Social Security Works Political Action Committee (PAC) is the political arm of Social Security Works. The PAC was created in 2017 and donates to and endorses candidates who support expanding left-of-center welfare programs such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. [1]
Activities
Social Security Works PAC endorsed Vice President Joe Biden’s presidential campaign in August 2020. [2] Following the endorsement, Jon Bauman, the president of the Social Security Works PAC, was joined by Jill Biden, actor Louis Gossett Jr., Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Seniors for Biden for a virtual event in support of Biden’s campaign. [3]
Social Security Works PAC also endorsed other candidates during the 2018 and 2020 elections such as Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA),[4] Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS),[5] and Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL). [6]
Finance
According to Federal Election Commission (FEC) reports as of October 2020, Social Security Works PAC collected just over $26,000 in receipts during the 2019-2020 election cycle. [7]
The PAC reported a handful of $300 contributions to Biden for President during the 2019-2020 election cycle, reporting that the donations were in-kind contributions in the form of fundraising blast emails and phone banking. [8]
Leadership
Jon Bauman is the President of Social Security Works PAC. He was also involved with the Senior Votes Count PAC in previous elections. Bauman has worked on former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s, former Secretary of State John Kerry’s, and President Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns. [9]
Jonathan Ball serves as the treasurer of the Social Security Works PAC[10] and is also the secretary of the Social Security Works board of directors. [11] Ball is the son of the late Robert M. Ball, a former Social Security commissioner who passed away in 2008. [12] Robert served as the commissioner during the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations and was also considered an engineer of Medicare. [13]