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Subscribe to RSSFailed GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman Jr.'s billionaire father, Jon Sr., provided 70 percent of the $2.68 million collected by the Our Destiny PAC, according to a report filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission. NBC News National Investigative Correspondent Michael Isikoff reports.
By Bill Dedman, msnbc.com, and Lisa Riordan Seville, NBC News
A Super PAC supporting Jon Huntsman Jr., the former candidate in the Republican presidential primary, has filed its annual report of donors, showing that the candidate's father provided 70 percent of its support.
Jon Huntsman Sr., who founded chemical company Huntsman Corp., gave $1,887,040 to the Our Destiny PAC in the last quarter of 2011.
Our Destiny PAC showed 2,680,560 in receipts during 2011. Other money may have come in during the first month of 2012, not yet reported.
Other top donors included:
- Peter Arnott, Research Affiliates, $250,000
- C. Boyden Gray, attorney, $50,000
- Craig McCaw and Susan McCaw (McCaw Cellular), $75,000
- William E. Oberndorf, SPO Partners, $50,000
- James R. Swartz, Accel Management Co., $100,000
- Nicholas F. Taubman, Mozart Investments, $50,000
- Christy R. Walton, Wal-Mart heir and philanthropist, $50,000
- Jim Walton, Wal-Mart heir and Arvest Bank chairman, $100,000
Susan McCaw is a former U.S. ambassador to Austria. Craig McCaw is the founder of McCaw Cellular, a mobile phone company now a part of AT&T. McCaw had a net worth of about $1.6 billion as of September, according to Forbes.
The candidate's full report is here.
Failed GOP presidential candidate Jon Huntsman Jr.'s billionaire father, Jon Sr., provided 70 percent of the $2.68 million collected by the Our Destiny PAC, according to a report filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission. NBC News National Investigative Correspondent Michael Isikoff reports.
Tuesday is the day for the so-called Super PACS to file an annual report of donors. NBC News and msnbc.com will be scouring the filings, and posting details. We'll have updates on msnbc.com, and could always use your help identifying the economic and political interests behind the names.
The political action committees must disclose by midnight tonight who gave them money, and how much they spent to support or oppose candidates in the presidential race, including the Republican candidates and President Obama as well.
The official deadline for filing is midnight ET (12 a.m. Wednesday), so reports may trickle in. And it wouldn't surprise us if some campaigns file late tonight as attention is focused on voting results in the Florida Republican primary.
Super PACS are known to the Federal Election Commission as independent committees, because they are forbidden to coordinate their activities with campaigns. Outside the limits of campaign finance laws, Super PACs may raise unlimited sums of money from corporations, unions, associations and individuals. They can use that money to advocate for or against political candidates.
Read more about the reports filed Tuesday:
After TV cameras leave, Romney PAC discloses $18 million
Spielberg, labor union are big backers of Obama Super PAC
Perry PAC's $1 million donor got help with nuclear waste dump
Major GOP Super PAC raised $51 million in 2011
Not 'Desperate' for cash: Obama lists his big fundraisers
Colbert Super PAC raises $1 million; non-satirical PACs to follow
Leave a Comment:
What's wrong with being supported by your father? I'd do anything for my kids.
Too much of a good thing is just as bad as not enough - usually worse. He didn't just support his kid, underwrote the majority of the PAC. That's not helpful and can only hurt Jr. in the long run.
So how much influence does Huntsman Chemical get for $1.9 million? I guess the answer is "none", because Huntsman won't be President.
But it sure will be interesting to see who's been giving money to Gingrich and Romney.
Aside from casino mobster cum political donor Adelson's $10 million gift to Newt.
I'm guessing Daddy probably bought cookies from Jr. when he sold them in school...........................Oh wait a minute, he didn't have to sell cookies to raise money for his school, daddy bought that too.
get a life!
I think it’s obscene the amount of money being thrown at this GOP primary race. If we allow this trend to continue ALL political offices will soon be going to the highest bidder. This country needs campaign finance reform NOW.
Answer; Two Delegates to the convention.
Why is it bad for a father to back the effort of his son but just fine for the Democrat cycle of corruption? Public and Private Sector unions give 300 million to the Obama campaign and then he funnels billions in stimulus funds back to them with the stimulus and generous salary/benefits packages.
