As the 2024 election cycle heats up, so do the nasty and dishonest political attacks. Congressman Jared Golden has been the target of Republicans looking to find a way to undermine his principled stand against corporate political action committees. These attacks are nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to protect the system of corporate influence that Golden is fighting to dismantle. But no amount of deceitful rhetoric can undermine the movement he is building and the dedication he has to changing the culture of corruption in Washington.

To grasp the significance of Golden’s stance on corporate PACs, it’s essential to understand what they are, their influence in Washington and what his refusal of their money means.

The disastrous 2010 Citizens United decision opened the floodgates of unlimited and undisclosed special interest money in our elections. It’s never been easier for corporate special interests and Big Money donors to buy access and influence with politicians.

Corporate PACs, the political arms of corporations, are designed to advance the interest of corporate boardrooms and shareholder profits. They represent the largest source of direct PAC donations in the country. In the 2022 cycle alone, corporate PACs gave candidates over $150 million. They wine and dine politicians at the swankiest D.C. restaurants, rent out luxury private suites at major sporting events and host glamorous parties where requests are made and checks are handed out. It’s the type of pay-to-play interactions that working class Americans never get to have with their elected officials.

These contributions are far from altruistic; they come with an expectation of political favors in return. The goal is to get members of Congress to support legislation that boosts corporate profits – cutting the corporate tax rate, eliminating regulations and allowing corporations to outsource jobs overseas without penalty, to name a few.

This system has been the norm for decades. It’s the root cause of the lack of progress on the most pressing issues our country faces. It’s the reason Congress is mired in partisan gridlock and can’t pass legislation to lower the cost of healthcare, tackle climate change, or secure fair wages and equitable benefits for working-class Americans – and so much more.

But in the 2018 election cycle, a new movement emerged. End Citizens United, working with courageous first-time candidates like Jared Golden, established the no corporate PAC pledge. This pledge, now embraced by over 60 members of Congress, is an ultra-rare declaration in politics. For Golden, it was a promise to Mainers that his vote in Congress was not for sale.

That decision was just the beginning of his fight for good, clean government. In Washington, Rep. Golden has spearheaded efforts to limit the influence of corporate special interests, increase transparency and accountability, and push for tougher ethics rules. He has been at the forefront of bipartisan efforts to ban members of Congress from owning and trading stocks, believing that elected officials should be focused on public service, not personal financial enrichment. He’s introduced legislation to crack down on dark money so that Americans can see who’s trying to influence their votes. And he’s introduced a bill to ban corporate PACs from influencing our elections all together. These are just a few of the bills he’s working to pass to root out corruption and restore honesty and integrity back into government.

Austin Theriault and the national Republicans who are trying to mislead voters should seriously reflect on their motives. Politics isn’t NASCAR; taking every corporate sponsorship you can get is not something to brag about. Instead of slinging mud, they should explain why they cozy up to corporate special interests and refuse to tackle the issue of Big Money in politics despite overwhelming public support for reform.

Let me be crystal clear: Rep. Golden has not taken a penny from corporate PACs. As the arbiters of this pledge, we can say so unequivocally. But also, a quick search of his campaign finance reports confirms this. Despite his political opponents’ attempt to spread misinformation, Rep. Golden has honored his pledge and has gone above and beyond the pledge to fight the influence of Big Money in politics.

Rep. Golden’s commitment to these principles is unwavering. He understands that real change in Washington requires action – not just empty promises. By rejecting corporate PAC money, Congressman Golden has shown families in the second district that he cannot be bought by corporate interests. He is working for them and only for them.