SUBJECT-10731.dossier · person · status: active
BS
subject of file

Bernard Sanders

US Senator (I-VT)
Tracked because Sitting member of the Senate; tracked for votes, donor mapping, and committee oversight.
Editorial summary · AI-drafted from public records

Bernard Sanders is the Independent U.S. Senator (VT). The platform has 8 voting records on file (2021-2025) and 47 verified facts on file covering this member's voting positions, financial disclosures, and stated platform commitments.

Facts on record42
Connections mapped29
Sources cited27
Evidence: 27P+19 15S+7
Network web → Timeline → Compare with… → Wikipedia history → Position Drift → Coverage tone → View on Graph → View Card → Conduct Profile → Export CSV JSON Dossier ← Entity Directory
Stated vs Revealed
No documented contradictions on file.
[PUBLIC COST ESTIMATE]
Documented financial relationships span 0 money flow chains, while 10 elected officials hold documented connections.
$700.0MDonor Contributions
0Money Chains
0Traced Hops
Connected Officials
Calculation Methodology

Contract values are summed from documented money flow chains where this entity appears as a source or destination node. Amounts are drawn from USASpending.gov, FEC filings, SEC EDGAR, or LD-2 lobbying registrations.

Donor contributions aggregate documented amounts from the donor_interests table, sourced from FEC individual and PAC contribution filings.

Connected officials are elected officials in our database with a mapped relationship (lobbying, board membership, campaign contribution, etc.) to this entity.

Annualised flow represents the total documented dollar amount traced through money flow hops involving this entity. Where hop-level amounts are unavailable, the chain-level documented total is used as a conservative upper bound.

All figures are drawn from public filings. Estimates are conservative — undisclosed transactions, dark money, and vanish-point hops are excluded from totals. This is a minimum documented floor, not a ceiling.

