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New SuperPAC Financial Reports Reveal More Big Spenders

 
 
Reply Wed 1 Aug, 2012 11:33 am
The SuperPAC Superdonors
July 23, 2012

See the whole "Million-Dollar Donors" series


More than two dozen people or groups have donated at least $1 million each to the new superPACs, which can raise unlimited funds to help a candidate — although without technically coordinating with that campaign. The money is largely being used to run attack ads against opponents. Here are those giving the most money, according to the Federal Election Commission.

See the whole "Million-Dollar Donors" series
Photo Sheldon & Miriam Adelson Las Vegas, Nev.

Sheldon Adelson, 78, and his wife, Miriam, 66, own Las Vegas Sands Corp., which owns and operates major hotels and casinos. Sheldon Adelson told Forbes he might ultimately give "$100 million" to the superPAC supporting Newt Gingrich. "I'm against very wealthy people attempting to [influence] or influencing elections. But as long as it's doable I'm going to do it."

More: For A Personal Cause, Casino Owner Bets On Gingrich
Contributions

Winning Our Future (Gingrich) $5,000,000 Donor: Sheldon Adelson | Date: Jan. 6, 2012
Winning Our Future (Gingrich) $5,000,000 Donor: Miriam Adelson | Date: Jan. 24, 2012
Winning Our Future (Gingrich) $2,500,000 Donor: Miriam Adelson | Date: Feb. 17, 2012
Winning Our Future (Gingrich) $2,500,000 Donor: Sheldon Adelson | Date: Feb. 17, 2012
Winning Our Future (Gingrich) $5,000,000 Donor: Miriam Adelson | Date: March 21, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $5,000,000 Donor: Miriam Adelson | Date: June 14, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $5,000,000 Donor: Sheldon Adelson | Date: June 14, 2012

Kareem Ahmed Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

Ahmed is the Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.-based CEO of Landmark Medical Management, a medical billing and collecting firm.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $250,000 Donor: Kareem Ahmed | Date: Feb. 13, 2012
Priorities USA Action (Obama) $250,000 Donor: Kareem Ahmed | Date: Feb. 27, 2012
Priorities USA Action (Obama) $500,000 Donor: Kareem Ahmed | Date: Mar. 28, 2012

John Childs Vero Beach, Fla.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: John Childs | Date: June 20, 2012
American Crossroads (GOP) $500,000 Donor: John Childs | Date: June 27, 2012

Edward Conard New York, N.Y.

Conard, 54, a top official at Waters Corp. and Sensata Technologies, was managing director of Bain Capital — the private equity firm founded by Mitt Romney — from 1993 to 2007. He has contributed to PACs backing Romney since 2004, according to the Center for Public Integrity.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: Edward Conard | Date: April 28, 2011

Joe Craft Tulsa, Okla.

The Tulsa, Okla.-based chairman, president and CEO of Alliance Holdings GP LP, Craft once donated $6 million to finish the basketball practice facility at the University of Kentucky, where he got undergraduate and law degrees.
Contributions

American Crossroads (GOP) $425,000 Donor: Alliance Management Holdings | Date: Nov. 28, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Joseph Craft | Date: Jan. 17, 2012
American Crossroads (GOP) $1,250,000 Donor: Joe Craft | Date: May 31, 2012
American Crossroads (GOP) $425,000 Donor: Alliance Management Holdings | Date: May 31, 2012

Crow Holdings LLC Dallas, Texas

The Dallas company owns and manages the estate of the late Trammel Crow. The real estate investment company is headed by Harlan Crow, the chairman and CEO.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $150,000 Donor: Crow Holdings LLC | Date: Oct. 7, 2011
American Crossroads (GOP) $500,000 Donor: Crow Holdings LLC | Date: Nov. 18, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $150,000 Donor: Harlan Crow | Date: Nov. 22, 2011
American Crossroads (GOP) $1,000,000 Donor: Crow Holdings LLC | Date: May 30, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Crow Holdings LLC | Date: June 15, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Trammell Crow | Date: June 25, 2012

James Davis Newton, Mass.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: James Davis | Date: June 15, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: James Davis | Date: March 8, 2012

William J. Dore Lake Charles, La.

