Paige Cognetti Refuses Corporate PAC Money. But Some Is Arriving Indirectly.

The Democratic candidate in a hot Pennsylvania congressional race has accepted money from political groups that are themselves funded by corporate PACs.

Scranton, Pennsylvania, Mayor Paige Cognetti

Scranton, Pennsylvania, Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat, is running in a tight race for Congress against Rep. Rob Bresnahan, a Republican. Matt Rourke/AP

Paige Cognetti, the mayor of Scranton, Pennsylvania, who Democrats hope will unseat Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan this November, has repeatedly pledged not to take money from corporate political action committees as a candidate or lawmaker.

“No Corporate PAC Money. As a candidate and member of Congress I will reject the influence of special interests,” Cognetti wrote on her campaign website.

But federal campaign finance filings show Cognetti has accepted donations from numerous political committees that themselves are awash in cash from corporate PACs, including money from defense contractor Boeing, banking giant JPMorgan Chase and insurance company UnitedHealthcare.