super PACs

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Citizens United Unleashed the 'Crankocrats'

Timothy Noah points out that corporations aren't the ones funding super PACs

(Newser) - When the Citizens United decision came down, many people expected a corporate takeover of the political system. But that hasn't happened, Timothy Noah of The New Republic points out. Corporations wanted no part of campaign controversy. Instead, super PACs are fueled by "crankocrats," tycoons like Foster Friess,...

Adelson: Newt 'At the End of His Line'

Billionaire backer acknowledges Gingrich probably can't win

(Newser) - Looks like even Newt Gingrich's biggest financial backer knows it's all but over for the GOP presidential candidate, the Los Angeles Times reports. "It appears as though he’s at the end of his—at the end of his line," said billionaire casino owner Sheldon Adelson...

Meet the GOP&#39;s Biggest Donor
 Meet the GOP's Biggest Donor 

Meet the GOP's Biggest Donor

It's not Sheldon Adelson: Harold Clark Simmons has given $18.7M

(Newser) - Sheldon Adelson and Foster Friess have been in the spotlight as the billionaire backers of Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, respectively, but one man has given more than either of them to the GOP's 2012 effort: Harold Clark Simmons. The difference is that Simmons, the 80-year-old Texas billionaire head...

Santorum Rips Big Money 'Machine' in Ill. Defeat

He slams super PACs in Gettysburg address

(Newser) - Rick Santorum has made it clear that he's sticking around despite his resounding defeat in Illinois . In a rambling election night speech in Gettysburg, he described this year's election as the most important since 1860, urged supporters to "saddle up, like Reagan did in the cowboy movies,...

Pro-Romney Super PAC Taking Fed Contractor Money

Banned for 36 years, controversial donations may now be allowed

(Newser) - Ah, Citizens United , the political can of worms that keeps on opening. Federal contractors have been banned from making political donations for 36 years, but because of the Citizens United Supreme Court decision, it's now unclear whether they can give to super PACs. American Crossroads (a Republican super PAC)...

2012 GOP Race the Cheapest in Years

...even with all that super PAC dough

(Newser) - Surprising fact: Even with the contributions of a billionaire casino mogul , the 2012 GOP race for the White House is actually turning out to be one of the cheapest in decades. The Washington Post looks at the numbers through January, and reports that every single primary season since the 1990s...

New Super PAC Wants to Dump All Incumbents

'We’re not interested in shifting power between Republicans and Democrats'

(Newser) - On Super Tuesday, the Campaign for Primary Accountability had its money behind two diametrically opposed candidates: Tea Party conservative Brad Wenstrup, and Dennis Kucinich. What did they have in common? Both were taking on long-entrenched incumbents. The Campaign is the rare super PAC that doesn't back any one candidate...

Obama to Dems: No Cash for You
 Obama to Dems: 
 No Cash for You 

FUNDRAISING 2012

Obama to Dems: No Cash for You

In face of Super PACs, Obama cuts off committees

(Newser) - For Democrats who President Obama showered with cash in 2008 and 2010, well, they'd better get ready to raise their own darn money this time around. As in the last two election cycles, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi recently asked the Obama for America campaign and the Democratic National...

Colbert's PAC Woos More Texans Than Romney's

Scores 15 donors of more than $200

(Newser) - Stephen Colbert may not have won any primaries, but he's beaten Mitt Romney by at least one measure. Colbert's super PAC received $200-plus donations from 17 Texans, compared to 15 for Mitt Romney, the Houston Chronicle reports. The Supreme Court ruling that paved the way for super PACs...

Gingrich's Billionaire Backer Coughs Up Yet More Dough

'Substantial' contribution made to pro-Newt super PAC

(Newser) - Sheldon Adelson has injected yet more money into the super PAC supporting Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign. The billionaire casino owner donated another "substantial" amount to Winning Our Future, helping it to air new TV ads in seven states starting today, the AP reports. A source says the new...

Bill Maher Hands $1M to Obama Super PAC

Presents check during Yahoo standup show

(Newser) - Bill Maher isn't being coy about his political allegiance. As part of his standup show last night, broadcast live by Yahoo , the comedian gave a giant check for $1 million to a pro-President Obama super PAC. The money adds to the nearly $4.5 million Priorities USA Action has...

Super PAC Leaders Paying Themselves Handsomely

Santorum PAC head Nick Ryan funnels $570K to his business

(Newser) - Super PAC leaders have found a great use for all the unbridled cash pouring into their campaigns: paying themselves. The pro-Rick Santorum Red White and Blue Fund may be the most egregious offender; according to the LA Times , it paid $570,000 last month—a third of its total expenditures—...

Stats Prove It: 2012 Race Much, Much Nastier

Negative ads rule the airwaves

(Newser) - It's not your imagination: This year's Republican primary season really has been drastically more negative than usual. In 2008, just 6% of GOP primary campaign advertising attacked other Republicans, but this year that figure has shot to 51%, the Washington Post reports. The tone of the ads has...

Gingrich's Rich Guy: The Rich Shouldn't Sway Elections

...but Sheldon Adelson may give Newt $100M

(Newser) - Sheldon Adelson doesn't like America's campaign finance rules—but that won't stop him from exploiting them. "I'm against very wealthy people attempting to or influencing elections," the very wealthy casino mogul tells Forbes . "But as long as it's doable, I'm going...

Romney Super PAC Spent 2x What It Raised Last Month

Restore Our Future spent $13.9M in January

(Newser) - Mitt Romney and the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future were big spenders in January, according to the latest campaign filings. Restore Our Future spent $13.9 million in January—mostly on attack ads—and raised less than half that amount during the same period, Politico reports. Romney's campaign...

PayPal Founder Gives $1.7M to Ron Paul

Or more specifically, to Ron Paul's super PAC

(Newser) - PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel knows a thing or two about sending money, and last month he sent $1.7 million worth of it to "Endorse Liberty," a super PAC backing Ron Paul, according to documents released today. Thiel is a long avowed Paul fan, and is so far...

Gingrich Threatens to Sue Over Attack Ad

Campaign warns TV stations not to air super PAC spot

(Newser) - Newt Gingrich's campaign is threatening to sue Michigan TV stations that air a negative ad accusing him of supporting China's "one-child" policy, reports Politico . The mud in this case is being flung by the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future, and it alleges that 1989 legislation sponsored...

Gingrich to Get $10M From Billionaire Backer

Sheldon Adelson will write another big check to super PAC

(Newser) - It's good news for Newt Gingrich—and maybe Mitt Romney: Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson will fork over at least $10 million more to the pro-Gingrich super PAC Winning Our Future, a source tells CBS News . That about doubles the family's contribution to the super PAC, whose barrage of...

Newt's Billionaire Backer Out to Beat Santorum

Sheldon Adelson is fine with Mitt Romney as nominee: Wall Street Journal

(Newser) - Sheldon Adelson is considering dropping another massive pile of cash into Newt Gingrich's super PAC—but he's doing it in part because he thinks it will help Mitt Romney, sources tell the Wall Street Journal . The billionaire casino mogul thinks that keeping Gingrich in the race will draw...

Stop the Billionaires: Amend the Constitution
Stop the Billionaires:
Amend the Constitution
OPINION

Stop the Billionaires: Amend the Constitution

Jonathan Alter: Citizens United, super PACs killing our democracy

(Newser) - To Jonathan Alter, it's already clear that the 2012 presidential election will be "one of the most corrupt in US history." It's all thanks to Citizens United, the court ruling that allows a "tiny group of billionaires"—the current crop includes Sheldon Adelson , the...

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