Dore, 69, a Louisiana native and president of the Dore Energy Corp. of Lake Charles, La., appears to be making by far his largest-ever political contributions this year, Bloomberg reported. Dore has not publicly discussed his donations. More: Betting Big On Santorum, Donor's Motives A Mystery
Contributions

Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $1,000,000 Donor: William J. Dore | Date: Jan. 11, 2012
Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $500,000 Donor: William J. Dore | Date: Feb. 14, 2012
Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $250,000 Donor: William J. Dore | Date: March 12, 2012
Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $500,000 Donor: William J. Dore | Date: March 26, 2012

Paul & Sandra Edgerley Brookline, Mass.

Paul B. Edgerley, 55, is managing director of Boston-based Bain Capital, the private equity firm co-founded by Mitt Romney, where he has worked since 1988. Sandra Edgerley formerly worked at Bain & Co. The couple have been contributing to Romney and PACs backing him since 2004, according to the Center for Public Integrity.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Paul Edgerley | Date: May 19, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Sandra Edgerley | Date: May 19, 2011

Eli Publishing Inc. Provo, Utah

An inactive Utah company formed in 1997 by Nu Skin founder Steven Lund, 58.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: Eli Publishing Inc. | Date: March 31, 2011

Fred Eychaner Chicago, Ill.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $500,000 Donor: Fred Eychaner | Date: June 30, 2011
Priorities USA Action (Obama) $1,000,000 Donor: Fred Eychaner | Date: June 29, 2012

F8 LLC Provo, Utah

F8 LLC has the same address as Eli Publishing Inc.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: F8 LLC | Date: March 31, 2011

Morgan Freeman Los Angeles, Calif.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $1,000,000 Donor: Morgan Freeman | Date: June 21, 2012

Photo Foster S. Friess Jackson, Wyo.

The self-described "man atop the horse," Friess, 71, a mutual fund investor, has promoted and financed conservative politics and philanthropy for decades.
More: A Wyoming Millionaire Places His Faith In Santorum
Contributions

Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $250,000 Donor: Foster S. Friess | Date: Nov. 3, 2011
Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $81,000 Donor: Foster S. Friess | Date: Dec. 22, 2011
Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $253,400 Donor: Foster S. Friess | Date: Jan. 18, 2012
Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $415,600 Donor: Foster S. Friess | Date: Jan. 30, 2012
Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $600,000 Donor: Foster S. Friess | Date: Feb. 21, 2012
Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $500,000 Donor: Foster S. Friess | Date: March 8, 2012

Philip Geier New York, N.Y.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: Philip Geier | Date: July 28, 2011
American Crossroads (GOP) $200,000 Donor: Philip Geier | Date: Nov. 22, 2011
American Crossroads (GOP) $300,000 Donor: Philip Geier | Date: Nov. 23, 2011
American Crossroads (GOP) $300,000 Donor: Philip Geier | Date: Feb. 6, 2012

Amy Goldman Rhinebeck, N.Y.

The Rhinebeck, N.Y.-based writer and philanthropist, a noted heirloom plant conservationist, is the daughter of the late real estate investor Sol Goldman, once the largest private landlord in New York City.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $1,000,000 Donor: Amy Goldman | Date: Mar. 20, 2012

Photo Kenneth Griffin Chicago, Ill.

Griffin, 43, Founder and CEO of hedge-fund Citadel LLC, was a top donor in 2010 to Republicans running for the Illinois legislature -- and to Chicago Democratic mayoral candidate (and now mayor) Rahm Emanuel, former White House chief of staff to President Obama, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Contributions

American Crossroads (GOP) $300,000 Donor: Kenneth Griffin | Date: Aug. 1, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $100,000 Donor: Kenneth Griffin | Date: Dec. 15, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $100,000 Donor: Kenneth Griffin | Date: Feb. 9, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $850,000 Donor: Kenneth Griffin | Date: Mar. 26, 2012
American Crossroads (GOP) $700,000 Donor: Kenneth Griffin | Date: Mar. 28, 2012

Franklin Haney Washington, D.C.

