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Posted: 2024-10-16T01:14:19Z | Updated: 2024-10-16T04:09:46Z

A super PAC engaged in a cynical two-step designed to simultaneously discourage Arab American and Jewish voters by advertising contrasting messages about Vice President Kamala Harris Middle East policies is being funded by a dark-money group that is bankrolled by right-wing tech and auto industry billionaire Elon Musk, according to a financial disclosure made public on Tuesday.

Heres how it works: In areas of Michigan with large numbers of Arab and Muslim voters, Future Coalition PAC is running digital ads about how Vice President Kamala Harris is a staunch and unyielding supporter of Israel.

Kamala and Doug, Americas pro-Israel power couple, the narrator of one of the groups ads declares after discussing Israels noble fight against the radical terrorists in Gaza. One mail item from the group says Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, leans on Jewish husband Doug Emhoff to advise on high-level pro-Israel policies.

Many Jewish Democrats have argued that, among other qualities, the ads focus on second gentleman Doug Emhoff is antisemitic .

That component of the advertising blitz reprises a well-known, though not exactly common, bit of campaign dark arts: Highlight a quality you claim to see as positive or negative, knowing the intended audience will have the opposite takeaway.

But its the second component of Future Coalition PACs advertising that really raises its cynicism to new heights. The group is simultaneously targeting Pennsylvanias Jewish voters with advertisements claiming Harris has been pandering to Palestinians.

In Jewish communities throughout America, questions are being asked: Why did Kamala Harris support denying Israel the weapons needed to defeat the Hamas terrorists who massacred thousands? the 30-second spot says. And why did Harris show sympathy for college protesters who are rabidly antisemitic?

The ads aim to help former President Donald Trump by cleaving Jewish and Arab American voters away from Harris in key states at a time when both groups are deeply invested in Israels U.S.-backed wars in Gaza and Lebanon albeit usually for divergent reasons.

For voters curious about just who is funding Future Coalition PAC, the groups disclosure to the Federal Election Commission on Tuesday offers some welcome, if incomplete, information.

The groups $3 million budget so far comes entirely from a nonprofit , Building Americas Future, which is not required to reveal the names of its donors.

However, The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that Tesla co-founder Musk, one of the wealthiest men in the world and an occasional spreader of antisemitic conspiracy theories , is among the backers of Building Americas Future.

Musk has becoming increasingly crucial to funding Trumps political operation and is also funding one of the major super PACs responsible for Trumps get-out-the-vote efforts. According to a new FEC filing , Musk has given nearly $75 million to America PAC, the super PAC that has become a critical source of pro-Trump field organizing in the seven battleground states.