Concerns about “Psychology PAC” and the American Psychological Association

January 19, 2021

Dear Colleagues,

As you know, in an unprecedented effort to overturn last November’s presidential election, earlier this month 139 Republican members of the US House of Representatives and 8 members of the Senate refused to certify Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump. By casting their “Nay” votes, these lawmakers chose to promote baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud — despite repeated court rulings that concluded otherwise. The same false accusations were also the impetus behind the violent insurrection that led a mob of pro-Trump supporters to storm the Capitol Building, endangering lives and destroying property.

Our incomplete and perhaps imperfect quick review of data from the Federal Election Commission website indicates that “Psychology PAC” of American Psychological Association Services Inc (APASI) — the companion organization of the American Psychological Association (APA) — made substantial contributions to the campaigns of 8 of these 139 Republican Congressmen during the four years of the Trump administration:

Jason Smith(R-MO), whose website notes “President Donald Trump may have no better friend in Congress than U.S. Rep. Jason Smith,” received 8 contributions totaling $8,000.

Markwayne Mullin(R-OK), who refused to wear a mask during the hours lawmakers were forced into close quarters at an unidentified location during the Capitol siege, received 4 contributions totaling $4,000.

Adrian Smith(R-NE), who signed onto the Texas lawsuit asking the Supreme Court to invalidate Biden’s victory, received 3 contributions totaling $3,000.

Tom Cole(R-OK), who cosponsored the “Defund Planned Parenthood Act” in 2015 and traveled with Trump on Air Force One to and from a Tulsa campaign rally last June, received 2 contributions totaling $2,000.

Michael Burgess(R-TX), who recently praised Trump as a unique leader in that “he listened to people,” received a one-time contribution of $2,500.

Chuck Fleischmann(R-TN), who tweeted after the election “I stand with President @realDonaldTrump. We need transparency in our election system. What we’re seeing is fraud, and it must be stopped,” received a one-time contribution of $1,000.

Devin Nunes(R-CA), who has perhaps been Trump’s most vocal defender and to whom Trump (shamefully) awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom — the highest civilian honor — earlier this month, received a one-time contribution of $1,000.

Morgan Griffith(R-VA), who also signed onto the Texas lawsuit asking the Supreme Court to invalidate Biden’s victory, received a one-time contribution of $1,000.

Separately, FEC filings show that in 2017 APASI’s PAC also made a $2,000 contribution to the “McConnell for Majority Leader Committee.” As a reminder, for years Mitch McConnell(R-KY) has been essential in advancing Trump’s agenda and in blocking much-needed support for struggling Americans. As Senate Leader, he prevented consideration of then-President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland for almost 10 months, and then hypocritically changed the “rules” to confirm right-wing Justices during Trump’s tenure; he packed the lower Federal courts with unqualified ideologues; he helped create the anti-democratic climate that now permeates much of the contemporary Republican Party; and most recently, he waited six-weeks before publicly acknowledging Biden’s victory, in the interim refusing to dispel the myth that the election manifested numerous irregularities.

In a letter sent to PAC donors yesterday, Jennifer Kelly and Arthur Evans, Jr. — the President and CEO respectively of both APA and APASI — wrote that “Psychology PAC will pause decisions on donations to ensure your contributions do not support legislators who act against our democracy.” That appears to be a potentially positive step, but it is much too vague regarding duration and implementation to offer much reassurance.

Skepticism is particularly warranted in light of the fact that this same letter states that “APA Services Inc., has always required recipients to display character and integrity as a primary consideration for support” and “The strategic plan that guides the work of APA and APASI — and therefore the Psychology PAC — is grounded in social justice, diversity, and ethical decision-making.” How such pronouncements fit with the financial support given to Mitch McConnell and some other recipients is very hard to decipher. Moreover, we have seen abstract language used as cover for political expediency before. In this instance, the stances of these politicians on key issues — civil rights, reproductive rights, environmental protection, immigration reform, gun reform, drug legalization, the death penalty, and more — were clear long before this decision to suspend contributions was made.

At this point, it is vital for the APA and APASI to make the processes, policies, and judgments governing the PAC’s political contributions fully transparent to donors, APA members, and the public. This accounting must also provide an explanation for the rationale underlying past contributions to specific lawmakers, including the anti-democratic zealots listed above. It should be obvious to all that supporting candidates whose priorities threaten our democratic system is entirely incompatible with the APA’s avowed commitment to “advancing psychology to benefit society and improve lives.”

Roy Eidelson

Stephen Soldz

Brad Olson

Addendum: As further context, during the 2017–2020 period, Psychology PAC made contributions to a total of 26 Republican and 42 Democratic members of House; in the Senate, the PAC contributed to 17 Republicans, 19 Democrats, and 1 Independent.