The Tennessee-born founder of a real estate company that develops hotels and apartment buildings in Washington, D.C., ran and lost in bids for Congress in 1966 and for Tennessee governor in 1974. He has been a longtime Democratic fundraiser.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $1,000,000 Donor: Franklin Haney | Date: May 29, 2012

Photo Jon M. Huntsman Sr. Salt Lake City, Utah

The founder and executive chairman of Huntsman Corp., Huntsman, 74, is the father of former Republican presidential candidate Jon M. Huntsman Jr. The billionaire philanthropist has donated heavily to cancer research.
Contributions

Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $100,000 Donor: Jon M. Huntsman | Date: Oct. 14, 2011
Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $400,000 Donor: Jon M. Huntsman | Date: Oct. 21, 2011
Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $140,000 Donor: Jon M. Huntsman | Date: Nov. 20, 2011
Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $400,000 Donor: Jon M. Huntsman | Date: Nov. 22, 2011
Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $170,050 Donor: Jon M. Huntsman | Date: Dec. 1, 2011
Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $400,000 Donor: Jon M. Huntsman | Date: Dec. 13, 2011
Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $276,990 Donor: Jon M. Huntsman | Date: Dec. 29, 2011
Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $120,000 Donor: Jon M. Huntsman | Date: Jan. 5, 2012
Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $135,000 Donor: Jon M. Huntsman | Date: Jan. 6, 2012
Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $80,000 Donor: Jon M. Huntsman | Date: Jan. 30, 2012

Irwin Jacobs La Jolla, Calif.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $2,000,000 Donor: Irwin Jacobs | Date: June 11, 2012

Photo Jeffrey Katzenberg Universal City, Calif.

Chief executive at DreamWorks Animation, Katzenberg, 61, a longtime funder of Democrats, told USA Today he wants to counter heavy spending that has favored Republican candidates. "The stakes are too high for us to simply allow the extremism of a small but well-funded right-wing minority to go unchallenged,"he said.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $2,000,000 Donor: Jeffrey Katzenberg | Date: May 27, 2011

John Kleinheinz Fort Worth, Texas

The owner of Kleinheinz Capital Partners, a global hedge fund founded in 1996, based in Fort Worth, Texas.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: John Kleinheinz | Date: April 9, 2012

Photo William Koch West Palm Beach, Fla.

The Palm Beach, Fla., billionaire, 72, is the twin brother of David Koch and younger brother of Charles Koch, who share a higher profile in their conservative political activity. An avid yachtsman whose team won the 1992 America's Cup, Koch has not — until this campaign season — been heavily invested in politics like his also-wealthy brothers, David and Charles Koch. William Koch's fortune is about $4 billion, according to Forbes magazine.
More: For A Billionaire, $2M Gets You Superdonor Status
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: William Koch | Date: Sept. 12, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: Oxbow Carbon LLC | Date: Sept. 13, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Oxbow Carbon LLC | Date: Dec. 21, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: Huron Carbon LLC | Date: Mar. 5, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: Oxbow Carbon LLC | Date: June 5, 2012

Photo Bill Maher Los Angeles, Calif.

Maher, 56, is a comedian, political commentator and host of HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher."
More: Bill Maher's Obama SuperPAC Donation Causing Stir
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $1,000,000 Donor: William Maher | Date: Feb. 28, 2012

J.W. Marriott Bethesda, Md.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: J.W. Marriott | Date: June 15, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: J.W. Marriott | Date: Jan. 17, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: J.W. Marriott | Date: Mar. 7, 2012

Richard Marriott Potomac, Md.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: J.W. Marriott | Date: June 20, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: J.W. Marriott | Date: Jan. 31, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: J.W. Marriott | Date: Mar. 23, 2012

Robert Mercer East Setauket, N.Y.

