Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell cautioned Republican senators at a private meeting not to support Senator Josh Hawley's proposed bill aimed at curbing corporate funding for influential outside groups. McConnell, who has long controlled a powerful super PAC, reminded senators that many of them owed their victories to the financial support provided by the Senate Leadership Fund, which is associated with the Kentucky Republican.

Multiple sources familiar with the Tuesday lunch meeting revealed that McConnell issued a warning, stating that senators might face criticism from the "center-right" if they endorsed Hawley's bill. To emphasize his point, McConnell read out a list of senators who received significant financial backing from the Senate Leadership Fund during their election campaigns. Interestingly, Senator Hawley himself was included in that list.

The relationship between McConnell and Hawley has been tense in recent times, with the latter frequently criticizing the GOP leader and calling for new leadership within their conference. In response to McConnell's alignment with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on the issue of tying Ukraine aid to an Israel funding package, Hawley labeled it a "mistake."

Hawley's newly proposed bill, the Ending Corporate Influence on Elections Act, seeks to reverse the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision, which relaxed campaign finance regulations. Notably, this places the conservative Missouri Republican in alignment with many Democrats. The bill aims to prohibit publicly traded corporations from making independent expenditures and political advertisements, as well as banning them from donating to super PACs.

Defending his bill, Hawley argued that corporate influence must be limited in elections. He stated, "I think that's wrong… It's bad for our elections. It's bad for our voters. And I just think on principle, we ought to be concerned."

McConnell singled out a number of lawmakers who have benefited from his outside group, the Senate Leadership Fund, during the past three election cycles. Among them are Mike Braun of Indiana, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Roger Marshall of Kansas, Susan Collins of Maine, Steve Daines of Montana, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Katie Britt of Alabama, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Ted Budd of North Carolina, JD Vance of Ohio, and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.

During the 2018 elections, Hawley himself received more than $20 million in support from McConnell's group.

As of now, McConnell's office declined to comment on the matter. The GOP leader has long been an opponent of stricter campaign finance regulations, and his opposition to Hawley's bill further highlights the divide between the two senators. However, Hawley remains steadfast in his pursuit of limiting corporate influence in elections, hoping to garner support for his proposed legislation.