Axelrod Defends Obama Fundraising

Former White House adviser David Axelrod says there is nothing wrong with President Barack Obama forming two independent fundraising groups designed to help in his bid for re-election, according to Politico.

Priorities USA and Priorities USA Action aim to raise $100 million through committees that levy funds from both disclosed and undisclosed donors. Raising funds from undisclosed donors is a practice maligned by the president, but Axelrod said Sunday on “Meet the Press” that barring legislative reform, Democrats have no choice and need to play on a level field with Republicans.

“Let’s be clear: This independent group that was formed was formed in response to ones that spend hundreds of millions of dollars in the last campaign to defeat Democratic candidates [with] undisclosed, large contributions,” Axelrod said on “Meet the Press.”

“We tried to pass a law through the Congress that would force them to disclose — all groups to disclose — who was giving them money so the public could see. It got 59 Democratic votes in the United States Senate. Forty-one Republicans blocked it," Axelrod added. "So now of course there's a reaction to what happened because Democrats are saying, ‘We can’t play under two sets of rules.’”