New York hedge fund manager at Renaissance Technologies
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: Robert Mercer | Date: July 28, 2011

Photo Melaleuca Inc. Idaho Falls, Idaho

Frank L. VanderSloot (left), CEO of the privately held dietary supplement and cleaning supply company, also is national finance co-chairman of Mitt Romney's presidential campaign.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: Melaleuca of Asia Ltd. Co. | Date: Aug. 5, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: Melaleuca of Japan Inc. | Date: Aug. 5, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: Melaleuca of Southeast Asia Inc. | Date: Aug. 5, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: Melaleuca Inc. | Date: Aug. 15, 2011

Photo Irving Moskowitz Hawaiian Gardens, Calif.

Moskowitz, 84, is a retired Florida physician, a bingo magnate who runs a California charity, and a longtime supporter of expanding Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem.
Contributions

American Crossroads (GOP) $1,000,000 Donor: Irving Moskowitz | Date: Feb. 14, 2011

Steve Mostyn Houston, Texas

Former president of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, the Houston personal injury lawyer has been the state's largest Democratic donor this election cycle. He was the financial backer for the Back to Basics PAC, which unsuccessfully worked for the defeat Texas Gov. Rick Perry in 2010.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $1,000,000 Donor: Steve Mostyn | Date: May 11, 2012

National Air Traffic Controllers Association PAC Washington, D.C.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $1,000,000 Donor: National Air Traffic Controllers Association PAC | Date: April 30, 2012

Rocco Ortenzio Lemoyne, Pa.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: Rocco Ortenzio | Date: April 3, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Rocco Ortenzio | Date: May 16, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: Rocco Ortenzio | Date: June 1, 2012

Photo John Paulson New York, N.Y.

Paulson, 56, president of Paulson & Co., "became a billionaire in 2007 by betting against the U.S. subprime mortgage market," Bloomberg News noted in February. Forbes said his net worth as of September was $15.5 billion, and that last year's "take-home pay" was $4.9 billion, "a record for the hedge fund industry."
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: John Paulson | Date: Jan. 28, 2011

Photo A. Jerrold Perenchio Los Angeles, Calif.

Perenchio, 81, is former chairman and CEO of Spanish-language TV channel Univision. In September, Forbes put his net worth at $2.3 billion.
Contributions

American Crossroads (GOP) $2,000,000 Donor: Jerry Perenchio Living Trust | Date: April 22, 2011
Our Destiny PAC (Huntsman) $100,000 Donor: A. Jerrold Perenchio | Date: Jan. 6, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Jerry Perenchio | Date: Feb. 23, 2012

Photo Bob J. Perry Houston, Texas

Perry, 79, homebuilder and owner of Perry Homes in Houston, has long been active in Republican politics. The Center for Public Integrity said: "Perry, whose deep pockets helped underwrite the assault on Democrat John Kerry's military record during the 2004 presidential election, may have done more than anyone else to ensure George W. Bush's narrow victory that year."
More: Lots Of GOP Money Flowing From The Texas Two
Contributions

American Crossroads (GOP) $500,000 Donor: Bob J. Perry | Date: Feb. 28, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Bob Perry | Date: March 8, 2011
American Crossroads (GOP) $2,000,000 Donor: Bob J. Perry | Date: Aug. 24, 2011
Make Us Great Again (Perry) $100,000 Donor: Bob J. Perry | Date: Aug. 30, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Bob Perry | Date: Dec. 7, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $3,000,000 Donor: Bob Perry | Date: Feb. 15, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $750,000 Donor: Bob Perry | Date: April 5, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $2,000,000 Donor: Bob Perry | Date: June 1, 2012
American Crossroads (GOP) $2,000,000 Donor: Bob Perry | Date: June 28, 2012

Photo Julian Robertson Locust Valley, N.Y.

