Hillary PAC Spends $1 Million to Edit Comments on Social Media

A pro-Hillary Clinton Super PAC invested more than $1 million into pushing back on “attackers” posting negative things related to Hillary Clinton on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, reddit, and Instagram.

Correct the Record tripled its digital operation to engage in online messaging for its “Barrier Breakers” initiative. The Super PAC said in a press release that they already “addressed more than 5,000 people that have personally attacked Hillary Clinton on Twitter.”

FCC loopholes actually allow Correct the Record and Clinton’s campaign to overtly join forces in an effort to polish the 68-year old’s image in the digital sphere. Sunlight Foundation’s Libby Watson explained to The Daily Beast that there are rules in place that typically deter political campaigns from working directly with political action committees.

“SuperPACs aren’t supposed to coordinate with candidates. The whole reasoning behind (Supreme Court decision) Citizens United rests on (PACs) being independent, but Correct the Record claims it can coordinate,” Watson said in an interview with The Daily Beast. “It’s not totally clear what their reasoning is, but it seems to be that material posted on the Internet for free — like, blogs — doesn’t count as an ‘independent expenditure.'”

A Bernie Sanders supported cited an encounter with Correct the Record on reddit.

“This explains why my inbox turned to cancer on Tuesday. Been a member of reddit for almost 4 years and never experienced anything like it,” said user OKarizee. “In fact, in all my years on the internet I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

Correct the Record explained in a press release why they are acting as a line of defense for Hillary supporters.

“Hillary’s supporters are more enthusiastic than Sen. Bernie Sanders’ supporters, yet oftentimes are discouraged from engaging online and are ‘often afraid to voice their thoughts’ because of the fear of online harassment. Many of Hillary Clinton’s female supporters in particular have been subject to intense cyberbullying and sexist attacks from swarms of anonymous attackers.

Correct the Record has spent nearly $4.5 million out of the $5 million it received for the 2016 elections so far, according to OpenSecrets.org.

“The PAC was created in May of last year when it was spun off from the American Bridge Super PAC, which is run by longtime Hillary and Bill Clinton supporter David Brock. Brock also founded the left-wing media watchdog website Media Matters for America,” according to The Daily Beast.

For more insight on what a Hillary Clinton president might look like, see 10 Things to Consider if Bill Becomes First Lady.