Restore Our Future MR
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Scorecard for the top 10 outside spenders 2012
Rank Group Wins-Losses Total spent
1 Restore Our Future 0-1 $143 million
2 American Crossroads 3-10 $105 million
7 in spending U.S. Chamber of Commerce 7-33 $36 million
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As ABC News was first to report, the vessel, owned by developer Gary Morse, flew the flag of the Cayman Islands -- a well-known tax haven -- as it welcomed guests aboard. Morse, who helped develop The Villages mega-retirement community, has given more than $1.8 million in political contributions over the years, including $450,000 to pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future. Morse was previously a bundler for George W. Bush (in 2000 and 2004) as well as John McCain and Romney in 2008. The Villages is also a fantastic source of cash for candidates -- mostly conservative.
The Villages corporation, employees of the company, and The Villages PAC, have combined to give $1,039,722 so far this election cycle, according to Center for Responsive Politics data. Of that, $511,000 went to Republican candidates and $528,000 went to super PACs, including Restore Our Future.
The GOP presidential candidate hasn't disclosed the names of his bundlers -- other than those of lobbyists, which is all the law requires. But most of the yacht party's attendees wore name tags around their necks as they departed the event around 11 a.m., and *OpenSecrets Blog* -- which was at the marina -- was able to identify some of them.
One was Ron Weiser, the campaign's national finance chairman and the former ambassador to Slovakia under President George W. Bush. Weiser, who's also active with the Republican Jewish Coalition(RJC), has given $1.1 million over the years, Center for Responsive Politics data shows, and was a bundler for John McCain's presidential campaign in 2008.
Longtime GOP moneyman Mel Sembler also made an appearance. Now 82, Sembler, a Floridian and shopping center developer, was a chairman of the Republican National Committee's Team 100 for George H.W. Bush's presidential campaign -- a group of fundraisers who delivered $100,000 or more to the party (a hefty amount at the time); he's played a major fundraising role for every Republican nominee since then. His rewards include ambassadorships to European posts under both Presidents Bush. Currently he's co-chair of Romney's Florida finance committee. Sembler was a bundler for Romney's campaign in 2008.
As the Cracker Bay floated regally in deeper water at the end of the pier, in the foreground much smaller, more modest boats -- including one called Bag Lady -- bobbed in the choppy water. The invitees to the $1 million-plus event showed no confusion about which vessel they were headed for, though. A security detail and campaign staff hovered nearby, keeping a close eye on the bundlers and their families after they were deposited at the marina by several vans and SUVs. Sporting a skull-and-crossbones necklace (the theme here was nautical, after all) was Kit Moncrief, who, with her husband Charles (who bundled for George W. Bush in 2004), told ABC they'd committed to raising $1 million for Romney's campaign, saying they were doing it because they believed in Romney. An independent oil and gas producer, the Moncriefs have given $360,000 over the years, according to Center for Responsive Politics data.
Bob Pence, another real estate developer, also strolled off the boat. Pence, based in McLean, Va, has given $1.5 million in political contributions, Center for Responsive Politics data shows, including $350,000 to Restore Our Future. Wilbur Ross, a Palm Beach billionaire whose W.L. Ross and Co., a private equity firm, began investing in distressed banks after the onset of the financial crisis, was there as well. Center for Responsive Politics data shows Ross has given $470,000 in contributions in his time as a political donor.
Special guests included Scott Romney, the candidate's brother, and Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, who talked to ABC at length as he departed. McDonnell said he'd prefer less secrecy in the system -- although he also would advocate lifting the caps entirely on campaign contributions.
"I'd like to see full disclosure, lots of sunshine and no limits," McDonnell said.
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Update:Mercury Trust, which is listed as giving $425,000 to Restore Our Future, has now been identified through SEC records, as an affiliate of Fox Paine and Company, a California-based buyout firm, run by Saul Fox.
Large checks from some of the biggest names in conservative campaign finance -- and some of the fanciest zip codes in the country -- fueled Restore Our Future's $20.7 million haul in the month of June.
The pro-Romney super PAC picked up $10 million, nearly half the amount, from Las Vegas casino owner Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam, as was reported earlier.
But other donors included Bill Koch -- often referred to as "the other Koch brother" for his distance from brothers David and Charles -- who wrote another $1 million check to Restore Our Future via his mining company Oxbow Carbon, LLC. That adds to the $2 million already given by Koch (all but $250,000 via Oxbow.)
Joining Koch in reinforcing his support for Romney was Bob Perry, the Texas home construction magnate, who wrote a $2 million check last month, bringing his total support for Romney to $5 million.
