Congress’ youngest member forms leadership PAC

Introduction

No matter that Rep. Patrick Murphy is the youngest member of Congress.

The 29-year-old Florida Democrat has formed a leadership PAC — once primarily the domain of veteran congressmen but lately used by most any federal legislator — that he’s calling PEM PAC, according to documents filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission.

Brian Foucart, a longtime Democratic financial official whose jobs have included stints with the presidential campaigns of Al Gore and John Kerry, will serve as PEM PAC’s treasurer.

Members of congress may use leadership PACs to fund activities apart from their own political campaigns, including travel, advertising and donating cash to partisan brethren.

Like standard PACs, leadership PACs may accept up to $5,000 per year from individuals, party committees or other PACs.

Murphy may be a freshman Congressman who wasn’t even born until late into Ronald Reagan’s first term as president, but he’s already scored a bigger electoral victory than most: defeating Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., one of the most visible GOP congressmen in the nation.

Murphy beat West by about 1,900 votes in one of the closest and most expensive House races in 2012.

Since his defeat, West has launched an Internet television show.