水果派AV

Federal Election Commission records show a super political action committee, Protect Our Future, has spent $396,402 in support of Conole's campaign in the 22nd Congressional District. The six independent expenditures were made over an eight-day period from July 13-21. The largest of the group's investments is $250,230 for a TV ad buy.聽

According to its website, Protect Our Future aims to "help elect candidates who will be champions for pandemic prevention 鈥� candidates who, when elected, will have their eyes on the future." The PAC outlines five key principles, including action to prevent the next pandemic, federal funding for pandemic prevention and independent oversight of dual-use research.

The group has endorsed more than 20 House Democratic candidates, including five from New York 鈥� U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Laura Gillen (NY-04), Max Rose (NY-11), Conole (NY-22) and former Rep. Antonio Delgado, who now serves as lieutenant governor.聽

Protect Our Future spent more than $23.7 million from Jan. 1 through June 30. A bulk of that money 鈥� nearly $20.5 million 鈥� was for independent expenditures in support of its endorsed candidates.聽

Mike Levine, a spokesman for Protect Our Future, told 水果派AV that the PAC is supporting Conole because they "believe he'll be a champion for pandemic prevention in the next Congress." He referred to to prepare for the next pandemic, including an analysis of the government's response to COVID-19 and funding for a national personal protective equipment stockpile.聽

Conole added, "We're still recovering from the worst pandemic in a hundred years and its devastating effect on our health and economy. I worked with the U.S. Navy's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It's critical that this country is better prepared for the next pandemic 鈥� so this never happens again. I'm glad to see others focused on this effort, as well."聽

In the 22nd district, Protect Our Future's spending is more than triple that of Conole's primary foes combined. According to their July quarterly filings, Sarah Klee Hood, Chol Majok and Sam Roberts have spent a total of $124,624 on their congressional bids. Conole, who is approaching $1 million raised in the 2022 election cycle, has spent $532,760.聽

Klee Hood criticized Protect Our Future's involvement in the primary election, which will be held on Aug. 23. She noted that the group is largely funded by Sam Bankman-Fried, a billionaire who founded FTX, a cryptocurrency exchange. FEC records show that Bankman-Fried has contributed $23 million of the $28.1 million the super PAC has raised since January.聽

In a statement, Klee Hood accused Bankman-Fried of "trying to buy" the congressional seat.聽

"As I talk to people in our district, I've learned that addressing climate change is a top voter concern," Klee Hood said. "We need our elected representatives to be accountable to the concerns of voters, and this outside spending raises questions on whether Mr. Conole, if elected to Congress, would undertake efforts to protect our environment from the harmful effects of cryptomining on our region's lakes."

Klee Hood also urged Conole to "tell crypto-billionaires to let the voters decide these elections" and to support federal anti-cryptocurrency mining legislation.

But Bankman-Fried's brother, Gabe, has said that the PAC's focus is not on cryptocurrency. He in May that he wants to prevent the next pandemic.聽

Levine reiterated that message in an email to 水果派AV.聽

"Despite any efforts to distract from the real issues, we're confident voters will elect leaders like Francis Conole who are committed to safeguarding our community and our nation from future pandemics so that we never again face the devastation that COVID has wrought," he said.聽

Conole has emerged as the front-runner for the Democratic nomination in the 22nd district, which includes all of Onondaga, Madison and Oneida counties, plus a small portion of Oswego County. The winner of the Aug. 23 primary will face the winner of the Republican primary 鈥� either Steve Wells or Brandon Williams 鈥� in the general election.聽