One big mystery on the list of donors is a $425,000 check from an organization called Mercury Trust, based in Menlo Park, Calif. The address the group lists is a two-story building at a nondescript intersection -- but an initial search indication of California's corporate records and non-profit 990s filed with the IRS gives no indication of who, or what, is behind the organization.
Adding to the feeling that all of the big names from this past winter's brutal Republican primaries -- fueled by wealthy individual donors pumping up super PACs for the respective candidates -- are reuniting (but this time on the same team), was a $100,000 check from Foster Friess, the Wyoming billionaire who backed Rick Santorum's bid for the White House.
Other big names that made an appearance: professional wrestling's first couple, Vince and Linda McMahon (who has been self-funding her own campaign for Senate, as she did at great expense in 2010) who combined to put more than $1.5 million into Restore Our Future.
An unusual entry on the list is Scotts Miracle-Gro, the corporation, which is listed as having given $200,000 to the super PAC. While the Citizens United court decision made this kind of donation totally legal -- an unlimited contribution from the treasury of a company -- it's still unusual for a publicly-traded company to take that step. Most of the hefty super PAC donations to this point have been from wealthy individuals or a privately-held corporations.
Some of the country's most well-heeled zip codes and fanciest addresses make numerous appearances on the list of donors -- Jackson Hole, Wyo., Central Park West in New York City and Greenwich, Conn. (where the McMahons live.) Naples, Fla. alone is responsible for $600,000 in donations. Finance, particularly private equity and venture-capital, is prominently represented on the list of June donors:
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big finance contrib: tiger, bain, etc etc
http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/contrib.php?cmte=C00490045&cycle=2012
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Pro-Romney super PAC spends $20.8 million on ‘deceptive’ ads
According to a new study by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, Restore Our Future, the super PAC which has raised more than $50 million to support presumed GOP nominee Mitt Romney, has spent more than $20 million on ads deemed misleading by our colleagues at FactCheck.org.
Pro-Newt Gingrich super PAC Winning Our Future, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and pro-Santorum super PAC Red, White and Blue Fund also bankrolled deceptive ads, but their numbers paled in comparison to Restore Our Future’s.
Read the full report for a breakdown of the ads cited in the study and their cost.
For a look at why the ads were considered “deceptive,” visit FactCheck.org.
by opensecretsnews
- Tagged with:
- rick santorum
- restore our future
- super PACs
- politics
Santorum in the Crosshairs
wsj:
By the time Rick Santorum suspended his campaign, Restore Our Future–the main super PAC supporting Mitt Romney–had spent nearly $21 million opposing the sweater-vested candidate. That sum makes Mr. Santorum the single largest target of super PAC attack spending to date.
Explore Restore Our Future’s spending on OpenSecrets.org.
| Perry Homes | $4,000,000 | $4,000,000 | $0 | $0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Bain Capital | $2,000,000 | $2,000,000 | $0 |
| 3 | Tiger Management | $1,250,000 | $1,250,000 | $0 |
| 4 | Citadel Investment Group | $1,053,500 | $1,053,500 | $0 |
| 5 | Avista Capital Partners | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 |
| 5 | Eli Publishing | $1,000,000 | $0 | $1,000,000 |
| 5 | Elliott Assoc | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 |
| 5 | F8 LLC | $1,000,000 | $0 | $1,000,000 |
| 5 | Huron Carbon | $1,000,000 | $0 | $1,000,000 |
| 5 | Marriott International | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 |
| 5 | Melaleuca Inc | $1,000,000 | $0 | $1,000,000 |
| 5 | New Balance Athletic Shoe | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 |
| 5 | Oxbow Corp | $1,000,000 | $250,000 | $750,000 |
| 5 | Paulson & Co | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 |
| 5 | Renaissance Technologies | $1,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $0 |
| 5 | Rooney Holdings | $1,000,000 | $0 | $1,000,000 |
http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/contrib.php?cmte=C00490045&cycle=2012
RESTORE OUR FUTURE, INC.: $32,511,954
| Mentzer Media Services, Inc. | $24,670,253 |
|---|---|
| Arena Communications | $3,620,678 |
| Podium Capital Group, LLC | $1,938,520 |
| NMB Research | $803,512 |
| Actuate Strategies, LLC | $469,858 |
| TargetPoint Consulting, Inc. | $441,750 |
| McCarthy Hennings Media, Inc. | $421,747 |
| Clark Hill PLC | $144,902 |
| CAMBRIDGE OFFSET PRINTING | $736 |
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