What funds did Obama direct to private sector unions through the stimulus? Seriously. And then explain how private sector unions continue to shrink and lose membership despite what you allege. Also, when it comes to corruption, doesn't Dick Cheney and the billions of no-bid contracts he sent to the company that was paying him while he was VP, really reach the pinnacle? No-bid contracts for a war he'd been pushing for for over a decade, costing a trillion and thousands of US lives.
But Dem corruption is your concern?
A father supporting his son in pursuit of his dreams....that is truly unamerican, and , a little fishy if you ask me! It certainly warrants attention from MSN. OMG Republicans are sooo evil!!!!!
The whole idea of anyone being able to buy influence this way is as repulsive as the presidential candidates still left on the republican side.
Listen: the problem is that when asked on "Morning Joe" whether his father would contribute more money if Huntsman didn't perform well, Jon answered something along the lines of, "Why would my father give any money? He's a philanthropist." Had he not PRETENDED that his father had nothing to do with it, Huntsman could be cut some slack.
It must be nice to have enough spare coin to buy a Presidential Candidate. I don't even have enough to bribe a dog catcher.
Seriously, though, is there anybody who believes that the activities of these Super PACs are not coordinated with the campaigns, and that there isn't a quid pro quo involved when giving a candidate a 'donation' large enough to feed an entire town for a year?
Our government is an oligarchy, and our "elected" officials are for sale to the highest bidder. Until we can amputate the money machine from our political system, we will be nowhere close to democracy.
I bet we could ask George Soros or the Illinois/Chicago political machine what its like to buy the presidency
This super-pac thing is wrong no matter which side it's for. TotallySirius, I think you should go back and look at who actually gave money to Obama, there were also millions of dollars worth of $25-$100 donations behind him.
At least Soros understands that it's better for everyone if there is a strong middle class, unlike the Koch brothers who want it all, and want it now.
Just so you know - to get that money, they sold some commercial paper or tax exempt bonds.
You haven't seen anything yet. Wait until the general election! Obama can't possibly run on his record and his entire campaign, including the greatest superpac of all - George Soros' MoveOn.org, will be about trashing the opponent with lies and innuendo.
Meanwhile we live in a country that was about allowing an individual to work hard and succeed. Huntsman is an example of one who has done so. We could well be seeing the end of such a country should Obama win this class warfare game he is playing.
"George Soros or the Illinois/Chicago political machine what its like to buy the presidency" explain how he did that and show us how brilliant you aren't.
I love how Watermoon just excuses the right's attempt to buy the White House!
Fox Celebrates 10 Years at No. 1, Rings Opening Bell at NASDAQ
JFK received more help from his sugar daddy than anyone in history with a good portion of it buying off union votes in West Virginia to secure the 1960 election. Obama would have received help from his sugar daddy but his father impregnated the mother and fled which is par for the course. All the bigot Chris Mathews can say about Romney is that he is too rich and Mormon. Hey Chris people said the same thing about your hero JFK. Quit trying to elevate him to greatness. He was a mediocre president at best and it was a tragedy how he died. Pull your rosary beads out of your arse.
Wow, so people are complaining about Obama benefitting from SuperPacs? Too bad Obama didn't castigate congress and the Supreme Court for allowing them to begin with. Oh wait, Obama did do that. In fact, the Republican head of the Supreme Court had a knipshin fit when he did it and was an absolute (R) on national TV while the president was speaking. Wonder what the R's on the Supreme Court think of their support of super pacs today?
You know, if the SUpreme court thinks that corporations are people to and therefore can say anything and spend anything in support of a political campaign, why don't we just allow corporations to vote by proxy for their employees interests. Seriously, unions are putting in dues money to 'represent' their membership, but no individual member gets a vote. Corporations are putting in money to represent their 'ownership', though no employee gets a vote. When exactly are the people going to be able to direct where their money goes to in a political campaign?
If you thought saying no to dad was hard before, wait until you're in office. Who would we really be voting for? Dad or son?
Sounds like Dad was worried Jr. didn't have the ability to raise enough money on his own so did it for him. Ya, that's the guy I want as my President. "Daddy, what do I do now?" will resonate throughout the White House for four years.
Similar to 2000-2008?
Fed-Up - 791072 - Ouch - you called that one!
gop crooks by the boat-load.
Now Buddy I'm not a fan of the GOP either but if you think only the GOP "buys" thier elections well then you're a bit naive. Many Dems get giant corporate donations and they have PACs too.
