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Subscribe to RSSNBC's Investigative Correspondent Michael Isikoff takes a look at the released information on Super PAC fundraising and donors. Romney donors include Wall St. hedge fund managers and a Koch brother.
By Bill Dedman, msnbc.com, and Michael Isikoff, NBC News
with reporting by NBC's Azriel Relph and Lisa Riordan Seville
After the speeches were over and the TV cameras in Florida were turned off, the pro-Mitt Romney Super PAC called Restore Our Future disclosed its fundraising Tuesday night, just before the midnight ET deadline.
It showed total receipts of $17.9 million during the last six months of last year. It had previously reported raising $12.2 million in the first six months of the year. The PAC ended the year with $23.6 million in the bank, hoarding a huge bankroll for the primaries and general election. The figures for January are not yet included.
Top Wall Street moguls from big hedge fund and private equity firms, including principals from Bain Capital, topped the list of donors that pumped more than $17.9 million into the Mitt Romney Super PAC, helping to bankroll attack ads in the Republican primary states.
But while the filing by Restore Our Future shows its formidable fundraising prowess, it will do little to alleviate criticism that Romney is too closely tied to Wall Street and other corporate interests.
The Romney Super PAC collected seven $1 million donations, including one from Paul Singer, the billionaire and secretive head of the Elliott Management hedge fund, and two others from hedge fund kingpins Julian Robertson of Tiger Management and Robert Mercer of Rennaissance Technologies.
Others accounting for $1 million donations included Florida energy executive Bill Koch of Oxbow Carbon, who has also been a fundraiser for Romney's presidential campaign; Miguel Fernandez, who chairs a Miami private equity firm MBF Healthcare Partners; and Rooney Holdings of Tulsa Oklahoma.
Also giving a total of $1 million were firms headed by Frank L. VanderSloot of Idaho. He is also the co-chair of Romney's Idaho finance operation. His firms, operating under the names Melaleuca Inc., Melaleuca of Asia Ltd. Co., Melaleuca of Japan Inc., Melaleuca of Southeast Asia Inc., gave a total of $250,000. The company sells Nicole Miller Timeless Age Defying Serum and other home "wellness" remedies. Forbes magazine has a profile of VanderSloot here.
Three executives of Bain Capital, the private equity firm formerly headed by Romney, gave a total of $625,000.
Romney has insisted he is not involved in the Super PAC and has no control over its ad buys or messages. But further evidence that the group is working closely with Romney's interests came Tuesday night when Restore Our Future held back its required filing with the Federal Election Commission until after Romney had given his victory speech in the Florida primary.
The filing underscores the key role of wealthy donors and companies in funding the super pacs. Some 62 of its contributors gave $100,000 or more.
Other big donors include:
Chris Shumway, Shumway Capital Investments, Greenwich, Conn., $750,000.
Bob Perry, Perry Homes, Houston, $500,000.
Steven Webster, Avista Capital, Houston, $500,000.
The full list of donors is here.
By contrast, a Super PAC supporting Newt Gingrich reported $2.1 million, not counting $10 million from a casino magnate donated in January.
The Super PAC supporting President Obama reported $4.4 million received by year end. A Super PAC supporting Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who has dropped out of the Republican race, reported $5.5 million.
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:
Casino magnate Adelson's family gave early money to Gingrich PAC
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
Sugar Daddy: Huntsman's father gave $1.9 million to Super PAC
Colbert Super PAC raises $1 million; non-satirical PACs to follow
Leave a Comment:
Well , no one said it would be cheep to boot Obama out of office......but it's worth every penny.....
I disagree with everything you just said. That is all.
"Cheep" is something a bird does, like Romney singing the National Anthem. "Cheap" is something Romney would know nothing about.
LMAO
Still LMAO
Cant stop...
F**K your SuperPAC
If all YOU care about is Outing OBAMA ...YOU ARE the SAME 1% Goerge Bush and Mitt Romnie ARE.
Don't Forget the 8 years of Bush that started this mess. Ron Paul is the only hope for a change please pull your Head out of your Ass ...America is going to Hell and all you care about is getting Obama out?"??
Just think 18 million, that could feed a lot of the homeless people here in America. But no it is going to feed the interests of the politically rich. I like your post guy 2789881. Good-bye middle class was nice knowing you. Ah, being one of you I mean.
Yes, here we have it: the best candidate money can buy! Figures.
All you who are middle class better be prepared - we will be paying for many years if Romney gets elected and he'll not pay one red cent in taxes.
How's the Cayman Islands and Swiss Banks holding up with all these cronies withdrawing money for Romney's Super PAC?