One of the first hedge fund managers, Robertson, 79, was founder of Tiger Management Corp. The Raleigh News & Observer notes that Robertson also has supported environmental causes and gave more than $40 million to the Environmental Defense Fund between 2005 and 2009 "to support the group's efforts to pass cap-and-trade legislation."
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: Julian Robertson | Date: Nov. 22, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $250,000 Donor: Julian Robertson | Date: Jan. 18, 2012

Rooney Holdings Inc. Tulsa, Okla.

The family-owned company is a major domestic and foreign builder, responsible for — among other things — the Dallas Cowboys' huge new stadium. Francis Rooney, 58, the company's president and CEO, was U.S. ambassador to the Vatican during the administration of George W. Bush.
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Rooney Holdings Inc. | Date: July 19, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Rooney Holdings Inc. | Date: Dec. 7, 2011

Robert B. Rowling Irving, Texas

An oil industry giant who also owns the Omni hotel chain, Rowling, 57, of Dallas — owner, CEO and president of TRT Holdings Inc. — is worth $4.7 billion, according to Forbes.
Contributions

American Crossroads (GOP) $1,000,000 Donor: Robert B. Rowling | Date: May 20, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $100,000 Donor: Robert B. Rowling | Date: Jan. 13, 2012
American Crossroads (GOP) $1,000,000 Donor: TRT Holdings Ind. | Date: Feb. 3, 2012

SEIU COPE Washington, D.C.

Service Employees International Union Committee on Political Education, is, according to the union, made up of 300,000 people who contribute on average $7 per month.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $500,000 Donor: SEIU COPE | Date: May 2, 2011
Priorities USA Action (Obama) $500,000 Donor: SEIU COPE | Date: Dec. 28, 2011

Photo Harold C. Simmons Dallas, Texas

Simmons, 80, is a Texas businessman long active in funding campaigns. In 2008, he helped finance ads against Barack Obama; in 2004, he gave $2 million to the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth, which attacked Democrat John Kerry. In January, Forbes listed his net worth at $8.7 billion.
More: Lots Of GOP Money Flowing From The Texas Two
Contributions

Make Us Great Again (Perry) $500,000 Donor: Contran Corporation | Date: Sept. 23, 2011
American Crossroads (GOP) $1,000,000 Donor: Contran Corporation | Date: Oct. 21, 2011
Make Us Great Again (Perry) $500,000 Donor: Contran Corporation | Date: Oct. 24, 2011
American Crossroads (GOP) $1,000,000 Donor: Contran Corporation | Date: Oct. 26, 2011
American Crossroads (GOP) $5,000,000 Donor: Harold C. Simmons | Date: Nov. 29, 2011
Winning Our Future (Gingrich) $500,000 Donor: Harold Simmons | Date: Dec. 15, 2011
American Crossroads (GOP) $5,000,000 Donor: Harold C. Simmons | Date: Jan. 13, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $100,000 Donor: Harold C. Simmons | Date: Jan. 13, 2012
Winning Our Future (Gingrich) $500,000 Donor: Harold Simmons | Date: Jan. 24, 2012
Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $1,000,000 Donor: Annette Simmons | Date: Feb. 15, 2012
Winning Our Future (Gingrich) $100,000 Donor: Harold Simmons | Date: Feb. 15, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $100,000 Donor: Harold Simmons | Date: Feb. 28, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $100,000 Donor: Harold Simmons | Date: March 9, 2012
Red White and Blue Fund (Santorum) $200,000 Donor: Annette Simmons | Date: March 19, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Harold Simmons | Date: March 19, 2012
American Crossroads (GOP) $1,000,000 Donor: Harold Simmons | Date: April 25, 2012

Photo Paul Singer New York, N.Y.

Singer, 67, CEO of hedge fund Elliott Management, supported passage of New York state's same-sex-marriage legislation and lobbied hard to get New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie to enter the Republican race.
More: SuperDonor Backs Romney — And Gay Marriage
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $1,000,000 Donor: Paul Singer | Date: Oct. 17, 2011

Barbara Stiefel Coral Gables, Fla.