Wait until Obama's PACs report - that will make the GOP takes look TINY!!
I wonder how much Soros or Huffington gave to pacs
Try donating money to President Obama's campaign without naming who you are, and see what happens!!!
Go ahead, try it!!
Now, do the same to any of the pukes running... not a problem... and that IS the problem, get it???
How funny!! I just read a report where Jon Corizine, the soon to be convicted FELON, just bundled $500K for Obama--Talk about crooks. You can bet he is banking on a presidential pardon.
Somewhere in the 90's Democrat money passed what the Repblicans money. But you'd never know it to read the media.
netstar.
You are funny. Yes Corzine raised money for politicians and yes he himself really screwed up but somehow I guess Obama's crystal ball just couldn't see that far into the future.
Gee if our POTUS had to know in advance who was going to commit a crime wow he'd really be something.
I'm sure all of the donors to the republican wannabes are angels from heaven and none of them will ever get in trouble.
Not a very smart crook, then. He stole all the money from his dad! Maybe he just graduated from raiding the liquor cabinet to raiding the bank account!
netstar - if you checked, Obama returned Corzine's money. Didn't want to be part of that scene.
I read the title and thought the article was referring to a donation to the Colbert Super PAC, lol- good times.
The system favors the wealthy more than the talented.
True but unless you have "old" money it does take some talent to become wealthy.
"The system favors the wealthy more than the talented." Apparently. Now how was it again that the inexperienced untalented Obama made it? Oh yeah...Soros, "Uncle Geo"...to Barry.
Takes money to get an office now a days unfortunately.
If Obama is "untalented" wow then the GOP wannabes must be brain dead because he certainly outshines any of them.
bagdad... your opinion is without merit. From 1998 to 2008 Soros (and his management fund) has given approx 12 millions to "liberal" causes/candidates/groups whereas the Koch brothers have given 51 million (~80 to repugnicans) to conservative causes/candidates/groups and have funded (3.1 million) the americans for prosperity (aka tea baggers) and other tea party idiots.
check and mate!!!
The Koch brothers have also given millions of dollars to charities and the arts. I know this personally because they paid several thousand dollars for a commissioned piece I did in 1998.
Calling people names never proves a point it only provides the evidence of your inability to make one.
I thought he (notliborcon) made his point perfectly, simpleton. Decrying someone who has facts and numbers simply for using namecalling does not erase their point nor impugn their facts and numbers. Touche.
simpleton-3922535 - and you took it? Then your moniker is correct!
So how much influence does Huntsman Chemical get for $1.9 million? I guess the answer is "none", because Huntsman won't be President.
But it sure will be interesting to see who's been giving money to Gingrich and Romney.
Aside from casino mobster cum political donor Adelson's $10 million gift to Newt.
I help my kids and I don't have big money as I am just a regular working person. There isn't much anyone can do about Big Daddy Huntsman giving Little Boy Huntsman almost $2 million for his campaign. Same goes for Romney - he wouldn't be where he is today without his beyond rich daddy. Same goes for the Kennedy family, the Bush family, etc., etc. Very few politicians came from poverty stricken families. So what happens to all that PAC money from Huntsman's campaign? Can he pass it on to the person he endorses? Not sure about the rules of the "PAC man" political money game. We know what John Edwards did with his Super Pac donations - he used it to hide Rielle Hunter from his dying wife.
Chadley51 - and you're harping on Edwards when Gingrich has divorced a wife being treated for cancer and another one for his bimbos! Funny how the right is willing to forgive Newt because he's - wait for it - a Republican????
A "Little Red Wagon" would have been cheaper and apparently had about as much chance of being President.
Sugar Daddy? Really? Bill Dedman and Lisa Riordan Seville of MSNBC felt it was necessary to compare Jon Huntsman's support from his father to a woman seeking a rich man to financially support her. That's supposed to be journalism?
Best laugh I've had all day. The word journalism and MSNBC in the same post. LMAO
Danno, but yet...here you are day by day reading the stuff that you hate so much. What kind of fool does that make you??? Just curious.
Now we can get the joke in the FunnyOrDie.com Cyber Debate between the Republican presidential candidates. It's a hoot. http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/38a5d75f47/gop-presidential-online-internet-cyber-debate
Wonder who's bankrolling Obama? It'll be interesting to see where his money comes from this time around. Wonder where all the money came from when that po' boy was running for senate...not to mention president? I guess he inherited it from Bush, like everything else? Oh, I forgot, Obama got his money selling Grit tabloids door to door.....that's how they do it in Chicago.