PATTERN organization → [donor] → elected official → [colleague] →... 11262× PATTERN elected official → [colleague] → person → [donor] → organ... 10949× PATTERN elected official → [donor] → company → [donor] → person 2939× PATTERN elected official → [colleague] → elected official → [coll... 1844× PATTERN organization → [donor] → elected official → [no direct co... 1232×
TIMELINE Role Overlap Visualizer →
Connection Map
Key Connections
← John Fetterman person
former political ally turned critic
Fetterman was one of the first elected officials to endorse Bernie Sanders in 2016, calling himself a member of 'Bernie's Army.' Later, Sanders called Fetterman's vote to end the government shutdown 'a very, very bad vote.'
→ Google company
donor
Sanders' campaign received $1,429,422 from Alphabet Inc. (Google's parent company) employees, all from individuals.
← Christopher Murphy person
legislative ally
Murphy voted in favor of Sanders' resolutions to block nearly $9 billion in arms sales to Israel in April 2025, one of only 15 senators to do so. Also voted with Sanders on similar resolutions in November 2024.
← Linda T. Sánchez person
voting record (diverged)
Voted against Sanders' Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on Israel weapons sales (November 2024), diverging from Sanders' position on the issue.
← Richard J. Durbin person
vote_alignment
Durbin was one of only 19 senators who voted for Bernie Sanders' resolutions to block some arms sales to Israel in November 2024, voting for all three resolutions (S.J.Res. 111/113/115).
← Machinists Non Partisan Political League Of The International Association Of Machinists & Aerospace Workers organization
donor
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00002469/
← Seiu Cope (Service Employees International Union Committee On Political Education) organization
donor
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00004036/
← Transport Workers Union PAC organization
donor
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00008268/
Facts (42)
Data Freshness
Ageing Last update: 172d ago · Avg age: 184d
Confidence Tiers: Primary Source — cross-referenced government/corporate filings Pending Review — sourced but not independently verified AI Inference — analytical hypothesis from cross-referencing
✓ Verified Findings (42)
Independently re-checked: a second model read the source artifact and confirmed it supports the extracted claim.
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Bachelor's degree or higher: 43.8%
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Homeownership rate: 72.5%
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: White alone, not Hispanic or Latino: 92.6%
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Population (2023 est.): 648,493
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Demographic anchor: Median household income (2024): $82,730
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Ballot measure: Proposition 4 — Equal Rights Amendment (race, ethnicity, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity) (2024) — passed, margin majority yes
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Ballot measure: Proposition 2 — Prohibit Slavery and Indentured Servitude Amendment (2022) — passed, margin 89.0% yes to 11.0% no
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Ballot measure: Proposition 5 — Reproductive Liberty Amendment (Article 22) (2022) — passed, margin 76.8% yes to 23.2% no
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 72 (share 0.11)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 44-45 (share 0.13)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Dominant industry: NAICS 62 (share 0.16)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Top employer: GlobalFoundries (semiconductor manufacturing, Essex Junction) (2200 employees)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Top employer: State of Vermont Government (7500 employees)
✓ verified Partially Corroborated [constituency_baseline] Top employer: University of Vermont Medical Center (8000 employees)
✓ verified Pending Review [constituency_baseline] District summary: Vermont is the second-least populous state in the U.S. with approximately 648,493 residents (2023 est.) and is represented in the Senate by two members elected statewide. It is predominantly White (92.6%), with a median household income of approximately $82,730 (2024). The state has a Cook PVI of D+13 and leans Democratic in federal elections. Major economic sectors include healthcare, education, tourism, advanced manufacturing (semiconductors at GlobalFoundries), and agriculture (dairy, maple syrup). Vermont has a strong progressive tradition with particular focus on environmental conservation, sustainable agriculture, and social welfare. It was the first state to legalize civil unions (2000) and among the first to pass marriage equality legislatively. The population skews older (median age 43.1) with high educational attainment (43.8% hold a bachelor's degree or higher).
Added: 27 Apr 2026
✓ verified Primary Source Voted nay on H.R. 1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act) on 2025-07-01: Opposed Trump's signature tax and spending bill as 'the most dangerous piece of legislation in modern history — a gift to the billionaire class causing massive pain for working families,' and called for every member who voted for it to be ousted.
Date: 2025-07-01 Added: 27 Apr 2026 ↗ SOURCE: Roll call: H.R. 1
✓ verified Primary Source Voted nay on S. 5 / H.R. 29 (Laken Riley Act) on 2025-01-20: One of only 9 senators to oppose the Laken Riley Act mandating ICE detention for undocumented immigrants accused of theft offenses, breaking from the 12 Senate Democrats who voted for final passage.
Date: 2025-01-20 Added: 27 Apr 2026 ↗ SOURCE: Roll call: S. 5 / H.R. 29
✓ verified Primary Source Voted nay on S. 6 (Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (Cloture)) on 2025-01-22: Voted against cloture on legislation requiring medical care for infants born alive after failed abortions, aligning with all 47 Senate Democrats in opposition, consistent with his strong pro-choice record.
Date: 2025-01-22 Added: 27 Apr 2026 ↗ SOURCE: Roll call: S.6
✓ verified Primary Source Voted nay on H.R. 815 (National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 (Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan aid)) on 2024-02-13: One of only two Democratic caucus members to vote against $95 billion in foreign aid including $60 billion for Ukraine, citing opposition to '$10 billion in unrestricted military aid for Netanyahu's horrific war against the Palestinian people' — prioritizing Gaza civilian protection over Ukraine defense in a bundled vote.
