Stephen Colbert Super PAC Disclosure Reveals No Unlimited Contributions, Few Corporations

WASHINGTON -- At 12:01 Tuesday morning, the most famous super PAC in America disclosed its donors for the first time. Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, the vehicle for much of comedian Stephen Colbert's recent hijinks, disclosed that it had raised $825,475 from its inception in the middle of 2011 through December 31.

While most political observers want to see which billionaires and millionaires are bankrolling the super PACs backing the Republicans competing for the presidential nomination, the Colbert super PAC did not receive similarly super-sized campaign contributions. In fact, 90 percent of the contributions to Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow -- which can receive unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations, and unions -- came from donors giving under $250. Those small donors are not required to be listed on the super PAC's disclosure forms filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Colbert has repeatedly satirized the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision, praising it for opening the door to unlimited corporate campaign contributions. His super PAC, however, only received contributions from two corporations. The Sticky Fingers Band, a Rolling Stones tribute band, and BestDamnTutoring.com gave $400 and $314, respectively. (You're welcome for the publicity.)

The filing came accompanied by a press release announcing that Colbert had reclaimed control of his super PAC from fellow comedian Jon Stewart, who had taken charge of the group while Colbert pursued his bid for the Presidency of the United States of South Carolina.

In a separate filing sent to the FEC along with the year-end disclosure, Colbert states that the super PAC has raised almost $200,000 more in the month of January alone. That brings the full total raised to $1,023,121.

Colbert is quoted in the filing saying, ''Yeah! How you like me now, F.E.C? I'm rolling seven digits deep! I got 99 problems but a non-connected independent-expenditure only committee ain't one!''

Throughout the past year Colbert has used his show, "The Colbert Report," to make fun of the absurdities of campaign finance law in the wake of the Citizens United decision. In a five-part series, The Huffington Post documented the comedian's use of satire to help explain the variety of ways that the campaign finance system, from super PACs to the FEC, works in often incomprehensible ways.

Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the amount that BestDamnTutoring.com donated to Colbert's super PAC. It was $314, not $310.

Comments

[Glen Carroll]

09:02 PM on 12/01/2012

The new album by Sticky Fingers is now available on iTunes and cdbaby.

[Glen Carroll]

08:46 PM on 04/01/2012

I think you're all missing the point here people. How about STICKY FINGERS giving up $400 of their hard earned gig money to donate to the Super Pac? hahaha Sorry, I do love that band and for good reason. All though, Sticky Fingers is not entirely a "Tribute" band. They are known however to play some Rolling Stones' songs and play them well. And; Sticky Fingers thanks you for the "free press", HuffPost. Speaking of free press, before I exit stage left, please allow me to shamelessly self promote Sticky Fingers' new CD. If you do like music in the genera of "The Rolling Stones", Sticky Fingers is currently recording an album in Los Angeles that is sure to please. The record features Glen Carroll on vocals, Waddy Watchel on guitar, Bobby Keys on sax, Kenny Aronoff on drums, Kenny Aaronson on bass, Bernard Fowler on backing vocals, and Ian MacLagan on keyboards. The album is appropriately titled, "Like a Rolling Stone" due out this summer. See ya' on the tour!

[oneofthemasses]

12:47 PM on 02/20/2012

Stephen Colbert for President! Let's have a true, professional Comedian in da House!

[Aaron Chandler]

04:07 AM on 02/09/2012

http://www.SuperPAC.ME - Making A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow...

[EatYourPeas]

01:16 PM on 02/01/2012

If you have any interest in math or science, go to the website of corporate donor BESTDAMNTUTORING.COM. Very interesting stuff! I wish it had been around when I was struggling with phyics and calculus.

[GAFuerst]

12:39 AM on 02/01/2012

Newt, the nut, the nit-picker, the no-I'm-not-quittin' nihilist, has given a preview of what a Newt Presidency-for-Life would look like right from the first moment. He indicated his intention to unleash a whole fllod of executive orders to undo this and undo that, and that he expects Congress to cave in and to fall in line and to have "legislation" on his desk to sign like pronto, like now. So, I assume, he wants to be called the Now-Now, Cow-Tow, on-Bended -knees, Low-&-How Newt. So kiss democracy bye-bye. Kiss the Constitution and the Bill of Rights bye bye. It will be the Newt Diktat. It will be my-way-or-the-highway dictatorship of grin-rich Gingrich. Incredible!? Well, he insinuated that he will take immediate actions and no-one had better stand in his way...or else...(he implied)...of course with God's blessings...or something like that. Newt, the sanctimonious sinner-acting-saintly, the convert out of convenience rather than conviction. "Finding faith" for the furtherance of his relentless (possibly even ruthless) ambition!?
Just wondering! Sounds terribly troublesome!

