Following Congressman Tom MacArthur’s $10,000-a-plate fundraiser this morning with Speaker Paul Ryan in Mt. Laurel, we wanted to take the opportunity to remind you of his cozy relationship with Big Money special interests — so cozy that he’s willing to take votes that hurt New Jersey families as long as the money keeps rolling in.
MacArthur, who has a penchant for prioritizing campaign contributions over New Jerseyans, isn’t new to the Big Money fundraising game. In February, Kellyanne Conway headlined a high-dollar fundraiser for MacArthur, and in June 2017, as a reward for writing the MacArthur Amendment to repeal the ACA, Trump headlined a fundraiser that brought in over $800,000 for MacArthur’s re-election.
Perhaps it’s no surprise Big Money special interests are pulling out all the stops to keep him in Congress; after all, he voted to gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions to please his donors. In fact, as the chief architect of a revamped GOP health care bill, MacArthur was willing to increase the number of uninsured people in his district by 112%. (Not to mention a tax cut for his donors that leaves people in New Jersey paying more in the end.)
Now, Rep. MacArthur has found himself in the undesirable position facing off against Andy Kim. Kim is running a grassroots campaign and he’s putting people first. He isn’t taking a dime of corporate PAC money, proving to voters that he’s accountable to New Jersey families — not special interests.
We hope MacArthur enjoyed the party with Paul Ryan and his special interest allies, but no matter how many checks are collected, voters will be heard, and the party will be over in November.
In December, Congressman Tom MacArthur was named to the Big Money 20, ECU’s list of top targets for defeat in 2018 because they represent the worst of Washington’s rigged system.