Gee, I wonder why he waited until the press all left?
Unlike Obama, who released his contributions at a press conference.
So much for "openness and transparency", eh Mitt?
From the Washington Post:
Obama outpaces GOP rivals — and his own 2008 results — in small donations
You are discussing donations made to his personal campaign. The above story regards unregulated donations. We haven't seen anything yet. Those high rollers are giving for one reason only. They want to pay even LESS taxes than they are now and this is the only way to make sure that happens. The Supreme Court should be proud. Our elections are now all about who can buy their way into the office. Great system we have here fellows.
bigbenalaska, where is mitt's plan. All he talks about is Obama. I want to here what he is going to do. I don't need Mitt's opinions about the president. I have my own. Like the rest of his financial raiders of the middle class Mitt, if elected, will reward those in his superpacs with all kind of executive goodies to increase their wealth. The 1% have their warrior and don't mind spending money to keep their hold on government. Their investments in Mitt will only increase when needed state by state, especially during the general election. I'm positive they see this as an investment with huge returns. In other words, they are spending money to make more for themselves and Mitt is their poster child. He is buying the GOP primary for them.
Three executives of Bain Capital, the private equity firm formerly headed by Romney, gave a total of $625,000.
Wow! What a wonderful country. Closing jobs and firing people, just to be able to tell later that it was all in "good faith "and with the purpose of "saving you" from the boogie man.
Amazing what money can buy. Mitt Romney wants to buy your vote with the money he STOLE from you. Go ahead and vote for him. He is coming back to take whatever you have left, if you have any.
"I like to fire people" Get ready to get FIRED form YOUR JOB, if this man gets elected.
It's truly Amazing how low comrade obama's troll's will stoop below his belt, to TRY and get him re-elected!!!
Never a mention that Obama has a projected campaign chest of nearly one billion dollars. I guess that Obama's money doesn't stink, while his opponents's money reeks. If your, or anyone's vote can be bought, then that is the problem. Hypocrite much, Obama trolls? Look I just made a verb.
That's actually a good point (though I doubt you realize it): Where the money comes from does make a difference. If your President gets elected on money raised mostly from folks who want government to favor hedge funds and other financial industry apparatus, and high military and/or energy industry investments, then you're probably going to get such a government, and can kiss goodbye hope for anything good for middle class workers and the working poor. If your President gets elected on money raised from folks including philantropists, workers, sellers of goods, economists, as well as members of the financial industry, then you'll get a correspondingly fairer presidential administration.
No matter which con artist wins the GOP nomination the party WILL CHEAT in the national election to make sure their candidate wins in November. I have been watching this freak-show for over 30 years and one thing I have found to be true is the GOP establishment would not throw this kind of money at a contest they had no way of winning. Rove and Norquist seem far too confident to not have some evil plan up their sleeves. Both of those trolls belong in prison, they have perverted our democracy and taken the power away from the people. It amazes me how much greed can cloud a mans judgement, there are some very intelligent men allowing themselves to be used like puppets by two of the most spineless, slug-like creatures on the planet, Rove and Norquist. What must that feel like, bowing down to the likes of Karl Rove or Grover Narquist? How could you look in the mirror and call yourself a man after doing the bidding of such slimy creatures as those two?
Romney and Gingrich are both harpooned by Jon Stewart on the Daily Show, 1/31/2012
Gingrich on pandering for the Latino vote and Romney on how well he panders and disguises his tactics while being the CEO of Bain Capital.
www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-31-2012/indecision-2012---pander-express
Look further for more............ and the Super PACs move along to the next state's victims.
I think the fact that Wall Street is banking on Romney should be enough for people not to vote for Romney.
Geeezzz people....$18 million is a drop in the bucket compared to what Obama has. Remember last campaign Obama and his filthy rich donors raised about $750 million. Think that would feed a lot of homeless Killroy?
The hypocrisy is absolutely wreaking!!!
Someone needs to do away with all those liberals.....this country needs only conservatives...we'd be better off....
Shawn, sounds like a good plan to me. When do we start? (S) November is good for me.
Really hs321? Did you READ the WHOLE story? Because the story mentioned how Obama had raised only $4.4 million during the same time that Romney raised $17 mil.
Heck, even Perry has out-raised him with these 'Super-PACs,' and he's already QUIT!
And Obama's came from individual contributers by the VAST majority, not from Super-PACs or even PACs.
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/summary.php?id=n00009638
But you're right about one thing, that money would be well used to feed and house the homeless, if it weren't so critical to keep the GoTP out of the White House.
