Business Insider: A new Pence fundraising arm raised eyebrows, but Republicans insist it's not a sign of presidential ambitions
Brendan Fischer, federal and FEC reform director at the Campaign Legal Center, admitted that the timing of the PAC's launch was "odd" and that it's a "possibility" the PAC could be used to further Pence's political ambitions. But what's more likely, he said, is that the launch of the PAC goes hand-in-hand with Trump's atypical move to file for reelection so early in his first term as president.
With a number of campaign events already held so far in his young presidency, Fischer said Pence might feel as if he needs to have such a committee formed early to cover these growing costs, which could also be covered by Trump's campaign if necessary.
Fischer added that another reason for the Pence PAC is that the vice president could use funds from it to cover any legal costs accumulated as a result of the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, which is now being headed up by recently appointed special counsel Robert Mueller, the former FBI director.
With any possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials being examined, Fischer said he's "sure" the vice president will have legal costs stemming from the investigation examining the campaign. The PAC could pay for any such costs since the investigation directly tied to a campaign, he said.
The wildest reason for the PAC was what Fischer admitted was possible — Pence using it for his own presidential future.
"Certainly the optics of Pence forming his own 2020 campaign committee when his boss is also already declaring his candidacy, I mean, that would be for some strange, strange optics," he said.