✓ verified Primary Source Voted nay on H.R. 3746 (Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (Debt Ceiling Suspension)) on 2023-06-01: Only member of the Democratic caucus to vote against the debt ceiling deal, citing opposition to SNAP work requirements and student loan changes — calling it a 'completely unnecessary' deal where 'the best thing about the bill is it could have been worse.'
Date: 2023-06-01 Added: 27 Apr 2026 ↗ SOURCE: Roll call: H.R. 3746
✓ verified Primary Source Voted yea on H.R. 8404 (Respect for Marriage Act) on 2022-11-29: Voted to codify federal recognition of same-sex and interracial marriages, stating: 'I was proud to cast my vote today to pass the Respect for Marriage Act.'
Date: 2022-11-29 Added: 27 Apr 2026 ↗ SOURCE: Roll call: H.R. 8404
✓ verified Primary Source Voted yea on H.R. 3684 (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act) on 2021-08-10: Voted for the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package, but simultaneously urged House progressives to vote against it until a larger reconciliation bill passed — a strategic tension that threatened to sink both bills.
Date: 2021-08-10 Added: 27 Apr 2026 ↗ RECORDS: Roll call: H.R. 3684
✓ verified Primary Source Voted yea on H.R. 1319 (American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) on 2021-03-06: As Senate Budget Committee Chairman, Sanders championed this $1.9 trillion COVID relief package as 'the most significant piece of legislation to benefit working families in the modern history of this country,' delivering $1,400 stimulus checks, expanded child tax credits, and $1.35 billion for Vermont.
Date: 2021-03-06 Added: 27 Apr 2026 ↗ SOURCE: Roll call: H.R. 1319
✓ verified Primary Source [statement] Sanders has repeatedly and unequivocally declared support for Ukraine's defense against Russian aggression, including voting for previous Ukraine aid measures and condemning Russia's invasion. In the same February 2024 statement he stated, 'I unequivocally support funding to continue Ukraine's efforts to defend itself.'
✓ verified Primary Source [vote] Sanders voted against the $95 billion national security supplemental (H.R.815) on February 13, 2024, stating his opposition was due to '$10 billion more in unrestricted military aid for Netanyahu's horrific war against the Palestinian people.'
✓ verified Primary Source [disclosure] Sanders' campaign committee, Friends of Bernie Sanders, wired $200,000 in two installments of $100,000 (January and March 2023) plus an additional $75,000 (August 2023) to the Sanders Institute, a nonprofit founded by his wife Jane O'Meara Sanders and stepson David Driscoll, who received a $152,653 salary.
✓ verified Primary Source [statement] Sanders was harshly critical of Hillary Clinton over the Clinton Foundation in 2016, saying: 'Do I have a problem when a sitting secretary of state and a foundation run by her husband collects many millions of dollars from foreign governments, governments which are dictatorships?'
✓ verified Primary Source [disclosure] OpenSecrets data shows Sanders received $1,417,633 in contributions from the 'pharmaceuticals/health products' industry in the 2020 cycle — more than any other member of Congress — and $1.9 million from pharmaceutical firms over 1990-2024. While his 2020 pledge excluded PAC/lobbyist/executive contributions, the raw industry total contradicted his implied denial of meaningful pharma-linked money.
✓ verified Primary Source [statement] Sanders stated at RFK Jr.'s confirmation hearing: 'I ran for president like you. I got millions and millions of contributions. They did not come from the executives, not one nickel of PAC money from the pharmaceutical industry. They came from the workers.'
✓ verified Primary Source Sanders spent $221,723 on private jet charters during the first quarter of 2024 from his campaign account, Friends of Bernie Sanders.
✓ verified Primary Source Sanders' stepson David Driscoll, executive director of the Sanders Institute, was compensated $152,653 in salary and benefits in 2021. More than one-third of the nonprofit's income was spent on salaries.
✓ verified Primary Source Friends of Bernie Sanders, his campaign committee, wired $200,000 to the Sanders Institute — a nonprofit founded by his wife Jane O'Meara Sanders and stepson David Driscoll — in two $100,000 installments in January and March 2023, plus an additional $75,000 in August 2023.
✓ verified Primary Source Sanders' 2024 Senate reelection campaign raised $35,249,433, with 97.6% of itemized donations from out-of-state donors.
✓ verified Primary Source Sanders received $1,417,633 from the pharmaceuticals/health products industry during the 2020 campaign cycle, more than any other member of Congress, but entirely from rank-and-file individual employees — not from PACs, executives, or lobbyists.
✓ verified Primary Source Amazon.com employees contributed $1,037,396, all from individuals.
✓ verified Primary Source Alphabet Inc. employees contributed $1,429,422, all from individuals.
✓ verified Primary Source University of California was the single largest organizational contributor at $1,471,789, all from individuals.
✓ verified Primary Source Health Professionals contributed $12,714,559, with $12,615,005 from individuals and $99,554 from PACs.
✓ verified Primary Source The Retired category contributed $15,493,595, all from individuals.
✓ verified Primary Source The Democratic/Liberal industry contributed $17,642,289, with $17,570,698 from individuals and $71,591 from PACs.
✓ verified Primary Source The Education industry was the top contributing sector at $25,031,537, entirely from individuals.
✓ verified Primary Source Sanders' campaign committee raised $295,361,900 across his career (1989-2024), with $10,740,760 cash on hand as of December 31, 2024.
All Connections (29)
→ Google company
donor primary since 2020
Sanders' campaign received $1,429,422 from Alphabet Inc. (Google's parent company) employees, all from individuals.
→ Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez elected official
affiliation inferential since 2025
Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez share progressive policy alignment. Both voted against the Laken Riley Act (S.5/H.R.29) on 2025-01-20; Sanders was one of only 9 senators to oppose it.
← Christopher Murphy person
legislative ally primary since 2024
Murphy voted in favor of Sanders' resolutions to block nearly $9 billion in arms sales to Israel in April 2025, one of only 15 senators to do so. Also voted with Sanders on similar resolutions in November 2024.
← John Fetterman person
former political ally turned critic primary since 2016
Fetterman was one of the first elected officials to endorse Bernie Sanders in 2016, calling himself a member of 'Bernie's Army.' Later, Sanders called Fetterman's vote to end the government shutdown 'a very, very bad vote.'
← Michael Bennet elected official
voted_with primary since 2025
Bennet joined Sen. Bernie Sanders and the most progressive flank of the Democratic caucus in voting nay on the Laken Riley Act (S. 5) on 2025-01-20.