Fred Evil-Dont forget to mention the money Obama received from John Corzine...or from offshore pre-paid visas with the names of cartoon characters...hypocrite
The Obama has returned all direct contributions from Corzine. They don't invite 'em, don't want 'em, don't keep 'em. If they had their choice, they wouldn't allow bundled donations either.
Nice try, though, fire congress.
ROTFLMAO Fred!!!
Obama raised $42 million in the last quarter of 2011.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/13/us/politics/obama-raised-42-million-in-last-quarter-of-11.html
"President Obama’s campaign raised $42 million in the final three months of 2011, easily besting his Republican rivals and matching where President George W. Bush was at the same point in his re-election bid."
Just curious Fred. What flavor is the kool-aid today?
From the article you posted:
Stupid half-million AMERICANS!
From the ring around your mouth, I'd guess Cherry?
I think we are ALL missing the point... These contributions amount to "buying" a candidate regardless of party affiliation. If change is going to happen in the US that benefits the majority of Americans (aka the middle class) then we need to publicly finance elections/campaigns and get ALL private (1%, corporations, union and PAC) money out of politics. The system we have now is a perversion of what was intended and has now become a plutocracy that benefits only the wealthiest americans and corporations.
Wake Up Libs and cons... our country is "for the wealthy, by the wealthy"
AMF
For you foxbots and rush-sheeple... Corroborate the $1 billion for Obama please.
hs321
You got that right! 750M would, could feed a lot of people on that much. But feeding all the homeless for a year gains them nothing.(or for however long it could last) I do not know as I never have had that much before.
Boy buying a president is pretty expensive. A government of the wealthy, by the wealthy, and for the wealthy.
notliborcon
I agree to that!
I am disappointed but not surprised that the foxbots and rush-sheeple have no response to my challenge about the fictitious "$1 Billion" Obama campaign. Did you right-wing nuts forget how to dig up FACTS?
AMF
Now that we have these Superpacs running the election we can pretty much say for sure that it will be the one percenters, Big Oil and big corporations picking our politicians from now on. The middle class has lost its voice. These people dont want our measly contributions when they can now collect unlimited millions and millions from the only people that will benefit from elections in the future. Our Democracy died with that Supreme Court ruling.
Of coarse it was after the cameras left.
Not true. The middle class has had its voice stilled by the GOP pandering to the pathos of resentment, hatred, fear, name a dark device in humanity, they've exploited it for their gain - not the gain of the middle class as they promised - but THEIR gain. Our measly contributions do count, but what counts more is what Springsteen might call The Rising. Our votes count, and we have to turn OUT and vote and haul people with us. Finally, I think, the gig is up for the GOP in many of its previously cemented corners. The trickle down has had twenty-plus years to manifest itself, and it has not.
I pray that people will put aside all prejudice, intemperance and intolerance this time, and vote their interests - their pocketbooks. It may have finally, at long last, come to that.
Most people will follow the money. And both sides are loaded with millions and millions from the rich and powerful. Now, who do you think the winner will be working for?
@Jan -
From your pen to God's ear.
If you want to save the country, vote RON PAUL!!!
The other candidates are just more of the same BS that has
been ruining the country over the past 40 years.
Vote RON PAUL
Vote for LIBERTY
JEM-1989317 - A vote for Ron Paul is a vote for Obama.
Either one of them is better than the likes of Gingrich or Romney!
Well looks like the top 1% are in Romney's ear and pockets, if he gets elected they are already dividing the American Pie like good Capitalist Vultures, how in the world could any American vote for Romney,he is the type of guy that will charge you for the air you breathe
Jan..."The middle class has had its voice stilled by the GOP pandering to the pathos of resentment, hatred, fear, name a dark device in humanity,.."
WOW! Hopelessly polarized left much?
Check out how much this little dinner cost per plate:
http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/127808/obamas_35000aplate_dinner_feeds_all
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/09/obama-taps-veteran-hollywood-bundlers-for-campaign-cash/
"Restore our Future?"
That doesn't make any sense, neither does giving 18 Million to a guy who says corporations are humans and have feelings.
Mitt Romney for the same person Obama is in 2012!
More corporate screwing on the way!
Can't wait to invade Iran too, so we can have an even bigger budget deficit!
Those weapons contractors and War Contractors will be raking in even more dough on tax-payer paid wars!
Congrats if you voted for Romney, you will get exactly the opposite of what you voted for.
Ron Paul 2012!
We know Halliburton gave 25 million dollars to Cheney on his way to the White House. Cheneys second day in office he started pushing for the Iraq War. What a coincidence.
