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Join NowUPDATE: More Than 185,000 Join Democratic Party Donor Strike, Pledging to Withhold $43 Million to Democrats Who Scuttle Diplomacy with Iran
UPDATE 8/29: As of August 29, more than 185,000 MoveOn members had pledged to withhold $43 million in donations to any Democrats, and party committees supporting them, who successfully undermine diplomacy.
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Major names—from Ben & Jerry to Democratic donor Lawrence Hess—join the strike.
More than 100,000 MoveOn members nationwide have pledged to withhold more than $30 million in donations to Democratic candidates who succeed in sabotaging diplomacy with Iran, as well as from any party committee, such as the DSCC, that supports such candidates.
As of Thursday at noon Eastern, 110,446 MoveOn members had collectively pledged to withhold $30,363,996 in donations. MoveOn is waging the donor strike in response to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who is potentially the future Democratic Senate leader, and Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) announcing they would side with congressional Republicans and try to put the United States on the path to war with Iran.
“This donor strike sends a loud, clear message to any Democrat who risks American lives and chooses war over diplomacy: You will be held accountable and pay a political price if you undermine this deal,” said Ilya Sheyman, executive director of MoveOn.org Political Action. “While it’s not surprising that Sens. Schumer and Menendez won’t support the deal, it’s unacceptable that any Democrat would side with war hawks and put us on the path to another costly, deadly war in the Middle East.”
The donor strike includes commitments from some major Democratic donors, including real estate investor Lawrence Hess, who has committed to withholding $200,000 in donations if Democrats successfully block the agreement.
“We strike now for a decade of peace,” Hess said. “The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for Iran’s nuclear activities is based on inspection and verification. As President Reagan said about the Russians, ‘Trust but verify.’ ”
Earlier this week, Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, the founders of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, joined the donor strike and pledged to withhold donations to Democrats who successfully undermine the historic deal and put us on the path to war.
“MoveOn members collectively contribute boatloads of money to Democrats each year—mostly in modest chunks like $5, $25, or $50. But it adds up to millions,” Cohen and Greenfield wrote in an email to MoveOn members. “That’s why a petition pledging not to contribute a dime to any Democrats who put us on a path to war—or party committees that support them (like the DSCC)—will send a powerful message.”
MoveOn members have committed to defend this historic nuclear agreement and prevent war hawks from dragging the U.S. into another war of choice in the Middle East. Activists have showed up at dozens of August recess events to urge undecided Democrats to support the deal. A national day of action on Wednesday, Aug. 26 will include more than 150 in-district events, planned with allies.