WHY YASS

WHY YASS

Jeff Yass, PA’s richest man and one of the 100 richest people in the world, has spent years trying to rig the rules of Pennsylvania’s democracy by funding politicians who will do his bidding. 

Wielding his $45B in wealth to drown out the voices of everyday Pennsylvanians, Jeff Yass undermines the fundamental principle of our democracy: one person, one vote. 

One out of every three state legislators in Pennsylvania has received funding from Yass’s PACs since 2017.* Those legislators hold the power to pass policies that determine whether we can make living wages, afford housing where we want to live, or have access to fully funded, local public schools for our children.

Quick Facts on Jeffrey Yass

  • Pennsylvania’s richest man, currently worth $45B

  • Single largest donor to Pennsylvania's right-wing

  • Has spent more on elections in Pennsylvania than the top ten corporate PACs combined since 2020

  • Has financed elected officials who supported QAnon, have ties to white nationalism, and spew anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim hate

How does Yass’s money impact our communities?

Yass funds elections through a network of PACs and lobbying groups that influence legislation. He’s got a particular focus on privatizing our schools through school vouchers, funding politicians who will funnel public dollars away from public schools into private schools. Meanwhile, Arizona’s state-wide school voucher program drained so much money from the state budget that residents suffered cuts to essential public services like community colleges and road and school infrastructure repairs.

In his obsessive pursuit of defunding public schools through school voucher policies, Yass has financed elected officials who support QAnon, have ties to white nationalism, and spew anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim hate. He bankrolls elected officials in Pennsylvania and around the country who sow hatred and division to distract us, while corporations and billionaires like Yass exploit us and drain needed funds from our communities, while they rake in profits.

Yass’s Agenda

  • “The disparity between how rich people live and how poor people live in America has never been smaller…Everyone is living almost the same life.” - Jeff Yass

  • “As students flee [to schools of their choice], those government schools would have to shut down..and that's a good thing.” - Jeff Yass

  • “My interest is where is the most dysfunctional government program in America, and it is the teachers union…" - Jeff Yass

Yass’s Elected Officials

Jeff Yass is the largest campaign donor in Pennsylvania state politics.

One out of every three legislators in Pennsylvania has received funding from Yass’s PACs since 2017.* Every single Republican serving on the State Senate Education Committee has received campaign contributions from Yass’s PACs.

Click below to view the Yass Tracker, a tool that allows Pennsylvania voters to see if their elected official has received money from one of the many PACs funded by Yass since 2017. 

*As of November 19, 2024