Well he was the president of the company for a while, I guess you could call that a consulting fee. After all didn't Halliburton get most of the contracts in the Iraq war. A Company run White House. Another vote up Guy! ;o)
And how much is Bill Clinton worth? Tens of millions. How did he get rich? Giving speeches that the normal speaker would be paid 1/10th or 1/100th of what Clinton was paid. Why was he paid so much?
Any one who is not a complete fool knows it's kickbacks for favors done while he was President.
They all do it.
This country is full of saps. No wonder the politicians have it so easy.
$18 million just for the chance to lose to Obama. What a waste.
Big Media would beg to differ...
Big Media Sucks!
Chump change compared to Romney's total wealth. The candidate released his 2010 tax return revealing that he earned $21.7 million in 2010, and paid a lower tax rate than someone who earns $50,000 a year. The airways are full of "Toxic Talking Heads" from Brush Himoff to "I Heart Radio" to Spawned Insannity. I heart radio has tried to corner the patriotism with the national anthem on many of their radio stations. Yes! That's the same Bain of Bain Capital, owned or co-owned by Mitt Romney. But somehow president Obama has begun smelling like a rose when compared to the TEA-GOP-Republican candidates. My question is: Shouldn't everyone pay proportionally into the tax coffers to include every source of income? The president paid 25 percent of his gross income in federal tax, compared to Romney’s 13.7 percent. Social Security would never have had any funding problems if ALL sources of income, no matter what the source, were taxed up to $1,000,000.00 dollars. Corporate taxes could be lowered to compete on the world stage and get corporations back to America. It's the Congress that needs revamping.
In 2004 when John Kerry ran for office he only paid only 13.1% taxes on his income, so what is your point? Mitt Romney isn't the only politician who pays a low tax rate. Kerry hides in yacht in a state other then MA, so that he didn't have to pay MA taxes on it. They all do it, so quit acting like Romney is the only wealthy politician who taxes advantage of the current tax code
Janet, That's exactly the point. They all do it and it needs to stop.
My point would be that Kerry LOST, just like Mittens will. They even have the flip-flop thing in common. Not looking good for the teapubs.
not just before the mid night deadline. more msnbc spin
FOX NEWS KEEPS ME STUPID...............
Wake The Hell Up - America is ran by the a few chioce Corportions and Big Banks
They are having a Big Party and Your not invited.,.,....
well wes I dont watch fox news so youre wrong on that assumption and I know the difference between "ran" and "run" as well as "your" and "you're" so I would say that I'm more likely to be invited than you. Or is it "then" you"?
Look out everybody, the Grammar Police are on patrol!!
So what does that say about the current President?
Fox News keeps everybody that watches it STUPID! Bunch of blind people being led to the slaughter....and these Super PACs need to go! Too friggin' much money in politics and we've got to get it outta there somehow. Ban all the PACs and hold people and corporations to the $5,000 donation it is supposed to be.
one of obama's bundlers is david cohen, owner of comcast, nbc, and msnbc. Obama pledged he would run a publicly financed campaign only to break that promise last election. Now he is slated to take in nearly a billion dollars this time around. lets hope more people give to Romney since obama will try to buy the election since he obviously cannot run on his record.
Are you a Son of Mittens?
Slight--And what is Mittens going to run on? A tax plan that will cut taxes on millionaires and above by 6.25 percent while raising taxes on the poor and increasing the deficit by $600 billion? On his record at Bain Capital, which cut companies up, drove companies into bankruptcy while collecting millions in profits, exchanging good paying manufacturing sector jobs for poorly paying service sector jobs? How about his record as governor of Massachusetts when the commonwealth had a net loss of jobs during his tenure? In Florida, we saw the sort of campaign Romney will run--completely negative.
Try this for a record to run on. When he took office in '08 jobs were disappearing at the rate of 750,000 per month. Granted in the first year of Obamas administration total jobs lost were 3 million. You can't possibly believe that was of his making. Then in 2010 job increases of around 1/2 million, and in 2011 over 1 million net new jobs. Surely you can see the positive trend here. No telling how good the numbers might be if not for the stonewalling of the Republican Congress. Losers vs winners.
The results of the Florida Republican Primary prove one thing without question: Money CAN buy you everything, even a new national identity and tons of TV time.
Obama proved that in the last election.
"Just before midnight" shilling again for obama looking at the big Romney win in Florida tonite.All the talk of his money he has made is the reason I will vote for him as he will not go out looking for payola like the current officeholder collecting a billion dollars to continue his ruination of this country.If you need no money you cannot bribe someone.Obama will be beaten no matter how hard the media sucks up to him as he has shown his true motives for this country
So why are you CRYING here then James, go back to faux.
