25% of super PAC money coming from just 5 rich donors (Peter Thiel makes the list)

[Constitutional Paulicy]

25% of super PAC money coming from just 5 rich donors
By Fredreka Schouten, Gregory Korte and Christopher Schnaars, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON – Five wealthy people, led by Dallas industrialist Harold Simmons and Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, have donated nearly $1 of every $4 flowing to the super PACs raising unlimited money in this year's presidential race, a USA TODAY analysis shows.

Those donations have helped new Republican-leaning outside groups swamp Democratic-friendly super PACs in fundraising — money that is used largely for attack ads. The large sums also have rejuvenated the underfunded campaigns of principal challengers to former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney in the race for the Repulican nomination.

"Without the flow of super PAC money, the Republican race would be over," said Anthony Corrado, a campaign-finance expert at Colby College in Maine. "Super PACs have become a vehicle for a very small number of millionaires and billionaires who are willing to spend large sums in pursuit of their political agenda."

Simmons, a billionaire who pumped $3 million into Swift Boat ads in 2004 challenging Democrat John Kerry's Vietnam War record, is the largest super PAC donor of the 2012 election, the analysis shows.

He and his holding company, Contran, gave $12 million to American Crossroads, a super PAC affiliated with Republican strategist Karl Rove. He donated $2.2 million more to three super PACs supporting Republican presidential candidates. He did not respond to an interview request Tuesday.

In the No. 2 slot: Adelson and wife Miriam, who gave $10 million to Winning Our Future, a super PAC aiding former House speaker Newt Gingrich. Adelson declined an interview request through a spokesman.

However, in a Forbes magazine article posted Tuesday, Adelson said he is willing to donate another "$10 million or $100 million" to aid Gingrich. "I'm against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections, but as along as it's doable, I'm going to do it," Adelson said.

Adelson, who operates the Venetian, a massive Las Vegas resort, along with casinos in Singapore and Macau, shares hawkish stands on Israel with Gingrich, but he said he's motivated by economic policy. He said his goal is to defeat President Obama and what he termed a "socialist-style economy."

Other mega-donors to super PACs:

•Peter Thiel, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist and co-founder of PayPal, who donated $2.6 million to Endorse Liberty, a super PAC helping Rep. Ron Paul of Texas. Thiel, a libertarian, gave $70,000 to a 2010 ballot initiative in California legalizing marijuana.

Thiel is the single largest donor to Endorse Liberty, which has spent more than $3 million — mostly on Internet ads — to advance Paul's candidacy. "Men and women who want freedom and growth should take action," he said. "A good place to start is voting for Ron Paul."

•Houston home builder Bob Perry, who has donated $3.6 million to super PACs since Jan. 1, 2011, including $2.5 million to American Crossroads.

He has supported Texas Gov. Rick Perry and state PACs backing former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty in the past, but he shifted last year to a pro-Romney super PAC with a $1 million donation.

Anthony Holm, a spokesman for Bob Perry, released this statement about the contributions: "Bob Perry believed Mitt Romney is the right person to create jobs in America, which stands in stark contrast to our current president."

Simmons, whose vast holdings include chemical plants and an East Texas nuclear-waste facility, and Perry, one of the nation's largest home builders, have different business interests but share common political views, said Cal Jillson, a political scientist at Southern Methodist University in Dallas and author of Lone Star Tarnished: A Critical Look at Texas Politics and Public Policy.

"They are extremely wealthy people who put their resources behind their vision of the appropriate relationship between the government and the private sector," Jillson said. "That vision is low taxes, small government and personal responsibility."

No Democratic donors rank as high as the top donors to Republican super PACs.

Priorities USA Action, the main super PAC backing Obama's re-election, raised just shy of $59,000 in January — a fraction of the $27.2 million raised last month alone by five leading GOP super PACs. The biggest donation to Priorities USA Action last month: $50,000 from John Rogers, CEO of Ariel Investments and one of Obama's closest friends.

