Police union PACs launch text attacks on The Squad

What's happening: Both groups — Law Enforcement for a Safer America PAC and Honoring American Law Enforcement PAC — are affiliated with the International Union of Police Associations.

• The Florida-based IUPA represents about 20,000 law enforcement professionals.
• Together, the two PACs reported spending $127,500 attacking each of the four House Democrats in the progressive "Squad": Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.
• That's more than any independent political group has reported, so far, on a single independent expenditure in a 2022 midterm race.
• The actual content of the text messages was not immediately clear. Neither PAC responded to requests from Axios for comment.

Between the lines: None of the four members the PACs are targeting is particularly vulnerable, suggesting the goal of the expenditures is, at least, partly to raise more money for the PACs themselves.

• The two PACs spent nearly $18 million during the 2020 cycle. But the vast majority went toward fundraising. They spent just over 5% on political activity, much of which appears to have also asked for additional donations.
• The IUPA union also spends the vast majority of its money on fundraising, with very little going toward grants or union representation and organizing.

• The union and its PACs have been scrutinized over allegedly misleading fundraising practices, frequently involving telemarketing calls.

The big picture: Ocasio-Cortez, Omar, Pressley and Tlaib are lightning rods for conservatives — and potent fundraising draws as a result.

• Policing and public safety are at the forefront of the conservative political consciousness.
• That can be lucrative for groups looking to rake in small-dollar donations from contributors not suspecting their money will be used largely to perpetuate an organization — rather than finance attacks or candidates against its opponents.