Blimey, back to Faux indeed. Back to the mother country for you Bond.
I can't believe that 1/2 this country is as blind as they are. I really can't believe it. President Obama ended two wars that were started for greed, big oil, who knows what else. The republicans are trying everything they can to undermine everything the President does. Newt and Mitt are the biggest jokes and most faux Pieces of Trash I have ever seen and some of you are actually defending them. I can't believe it. Sad days are these. Karma is real. You will see.
empty promised, not a chance. Romney's promises are full of S**T!
Reality Check: You want to talk of facts then recognize Obama inherited the deficit and with it all the problems he had to respond to, which added to the deficit, yet the deficit isn't what is causing the major problems that the people are suffering with. The Republican / Tea Party constantly concentrates on the issues that are so very important to "the few" (1%) and tries to propagandize them to con the majority (99%) and get them excited, while they continually fail to address the major problems (just faulting, blocking, withholding bipartisanship and irresponsibly putting their political ambitions above all else). Solve the real problems (jobs, the economy,,,) and the deficit, government spending and creating "smaller government" all become realistically more achievable. We need to be wary of the con that is trying to return us to "more of the same", Bush-Cheney style, as there is what got us the problems
Demogogues, Repugnants, members of the Toy party...pick your poison friends.
Well it looks like his millionaire buddies will buy the election for him. When will the GOP let us pick our candidate? Running a flip flopping fat cat like Romney will make sure Obama gets another term. The GOP just does not get it. I have been a republican for 32 years and will not vote for Romney in the general election, he has no backbone.
How can anybody vote for this man?
Trickle down economics don't work.............
A war with Iran will shy rocket Oil prices and WITH real chances of starting World War 3.
Is this the way of your future......... God Save America
And Obama is using his time to 'grub' every last dollar he can for his campaign-lots from Wall St. and that is never mentioned.
Are you complaining because Obama will play by the rules set by the Republicans on the Supreme Court and still win?
no one gives money without wanting something in return, a future job like ambassador, or a favor like a law change...
that is why this whole process sucks, not always the best candidate wins just had richer friends
rid this system of buying the primaries and elections, limit the money equally
Huh? I donated to the President's reelection campaign and I don't expect anything in return. Kind of blows your theory ret-1954751.
Romney is a perfect example of what is wrong with the GOP. He is arrogant and a vulture capitalist who uses the skills he developed at Bain Capital in his GOP presidential campaign. He will step on whomever he has to and tell whatever lies he needs to tell to win. The Citizens United ruling was definitely a benefit to Mitt. Newt is no better than him, but Romney used his wealth and connections to outspend the other candidates in the Florida primary election to put out some despicable ads. His coded remarks about Medicare and Social Security at the end of his speech after he won the Florida Primary were quite poignant and ugly. He did not name these benefits by name by informed individuals knew what he was saying. There is no doubt that Mitt Romney is what is wrong with this country and if by accident he was able to buy the 2012 Presidential election, this country would move further in the direction of a libertarian society where only the wealthy would have any rights and the disparity between the 1%ers and the rest of the country would widen even more than we can imagine.
Apparently, you have no idea what libertarianism is all about. But, it is unlikely there is anyway your mind will be ever be changed, so why should I even try.
It really is beautiful...inspirational even to see the angst coming from conservative windbags trying with all their might to beat Obama! Hope you boys spend all your money on Romney....and get ready for FOUR MORE YEARS!!!!!
I will vote for Obama!
i want to see a "CORPORATION" go into the voting booth......AND pull the lever.
ROBERTS, you a"R"e a DISGRACE to the supreme court; AND you"R" mother!
Thanks SCOTUS. Because of your wisdom both parties will be buying elections, not winning them on merit. What a proud day for the good ol' US of A.
Thank you Supreme Court. We can now have the best government money can buy. Government of the money, by the money, and for the money. Makes ya proud to be an American.
After TV cameras leave, Romney PAC discloses $18 million
Hmmm..that's more money than most folks make in a week.
And Americans actually think their votes count...too funny
I will NEVER understand why average Americans support wealthy privileged candidates for the
position of POTUS and then are confused when they do not appear to represent
them. But instead, use their power to benefit their own fellow wealthy
privileged colleagues.
Watch Mouseland, it is from Canada, but I believe it applies to us also.
.youtube.com/watch?v=GEYwVb-6TeE
Because they are stupid. That's the only explanation I came up with.