[NewRightLibertarian]

So Santorum hasn't gotten any of this money but the 'expert' predicted that the race would have long been over without this cash? Sounds like bull$#@! to me.

[joshnorris14]

So Santorum hasn't gotten any of this money but the 'expert' predicted that the race would have long been over without this cash? Sounds like bull$#@! to me.

Santorum has gotten money from Foster Freiss

[Constitutional Paulicy]

This is from NPR.... http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolit...igh-next-moves

Friess has so far donated a total of $381,000 to the Red, White and Blue Fund, according to OpenSecrets.org. He has also contributed $2,500 directly to Rick Santorum's campaign and an additional $50,000 to the Leaders for Families SuperPAC, which helped Santorum toward his win in Iowa's caucuses.

[Constitutional Paulicy]

However, in a Forbes magazine article posted Tuesday, Adelson said he is willing to donate another "$10 million or $100 million" to aid Gingrich. "I'm against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections, but as along as it's doable, I'm going to do it," Adelson said.

This had me laughing. No wonder he supports Gingrich.... "Birds of a feather flock together".

[joshnorris14]

This had me laughing. No wonder he supports Gingrich.... "Birds of a feather flock together".

The same could be said about Thiel:

"I don't support state governments, but if I'm able to help someone I like be the head of that state government, I'll do it"

[Constitutional Paulicy]

The same could be said about Thiel

I think you missed my point. Thiel never said "I'm against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections, but as along as it's doable, I'm going to do it,"

That to me is a hypocritical statement and I consider Gingrich to be the biggest hypocrite of all the candidates. Thus the comparison.

[joshnorris14]

I think you missed my point. Thiel never said "I'm against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections, but as along as it's doable, I'm going to do it," That to me is a hypocritical statement and I consider Gingrich to be the biggest hypocrite of all the candidates.

I didn't miss the point. Thiel is against Democracy, state governments, et cetra, but is willing to participate in the process of democracy in order to put a man he likes at the helm of a state government.

I'm not criticizing Thiel, I hold very similar positions as he does and if I had the money I'd be doing the same thing. It's just a piss poor argument that you're making that could be turned against "us".

[Constitutional Paulicy]

Your comment was....

The same could be said about Thiel:

In what way is Thiel a hypocrite? That was the point I was making, so it looks to me like you did miss my point.

[joshnorris14]

Your comment was....

In what way is Thiel a hypocrite? That was the point I was making, so it looks to me like you did miss my point.

I just spelled out how Thiel was a hypocrite by your standard. I'll spell it out for you again:

Thiel is against Democracy and State governments

Thiel supports a man who is running for President of a state government.

That is hypocritical.

[Constitutional Paulicy]

I just spelled out how Thiel was a hypocrite by your standard.

My standard? The standard was set when Adelson said; "I'm against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections, but as along as it's doable, I'm going to do it,"

In that very comment he contradicted what he believes in by doing the very thing he says he is against. Thiel never made those comments. That is where I see the difference between Thiel and Adelson.

This has nothing to do with my standard.

[joshnorris14]

My standard? The standard was set when Adelson said; "I'm against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections, but as along as it's doable, I'm going to do it,"

In that very comment he contradicted what he believes in by doing the very thing he says he is against. Thiel never made those comments. That is where I see the difference between Thiel and Adelson.

This has nothing to do with my standard.

So far over your head it's not even worth discussing anymore.

[Constitutional Paulicy]

So far over your head it's not even worth discussing anymore.

Funny I was thinking the same thing about you. You seemed to have missed the point. Stuck your foot in your mouth. And now your back tracking.

[Paulitics 2011]

I just spelled out how Thiel was a hypocrite by your standard. I'll spell it out for you again:

Thiel is against Democracy and State governments

Thiel supports a man who is running for President of a state government.

That is hypocritical.

The difference is that Thiel knows that isn't going to happen and is compromising on a minarchist leader, rather than not doing anything. Adelson is directly contradicting himself.