The Coral Gables, Fla., retiree is a longtime Democratic fundraiser and philanthropist.
Contributions

Priorities USA Action (Obama) $1,000,000 Donor: Barbara Stiefel | Date: May 24, 2012

Photo Peter Thiel San Francisco, Calif.

Co-founder of PayPal, Thiel, 44, also an early investor in Facebook, has a net worth of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes.
More: With Eye On Future, Billionaire Investor Bets On Paul
Contributions

Endorse Liberty (Paul) $150,000 Donor: Peter Thiel | Date: Dec. 16, 2011
Endorse Liberty (Paul) $750,000 Donor: Peter Thiel | Date: Dec. 21, 2011
Endorse Liberty (Paul) $1,000,000 Donor: Peter Thiel | Date: Jan. 3, 2012
Endorse Liberty (Paul) $700,000 Donor: Peter Thiel | Date: Jan. 13, 2012

Steven Webster Houston, Texas
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Steven Webster | Date: Nov. 29, 2011
Restore Our Future (Romney) $500,000 Donor: Steven Webster | Date: March 1, 2012

Whiteco Industries Inc. Merrillville, Ind.

A construction and advertising company headed by Dean White.
Contributions

American Crossroads (GOP) $1,000,000 Donor: Whiteco Industries Inc. | Date: Nov. 15, 2011

Unknown Dayton, Ohio

These contributions came from the same address in Dayton, Ohio, but under different company names. (Source: Sunlight Foundation)
Contributions

Restore Our Future (Romney) $333,334 Donor: Waterbury Properties LLC | Date: May 22, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $333,333 Donor: CRC Information Systems Inc. | Date: May 22, 2012
Restore Our Future (Romney) $333,333 Donor: Fairbanks Properties LLC | Date: May 22, 2012
American Crossroads (GOP) $333,333 Donor: CRC Information Systems Inc. | Date: June 5, 2012
American Crossroads (GOP) $333,333 Donor: Fairbanks Properties LLC | Date: June 5, 2012
American Crossroads (GOP) $333,334 Donor: Waterbury Properties LLC | Date: June 6, 2012


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New SuperPAC Financial Reports Reveal More Big Spenders
June 21, 2012
by Natalie Friedman

The political fundraising numbers filed this week are revealing a new crop of million-dollar donors.

Cash flowed into the superPACs supporting President Obama and Republican rival Mitt Romney last month. Priorities USA Action, the pro-Obama superPAC, got $4 million, while the pro-Romney equivalent, Restore Our Future, pulled in $5 million.

So who are the big spenders?

Priorities USA can thank three donors, who each kicked in $1 million, for its rise in funds:

Franklin L. Haney, founder of a real estate company that develops hotels and apartment buildings in Washington, D.C., may be Tennessee-born, but his ties to Washington are deep. It took two unsuccessful political bids — one for Congress in 1966, and then for Tennessee governor in 1974 — for Haney to realize he was better suited to fundraising than campaigning. He put aside his political ambitions and, through the success of his real estate business, has been a longtime Democratic fundraiser.

Barbara A. Stiefel, a philanthropist from Coral Gables, Fla., has been an active fundraiser for Florida Democrats.

And in Texas, trial lawyer Steve Mostyn is the state's largest Democratic donor this election cycle. This isn't the first time Mostyn has supported a political action committee. He was the financial backer for a much smaller PAC, Back to Basics, that was dedicated to defeating Gov. Rick Perry of Texas in 2010.

Restore Our Future also saw some new names popping up on its donor list.

Warren Stephens, an investment banker from Arkansas, gave a first-time donation of $500,000 to the superPAC.

Richard Mellon Scaife, owner of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and Newsmax, gave $67,500. Scaife is an heir to his great-uncle Andrew Mellon's fortune. He's directed much of his wealth to supporting conservative causes, and in the 1990s was one of former President Bill Clinton's harshest critics.

Unlike Scaife and Stephens, Rocco Ortenzio, a Pennsylvania health care executive, is one of Restore Our Future's repeat donors. The May filings bring his current total to $750,000 with a new donation of $500,000 just last month.