[dsmithsfamily]

11:21 PM on 01/31/2012

the republican world is a great plase for a republican it just totaly sucks for every one else

[HL Davison]

04:00 AM on 02/01/2012

The Republic(an) of Alternative Universe for the newly crowned Emperor Newt-that's the world in which many of the GOP exist these days

[mike711l]

10:17 PM on 01/31/2012

I'm surprised that Stephen didn't get at least one big corporate donor. Hell, the rich guy from Vegas gave millions to Newt so he must have a sense of humor!

[Zorro7956]

10:14 PM on 01/31/2012

So,he got a million dollar joke !

[truth be told again]

10:09 PM on 01/31/2012

I vote for another Peabody award for Colbert.

[mike711l]

10:13 PM on 01/31/2012

Second!

[jicarilla1]

06:43 AM on 02/01/2012

Add my vote to this, also.

[LeRoy Crume]

09:18 PM on 01/31/2012

Well, you can thank the supreme court for opening the flood gates for GOP millionaires, and billionaires to buy the elections for their friends that will do them big favors after they win.
ANYTHING TO GET THAT BLACK MAN OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
Now, you think it's bad now ?
Just wait until the GOP get back in power.
You think they don't know how important this election is ? Should they win, they get a chance to put at least, two more judges on the bench. Just Wait My Friends, and keep thinking your vote don't matter. Just keep pouting about Obama not doing enough for your cause. What do you think my friends, Do you think he can do anything he want ? He have to get approvel from congress. He's not presiding over a country like Iran, or some of those countries over there. He's NOT a dictator my friends.

[Zorro7956]

10:12 PM on 01/31/2012

Well LeRoy, the Patriot Act and especially the NDAA makes him,or any president a lot more than any dictator. And he sure does not need any approval from congress any longer.
This president, just like any (or all) the republican contenders have absolutely no idea how to put the fiscal house of the US in order. And how to make the US's industrial productivity at least half way the level where it was 30-40 years ago.
The problems we face today as a nation,is our making.We produce lass and less than what we consume,while we consume more and more than what we produce. We buy everything from over seas,on credit and pay for it all with borrowed money.
Remember, no one, no nation can, nor has ever spent itself to prosperity.Never can,never will !

[dsmithsfamily]

11:02 PM on 01/31/2012

it will be sooooooooo much worse with repubs

[carhac66]

11:19 PM on 01/31/2012

check history, we did just that back in 1930's - 1950's. Government spending is what brought the US out of the depression. WWII, TVA, various Dams, etc is totally government spending!

[Barbara Hammons Davis]

01:29 AM on 02/01/2012

Well said, Mr. Crume. It's to bad that there are so many uninformed American are so gullible. They continue to swallow the hate and lies the Repugs spew out. The Koch Bros., Repugs and Tea Party members are a cancer in our country and people are 2 blind to see them for the bigots and racists they are. OBAMA 2012...and I am damn proud I voted for him in'08.

[notajesusgigolo]

08:32 PM on 01/31/2012

Colbert's genius satire won't be complete until this whole sordid 2012 election process is over. We'll want to learn all along the way how he did or didn't spend the money, as well as what, if anything, is left in his coffers. (a la The Wi.tch???) His honest-to-goodness transparency will probably put the others to shame. Ya think at least one of them will qualify for a heftier line of credit at Tif..fany's?

[hottingers]

07:05 PM on 01/31/2012

Let's thank donors Pat Magroin, Ibin Yerkinoff, and Frumunda Mabalz.

[mike711l]

10:23 PM on 01/31/2012

Stephen thanked them frumunda his heart!

He is freakin funny! Too bad the GOP don't get the joke! Heck, half of them think he's really on their side! Best Joke Yet!

[SLCPunk]

06:31 PM on 01/31/2012

The fact that Harry Ballsagna, of Gladstone, Oregon; Frumunda Mabalz, of Fitchburg, Wisconsin; Pat Magroin, of Lakeside, California; and Ibin Yerkinoff, of Levittown, Pennsylvania, all made small donations proves it's a grassroots movement.

Now, Heywood Jablome, Phil McCracken, Hugh Jorgan, and Craven Morhead need to put their money where their mouths are.

[Eddie Martinez]

06:19 PM on 01/31/2012

Go get tem Colbert w/ $uper PAC!