At the FEC, public interest groups and Democrats accused McGahn of steering the agency into an era of gridlock. McGahn led three Republicans, half the Commission, to block efforts by advocacy groups aiming to reduce the influence of money in politics. In fact, McGahn himself is credited as having played a crucial role in loosening regulation on campaign spending.
McGahn was also a lead lawyer for a key group in the Koch Brothers’ network – “Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce.” In 2012, the organization raised $256 million. It has given grants worth a total of $236 million to right-wing political groups like the Tea Party.