Progressive super-PAC funded by billionaire climate activist comes to PA

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Dave Davies has covered local politics and government in Philadelphia for more than 30 years. He is currently senior reporter for WHYY, and a contributor and fill-in host for Fresh Air with Terry Gross. He was reporter and columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News for 19 years, and before that was city hall bureau chief for KYW News Radio and city hall correspondent for WHYY. He’s a Texas native who’s spent his working life in Philadelphia. Before getting into journalism, he worked as a teacher, cab driver and welder.

June 30, 2016 | 7:40 PM

AFSCME national President Lee Saunders (left), environmentalist Tom Steyer and City Councilwoman Helen Gym launch a new superPAC in Pennsylvania.

Dave Davies / WHYY

AFSCME national President Lee Saunders (left), environmentalist Tom Steyer and Philadelphia City Councilwoman Helen Gym launch a new superPAC in Pennsylvania.

At Philadelphia’s Walnut Street headquarters of AFSCME District Council 33 Thursday, labor, community and environmental activists announced the creation of a group called For Our Future, which will be active in Pennsylvania and four other states.
The funding comes from wealthy environmentalist Tom Steyer and several national unions including AFSCME, whose national president Lee Saunders says it’s all about grass-roots organizing.
“This effort isn’t about yard signs. It isn’t about slick TV ads,” Saunders said. “It’s about all of us, coming together, having those kinds of conversations heart-to-heart, soul-to-soul.”
Leaders didn’t say whether For Our Future would advertise, or how much money it would spend. The group has both a super PAC and a nonprofit organization that can raise and spend money in the election without having to reveal its donors. Continue reading