Sen. Mitch McConnell is hoarding his committee’s wealth during a crucial midterms cycle for the Republican Party, according to a new federal filing.
When the Kentucky senator returned to Capitol Hill in September after a three-month, health-related absence, his campaign committee had nearly $7.4 million waiting for him.
But McConnell, who no longer has use for the money since he opted not to run for an eighth term, opted not to spread his wealth to any Republican Party committee or candidate campaign. That includes the Senate Leadership Fund and Texas PAC, political committees associated with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who succeeded McConnell as the Republicans’ Senate leader.
Before McConnell leaves the Senate in January, his campaign committee has a few options for its surplus money.
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Most urgently, McConnell’s committee can still donate up to $2,000 a piece to other Republican candidate committees. It may also transfer unlimited amounts to national party committees, such as the Republican National Committee or National Republican Senatorial Committee.
McConnell’s committee could also donate its millions to charities or nonprofit universities.
One organization McConnell is already connected to is the nonpartisan McConnell Center at the University of Louisville. The center was established in 1991 to encourage Kentucky’s top students to pursue higher education in their home state, and McConnell raised the initial funds for scholarships.
Other legal options include refunding donors or disgorging money to the U.S. Treasury’s general fund.
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