IRS code section 501(c)(3) are mandated to be nonpartisan and cannot contribute to political campaigns. Barb Deane, the Kansas City-based charity’s director of development, was unaware of the FEC filing error when contacted by Truth Voices.
“We do not contribute to political organizations of any kind,” Deane stated.
In a statement to Truth Voices, FEC spokeswoman Judith Ingram noted that committees, not the FEC, bear the responsibility for obtaining and reporting accurate information in filings.
“They can always file an amended report to correct erroneous information,” Ingram mentioned.
Truth Voices reached out to Elias Law Firm and Forward Majority Action for comments.
Beyond what is detailed in corporate records filed in Washington, D.C., which indicate that LaBeau incorporated Bright Future Fund, the leadership and funding sources of the organization remain unclear. No financial disclosures are accessible for Bright Future Fund, which listed its address at an office in the district that assists in forming corporations.
An unrelated super PAC named Bright Future Fund is noted in FEC records with a Maryland mailing address, yet this organization confirmed to Truth Voices that it is not the group financing Future Forward.
“We have no relationship and have made no contributions to Future Forward or really any other entity or organization,” Daniel Rubio, treasurer for the Maryland-based group, informed Truth Voices.
Future Forward did not respond to a request for comment.
