Common Ground Collective and Michael Sacks: A (Super)PAC trying to buy Chicago elections

This is a bit like hanging out with All the Worst People in Chicago Politics at the Same Time

Common Ground Collective is an organization and a set of political PACs backed by billionaires that supports candidates who want school privatization and tax breaks for the wealthy.

It claims to stand against “extremist efforts” by the “far right” and “far left.” In reality, it’s a vehicle for a corporate agenda.

It has direct connections to people who have consistently fought against progressive values and in favor billionaires.

Those people are:

• Michael Sacks - billionaire election buyer and AIPAC donor

• Jennifer Custer - school board member who just voted for teacher layoffs

• Paul Finnegan - hedge fund guy, billionaire election buyer

• Rahm Emanuel - Captain School Closer™

• Jessica Biggs - school board member who also just voted for teacher layoffs
  

Michael Sacks - AIPAC Donor

Common Ground Collective and its PACs have received hundreds of thousands from billionaire and hedge fund manager Michael Sacks, who:

• Funded ads against Mayor Johnson’s proposed corporate head tax

• Has given at least $1.2 million to AIPAC-aligned PACs

• Donated at least $1.4 million to Rahm Emanuel, who closed 50 Chicago schools in in 2013

Paul Finnegan - Hedge Funder

Common Ground Collective and its PACs have received $400,000+ in donations from venture capitalist and Chairperson of Madison Dearborn Partners, Paul Finnegan.

Paul Finnegan supported Rahm Emanuel, whose disastrous closures of 50 schools helped fuel organizing efforts to obtain an entirely elected school board.

Jessica Biggs - Pro Layoff School Board Members

At the end of July, Biggs voted against a budget that would prevent 700+ teachers from being laid off. Biggs is still running for School Board President because billionaires want to be able to control what happens to our schools.

That’s why 33rd Ward Working Families has endorsed former CPS student and teacher, and current organizer, Hilario Dominguez.

Don’t let these billionaires take you on a bad trip. If you see Common Ground Collective ads this election season, remember who’s funding them—and who is benefitting from their policies.