PopInfo Weekly: PACs, pumps, and pursuits
Newly filed FEC documents reveal that three PACs that claim to oppose Trump and Republican policies — Lead Left PAC, Real Change PAC, and California Blue PAC — are wholly funded by the American Prosperity Alliance (APA). The APA is a key part of the GOP financial infrastructure and closely linked to the Congressional Leadership Fund, the primary House Republican super PAC. The three PACs have been spending millions to influence Democratic primaries.
A new class action lawsuit alleges corporate gas station owners in California are using an AI-powered algorithm to avoid competition and inflate prices.
Last month, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won the state’s Republican runoff for US Senate by nearly 30 points, delivering a resounding defeat to incumbent Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). As Attorney General, Paxton has been indicted on felony securities fraud charges, investigated by the SEC, impeached by the Texas House, and sued by the State Bar of Texas for professional misconduct. He was repeatedly accused of using his government position for personal gain — including by members of his staff.
In a cabinet meeting at the White House on August 26, 2025, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum praised President Trump for spearheading a rule change for the U.S. Park Police, allowing them to freely engage in vehicle pursuits. A few days ago, an innocent bystander was killed after being struck by a car fleeing a Park Police pursuit — the second fatality in less than a year stemming from Trump’s policy change.
The best of the rest
This week, Texas’s Republican-controlled State Board of Education issued preliminary approval for a rewrite of the state’s social studies curriculum. The new guidelines deemphasize global history outside of Europe and exclude most negative aspects of U.S. and Texas history. The board also gave initial approval to a new reading list, which would include Bible stories for students as young as six. The board will take a final vote on both proposals on Friday. (The Texas Tribune)
The prediction market Polymarket has paid dozens of influencers to record videos of themselves placing and winning bets on what appears to be the Polymarket site. But a Wall Street Journal analysis of over 1,000 of these videos found that in many cases the bets were fake, placed on dummy websites created by Polymarket. (The Wall Street Journal)
On most issues, political polarization is at an all time high. Data centers, however, are a notable exception. Seventy percent of Americans oppose constructing data centers in their local area, including 75 percent of Democrats and 63 percent of Republicans. Lawmakers in red and blue states alike have passed legislation to restrict the construction of new data centers. (Grist)
A climate change study published more than two decades ago has long shaped views about how to combat climate change. The “wedge” study came out of Princeton and advocated for maintaining oil, natural gas, and coal in the energy system and attempting to mitigate their impact through carbon capture. This week, ProPublica reported that the study was heavily influenced by BP as a part of a larger effort by fossil fuel companies to shape climate change research to serve their interests. (ProPublica)
Numerical information
20: The total number of detainee deaths in ICE facilities this year, after a 63-year-old man died in custody in Laredo, Texas this month.
30 years: The sentence given to Daniel Sanchez Estrada for moving a box of anti-fascist zines after a protest at an ICE detention center in Alvarado, Texas.
38-2: So far this election cycle, 38 of the 40 candidates backed by Fairshake, the super PAC funded by top crypto companies, have won their primary elections.
Quote of the week
“These are the strongest, toughest men on earth. No women in the crowd, which is nice… You’ve got the muscles, you guys, you’ve got the big strong muscles.” — Trump, describing UFC fighters at a Pennsylvania rally this week
Photo of the week
Thank you for your work.
We need to overturn citizens united. We have begun to do so, one state at a time. Two down, 48 to go,