Q&A on the News

Q: Who controls the Citizens for a Working America PAC? What is their stance? Where are they based? Why are they in Georgia trying to sway or buy an election?

—Chuck Rothman, Johns Creek

A: Citizens for a Working America, a conservative super political action committee, or PAC, was formed in Virginia on Sept. 2, 2010, according to the Center for Public Integrity, a non-partisan, non-profit news organization.

Norm Cummings, a former chief of staff for the Republican National Committee, is the chairman of the super PAC, which now is based in Beaufort, S.C., according to a letter filed by organization on the Federal Communications Commission’s website. Citizens for a Working America has raised $1.1 million in the 2014 campaign cycle and launched a $500,000 TV ad campaign against U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, in April, backing businessman David Perdue in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate.

The letter states: “The public communications will independently advocate for the election of David Perdue and/or for the defeat of his opponents.” “This is political game theory,” Joel McElhannon, a Georgia Republican political consultant, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last month.

“It’s a completely fluid situation with a whole lot of money that can’t be coordinated. It’s a whole lot of different folks assessing a changing set of variables.” The group’s website – citizensforaworkingamericapac.com – provides no details about the organization, other than this statement: “Citizens for a Working America advocates for America’s system of free enterprise and job creation to put hard-working Americans back to work.”