Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) is not a fan of big money in politics, and she made that clear on Monday by calling out the crypto lobby, AI groups, and AIPAC for what she sees as an attempt to buy influence in Congress.
In a post on X, Warren said that "dark money groups are spending MILLIONS of dollars to hand-pick representatives in Congress." She specifically named AI, crypto, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee — the bipartisan lobbying group that pushes for pro-Israel policies — as the culprits.
"We must elect fighters who reject corporate PAC money and will fight to unrig this broken system," the senior lawmaker wrote.
AIPAC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Warren's criticism comes as new data shows just how much corporate cash is flowing into the 2026 midterms. A report published at the end of June found that cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence, Big Tech, and online betting companies collectively spent over $290 million on the elections so far.
Crypto alone accounted for more than one-third of that total, led by Ripple (XRP) and Coinbase Global (COIN). The industry has become a dominant lobbying force since the 2024 elections, with Fairshake PAC — a bipartisan super PAC — as its primary vehicle. Fairshake spent over $40 million in the 2024 cycle, but federal filings show it has already blown past that number, spending over $74 million by May 31.
Warren's critique echoes that of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has long been outspoken against big money in politics. Sanders believes the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling must be overturned. That 2010 decision lifted many campaign finance laws, allowing corporations, super PACs, and outside groups to spend unlimited amounts on elections.
For Warren and Sanders, the message is clear: as long as dark money flows freely, the system stays rigged. Whether that message resonates with voters remains to be seen, but the spending numbers suggest the other side is betting big on the status quo.
