Who's behind all those spammy political emails?

For the first time since I started writing this blogletternewspost, I feel the need to issue a trigger warning. What I'm about to write is really going to piss you off. I know this, because I'm really pissed off.

Over the last several years, I've gotten 3,245,609 emails that look something like this:

I'm betting you have, too. And that's not counting the endless spammy texts I get each day.

Every time I click the 'unsubscribe' link at the bottom of these emails, I get a new one from a different "Political Action Committee" that is a copycat of the last one. It has gotten to the point where I am sending "fuck all the way off!" responses to these emails, even though I know a human being is not reading them, just because it feels better than simply marking them as spam and deleting them.

I've been blaming ActBlue for sharing my name and email address with every Beto, Jon, and Stacey running for office under the Democratic ticket. It's gotten to the point that I've stopped giving money to candidates I want to support, because I can't handle more spam without wanting to throttle someone.

I finally wrote to ActBlue, politely asking them to remove my name from their lists. [1] I got the following response from someone named Colby:

"I truly wish I could take care of this for you, but ActBlue does not have control over these messages. When you donate, we send the information necessary for federal compliance along with your email address to the organization you donated to. We never solicit on behalf of the campaigns and organizations that use our platform, nor do we share your information with anyone beyond the groups you have donated to. We also never sell your information and only include your phone number if you choose to provide it." [2]

Evil mofos

So who's sending these endless, obnoxious, manipulative, alarmist emails?

Stanford political scientist Adam Bonica, author of the On Data and Democracy blog, has looked into where they're coming from and where the money is going. What he found will infuriate you.

All of these emails stem from the same source, a political consultancy calling itself Mothership Strategies. Who's behind Mothership Strategies? Three former senior staffers at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC): Greg Berlin, Charles Starnes, and Jake Lipsett.

Bonica breaks down all the manipulative scare tactics these emails employ. (All those claims about getting "4X matching donations if you donate RIGHT NOW"? Total bullshit.) But the worse thing is where the vast majority of that money is going: Directly into the pockets of Mothership Strategies.

The Stanford prof has done the math. Of the $678 million Mothership has raised "on behalf" of candidates, $282 million has gone directly to paying the company for its services. Another $385 million has gone indirectly into Mothership's pockets under the guise of "consulting/fundraising" and other operating expenses. (Admittedly, sending billions of of spam messages can be expensive.) According to Bonica's analysis, just $11 million has actually made its way toward the candidates and campaigns donors think they're supporting.

Just 1.6% of the money. Motherfuckers.

Think about that, the next time you're tempted to open your wallet for a what you think is a good cause and see that 'Donate Now!' link at the bottom of an email.

But wait, it gets worse. As Bonica (and CNN) have noted, the primary targets of these emails are elderly folks suffering from cognitive decline. Bonica writes:

"These aren't accidental victims of overzealous marketing. They're the intended marks. The fundraising consultants who design these campaigns know exactly who responds to messages about being 'disappointed' or 'close to tears'—lonely seniors checking their phones, retirees who grew up trusting political institutions, people whose cognitive defenses have weakened with age. The operatives craft their appeals accordingly, building entire strategies around exploiting this vulnerability. They've turned elder abuse into a business model."

Right now, you might be tempted to buy a plane ticket to DC, locate the offices of Mothership Strategies, and hit these guys in the face with a sock full of damp manure. While the ethics of my profession forbid me from endorsing physical violence, I'd be happy to contribute to a GoFundMe campaign for your travel expenses (and the manure).

And yet, that's not even the worse part: Not only are these guys making ridiculous amounts of money by deceiving well-meaning progressives and victims of dementia, they're destroying the reputation of the Democratic party and any candidates who embrace these tactics. Bonica writes:

"This is more than just a marketing failure; it is a failure of political leadership. A party that claims to champion consumer protection in public policy employs deceptive, bait-and-switch tactics in its own communications. A party that purports to protect the vulnerable builds fundraising models that prey upon them."

It's almost like these guys are happy for our country's descent into a fascist autocracy, because it's good for business. And the Democratic Party has bought into it. As Dan Pfeiffer, author of The Message Box blog, writes:

The Democratic Party brand is in the toilet. In the latest Wall Street Journal poll, the party’s favorability is at its lowest level in more than three decades.... I’m not saying our addiction to incessant fundraising texts is the sole reason for our dismal public image—but it’s certainly not helping.

Swallow the money

What can you do about it? For one, every time you get one of the emails, mark it as spam (or if you have the option, as a phishing attempt). That will make it harder for them to get their messages through automated spam filters.

For another, STOP DONATING to these PACs. If you want to give money to candidates, do it directly, ideally using a platform other than ActBlue. That won't be easy, as AB has managed to create a near monopoly on fundraising for Dems (just as WinRed has done for Republicans). Urge candidates you like to stop aligning themselves with Mothership's endless PACs, and support those who reject spammy tactics, like Illinois candidate for Congress, Kat Abughazelah. [3]

If you can send money directly to a candidate, do that. Alternate fundraising platforms include Good Change, Oath, and Blue26 (which unfortunately also uses ActBlue, as does Kat — it's really hard to avoid them — but doesn't collect any fees on top of that).

Spread the word. Bonica's posts have been getting some traction online, for obvious reasons. Share them with the folks you know who might not be aware of all of this.

And if you ever run into one of these Mothership mofos on the street, please extend my regards.

Does this piss you off as much as it does me? Vent in the comments or email me: [email protected].

[1] Yes, I can be polite when I need to be. I usually have to lie down for a few minutes afterward to recover.

[2] ActBlue, which partners with PACs created by Mothership, has its own stuff to answer for. Last December, more than 100 legitimate Democratic fundraising orgs sent a letter to AB leadership, demanding it stop working with spammy political organizations that use deceptive practices. It's really unfortunate, because it gives ammunition to the MAGA thugs who want to choke off money to progressive candidates by shutting AB down entirely.

[3] Fun fact: Besides being awesome in every way, Kat A. is also dating Ben Collins, the guy who just bought and revived The Onion. These guys are now my new favorite power couple. (Sorry Barack and Michelle.)