PAC funds not used to explore run, McAuliffe team says

RICHMOND — Former Gov. Terry McAuliffe has dusted off his old state political action committee to accept big donations and cut checks to Democratic parties in early-voting states as he weighs a presidential run, campaign finance records show.

McAuliffe’s PAC raised more than $300,000 in the second half of 2018 after not raising any money in first six months out of office. The PAC’s spending in recent months has included money for staff, travel and donations to the Democratic parties in Iowa and New Hampshire — both early voting states in presidential primaries.

Using the PAC to explore a presidential run would be illegal under federal law, but McAuliffe spokeswoman Crystal Carson said the PAC, which is named “Common Good,” wasn’t used for those purposes.

“Funds from Common Good were used to support governor candidates and state parties across the country who share Gov. McAuliffe’s values,” Carson said, adding that the PAC is closing.

Iowa and New Hampshire were the only state parties that received donations, though the PAC helped pay for McAuliffe to travel to several other states to promote Democratic candidates. The PAC also gave donations to a handful of gubernatorial candidates. The bulk of the money was spent on salaries for staffers and travel costs.

Black Entertainment Television founder Robert Johnson gave $100,000. Professional sports team owners Daniel Snyder and Jerry Reinsdorf also wrote large checks. McAuliffe’s biggest Virginia-based donors include tobacco giant Altria and Dominion Energy CEO Tom Farrell.

Virginia has one of the loosest campaign finance systems in the country, with virtually no limits on how money is raised or how it is spent. Every recent Virginia governor has run a PAC while in office to pay political aides and donate to his party’s candidates and some have continued to raise and spend money after leaving office.

Presidential campaigns and exploratory committees have to abide by contribution limits and can’t accept direct donations from corporations. But federal law is unclear about when candidates are technically exploring a run, said Brendan Fischer, an elections expert at the Campaign Legal Center, a campaign finance reform advocacy group.