I assume that the use of "po' boy" was supposed to be some clever way of being a undercover racist. Take your race baiting arse back to Fuxnews so that you can be given new opinions.
AMF
why don't you take your racism back to "bagdad" and get it out of my country
Hey notliborcon I think he meant to say "that little colored boy" --does that make it more clear?
where does the poor and needy fit in around that place ????
as Jon Stewart put it so aptly, "The poor have sh*tty lobbyists."
This has to be the least nefarious Super PAC connection ever. Seriously. His dad. I'm sure Jon's inheritance is far more of an influence than a measly $1.9MM SuperPAC donation. Notwithstanding, it was a foolish investment by his dad. He could have made it $19MM and Huntsman still wouldn't have had a shot.
I'm glad Huntsman is out. Now it's down to Mitt & Newt - they're highly entertaining, and neither is a serious challenge to Obama.
These super pacs are just dirty and the Supreme Court just let it happen.
They not only let it happen, they validated it as a good thing and were upset with Obama chastizing them on it.
And Obama has recieved 500 grand from his crooked buddy Jon Corzine. Funny how that doesn't make it to this BS site. http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/jon-corzine-raised-500000-obama_620781.html
Weekly Standard is about as reliable as FOX News...
...as in NOT.
Ah yes, the weekly standard. The birthplace of lies and half-truths covered in vitriolic spooge.
You must be talking about Obama's 2012 Campaign Website, because that's where the information came from. Weekly Standard even posted a screenshot.
In addition, why don't you try to find where this IMAGE from the weekly standard came from... kinda funny that it is NOT on the http://www.barackobama.com/ campaign website.
Yet another dupe ready to be programmed by the right wing fascist media.
BO and JB 2012 MuuuHahahaha
Well, I just spent 10 minutes looking around the Obama campaign website and - surprise - this page doesn't seem to exist. Nothing even close. I think the Weekly Standard might be missing the word "Low" from its title...
Obama Lies. Where does it say Obama got that money directly from Corzine? It said he helped raise the money. He did not donate it personally. Get the difference??
Once again, a conservative has to do the work libs are too stupid or unwilling to do. This took about two minutes to find. http://www.barackobama.com/pages/volunteer-fundraisers-Q4
How much do you want to bet this is part of the 1.2 billion Corzine, once considered by Obama for the treasury dept says "just can't be found"?
And they gave it back, do you read?
You must be talking about Obama's 2012 Campaign Website, because that's where the information came from. Weekly Standard even posted a screenshot.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.... my words are tasty. Just love eating them.
kg - What on earth is your point? Obama might have received a campaign contribution in an amount you find distasteful from someone who may or may not have done something possibly unethical? Are you aware that you're commenting on a thread in a story about a politician's father contributing more than three times that amount to a PAC?
kg try and find it on the actual website
It's right here:
http://www.barackobama.com/pages/volunteer-fundraisers-Q4
(Thanks to Obama Lies for the link)
and how much is a Tax Right off???
Jon Sr just did what dads do. That's way more legitimate than the Gingrich pac taking money from some Vegas creep who's going to demand a lot in return.
Yeah! And with $1B being contributed to Obama's re-election, who says the Presidency can't be bought!
Ya know, I'm getting really tired of hearing about guys named Rick.
Huntsman did what he needed to do to be a potential contender nominee in 4 years..he now has a little name recognition and Romney will be a two time loser and Newt will be 72 and stil a bigger loser. Lock for an intelligent moderate Huntsman in 4 years.
it's important to also include the businesses that these big donors are running in this sort of story.
that way, the other 99% of American can vote on the Super PACs.
if we ALL did that, I think we could strangle THIS beast in the bathtub :-D
What worries me about the republican field is that its about the same old politics, why dont we Americans finally back a candidate who tells the truth about the fiscal mess were in and gives us a idea of how to get out of it? Because no candidate can win saying we have to cut social programs, so they all lie and kick the can down the road hoping the mess doesent blow up on their watch. Democarcy is a great form of govt but not so good at long term solutions, with politicans only looking as far as 2 yrs 4 or 6 yrs. To me it seems the govt did better at long term planning 50 yrs ago, what changed?