← Becca Balint person
colleague inferential since 2023
Both are members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont, serving the same at-large district in overlapping periods. Sanders served as the state's sole House member before Balint's election.
← Sheldon Whitehouse elected official
colleague/collaborator secondary since 2025
Sheldon Whitehouse and Bernie Sanders serve together in the U.S. Senate and have co-sponsored legislation on climate change and financial reform.
← Bernie Sanders elected official
name_variant primary since 2026
The entity name 'Bernard Sanders' appears in the known entities list as a variant of 'Bernie Sanders'
← Elizabeth Warren elected official
Political ally inferential since 2013
Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders served together in the U.S. Senate and have been aligned on progressive policy positions.
← Linda T. Sánchez person
voting record (diverged) primary since 2024
Voted against Sanders' Joint Resolutions of Disapproval on Israel weapons sales (November 2024), diverging from Sanders' position on the issue.
← Hakeem Jeffries elected official
no direct connection found inferential
No documented connection between Hakeem Jeffries and Bernard Sanders in the provided facts.
← Richard J. Durbin person
vote_alignment primary since 2024
Durbin was one of only 19 senators who voted for Bernie Sanders' resolutions to block some arms sales to Israel in November 2024, voting for all three resolutions (S.J.Res. 111/113/115).
← Angus King elected official
colleague inferential since 2026
Angus King (as 'Angus S., Jr. King') and Bernard Sanders are both listed in the known entities as U.S. Senators who caucus as Independents.
← Cory Booker elected official
colleague inferential since 2026
Cory A. Booker and Bernard Sanders are both listed as U.S. Senators within the known entities list, indicating they serve together in the Senate.
← Chuck Schumer elected official
colleague secondary since 2007
Both serve in the U.S. Senate. Schumer as Democratic Leader, Sanders as Independent who caucuses with Democrats.
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00002469/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00004036/
← Transport Workers Union PAC organization
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00008268/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00011114/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00032979/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00035451/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00446237/
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00461418/
← Aksm Urology PAC organization
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00489419/
← Courage To Change organization
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (1 contribution), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00692202/
← End Citizens United company
donor primary since 2024
$5,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00573261/
donor primary since 2024
$10,000 to Bernard Sanders's principal committee in the 2024 cycle (2 contributions), FEC Schedule A line 11C. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00002766/
← Ron Wyden elected official
colleague secondary since 2026
Both serve in the U.S. Senate; Sanders is also from a neighboring state (Vermont) and shares committee assignments with Wyden as a Democrat/progressive.
← Raphael Warnock elected official
Co-sponsor/Co-voter primary since 2024
Warnock voted in favor of Sanders' Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block arms sales to Israel in November 2024, and was the only senator to vote for all three resolutions.
Sources (27)
2026 UNVERIFIED Research: Bernard Sanders — FEC donations (no results) fec_record Processed 📜 Receipt
2026 UNVERIFIED Research: Bernard Sanders — Parliamentary records (no results) parliamentary_record Processed 📜 Receipt
2026 UNVERIFIED Research: Bernard Sanders — Lobbying disclosures (no results) government_disclosure Processed 📜 Receipt
2026 UNVERIFIED Research: Bernard Sanders — Court records (no results) court_document Processed 📜 Receipt
2026 UNVERIFIED Research: Bernard Sanders — SEC filings (no results) sec_filing Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Constituency baseline: Demographic anchor congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Constituency baseline: Ballot measure congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Constituency baseline: Ballot measure congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Constituency baseline: Top employer congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Roll call: Article of Impeachment (Second Trump Impeachment — Conviction) congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Roll call: S. 5 / H.R. 29 congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Roll call: H.R. 3746 congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Roll call: H.R. 8404 congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Roll call: H.R. 3684 congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Roll call: H.R. 1319 congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Claim: Sanders has repeatedly and unequivocally declared support for Ukraine's d… congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Claim: Sanders voted against the $95 billion national security supplemental (H.R… congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Claim: Sanders was harshly critical of Hillary Clinton over the Clinton Foundati… discovery_scope_note Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Claim: Sanders stated at RFK Jr.'s confirmation hearing: 'I ran for president li… discovery_scope_note Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Silence evidence: Biden administration's resumption of border wall construction … congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Donor mapping evidence: Sanders spent $221,723 on private jet charters during th… congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Donor mapping evidence: Sanders' stepson David Driscoll, executive director of t… congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Donor mapping evidence: Friends of Bernie Sanders, his campaign committee, wired… congress_handoff Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Donor mapping evidence: Sanders' 2024 Senate reelection campaign raised $35,249,… discovery_scope_note Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Donor mapping evidence: Sanders received $1,417,633 from the pharmaceuticals/hea… discovery_scope_note Processed 📜 Receipt
— ↗ Donor mapping evidence: Sanders' campaign committee raised $295,361,900 across h… discovery_scope_note Processed 📜 Receipt
2026-04-23 UNVERIFIED SEARCH_ERROR: Bernard Sanders not found in fec claim_flag Processed 📜 Receipt