There were three separate donations of $333,333, $333,333 and $333,334 made by three different corporations in Dayton, Ohio, with matching return addresses. The Sunlight Foundation traced the million-dollar donation to the Reynolds and Reynolds Co. run by CEO Robert T. Brockman. Brockman has already given the maximum donation of $5,000 directly to Romney's campaign.

American Crossroads, another Republican superPAC, attracted two million-dollar donors last month, for a total haul of $4.6 million for May. The money will be used to help Romney and other GOP causes.

Joe Craft, a coal executive from Tulsa, Okla., and Crow Holdings LLC, owned by Texas investor Harlan Crow, were American Crossroads' big benefactors. Crow has already given $300,000 to Restore Our Future.
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RABEL222
 
  1  
Reply Wed 1 Aug, 2012 05:21 pm
I live in the midwest. The television stations carry republican ads knocking other republicans and Obama about every 5 min. I am already sick of politicians of any color. No racial slur intended.
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BumbleBeeBoogie
 
  1  
Reply Sat 8 Sep, 2012 10:19 am
@BumbleBeeBoogie,
As Election Nears, Keeping Donors A Secret Is Trickier
by Peter Overby - NPR
Weekend Edition Saturday
September 8, 2012

Some of the groups running ads this election season haven't been required to disclose their donors. But as Election Day draws nearer, some of the rules are changing, making campaign ads a riskier business for those who want to keep donors a secret.

Electioneering ads don't expressly tell you how to vote, and require the disclosure of donor names 60 days ahead of an election.

Express advocacy ads, on the other hand, explicitly tell viewers how to vote. They're not subject to the same disclosure rules, but can violate IRS rules governing social welfare groups.

This spot from Crossroads GPS is an example of an "electioneering" ad. Instead of telling people how to vote, it recommends telling Obama to stop spending in order to cut the debt.

This Americans For Prosperity Ad is an example of "express advocacy," telling people how to vote by saying "We must replace President Obama."
A Fine Line: Distinguishing Issue Ads From Advocacy June 19, 2012

Republican Mitt Romney's campaign put up 15 new ads Friday in eight battleground states. In those eight states, the Romney and Obama teams have spent $381 million since May 1, according to an NPR analysis of data compiled by the National Journal.

Republicans have outspent Democrats in five of the eight states, and, overall, they lead by $25 million.

Two pro-Republican groups account for two-thirds of all the GOP spending, and more than the Romney campaign itself. One group is Americans for Prosperity, which is backed by billionaires David and Charles Koch. The other, cofounded by strategist Karl Rove, is Crossroads GPS.

Americans for Prosperity and Crossroads GPS are technically social welfare organizations, so they aren't required to disclose their donors. But now that the election is fewer than 60 days away, maintaining secrecy is a little harder.

There's a legal "window" that closes 60 days before the election. Once it's shut, groups are required to disclose the money behind so-called "electioneering" ads. Those are TV and radio ads that talk about candidates, but don't expressly tell you how to vote.

The window for the presidential campaigns actually closed 30 days ago, since the conventions are considered to be primary elections. Now, as of Friday, the window is closed for Senate and House races, too.

To avoid disclosure rules, social welfare groups can switch to "express advocacy." These kind of ads explicitly advise viewers how to vote or who to support, but don't have a disclosure requirement. According to tax code, however, social welfare groups aren't supposed to be political organizations. So if a group does too much express advocacy — generally considered to be more than half a group's activity — it can get into trouble with the IRS.

So they have to talk to their lawyers — and roll the dice.

"There are tens — if not hundreds — of millions of dollars in the gamble," says Greg Colvin, a San Francisco lawyer who specializes in the law for tax-exempt organizations. "They're gonna cross their fingers and hope that they spent less than 51 percent of their money on ads that the IRS will not consider to be political."

Crossroads GPS and Americans for Prosperity didn't respond Friday to queries on how they plan to proceed.
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