Foster Friess, Santorum Super PAC Backer, Gets Cozy With Candidate

Standing right behind Rick Santorum (over his right shoulder) as he gave his victory speech in Missouri after the Republican primary Tuesday night was Foster Friess, the main financial backer of his super PAC.

Friess is a wealthy businessman and a bankroller of many conservative causes. His donations to the Red White And Blue super PAC have, more or less, given it the money needed to run the few ads it's aired. Among those ads include spots attacking former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in Minnesota, another state that Santorum won on Tuesday.

The campaign and the super PAC cannot legally coordinate. And it stands to reason that, legally speaking, having Friess next to Santorum on stage doesn't violate that rule. The former senator from Pennsylvania, after all, wasn't talking to Friess directly, nor was Santorum speaking explicitly about campaign strategy.

But the proximity of the donor to the candidate on Tuesday night is a wonderful illustration of the dangers of the new campaign finance system: Where big checks don't just get you a seat at the table, they get you a spot on the stage.

Comments

[ccsvince]

08:12 AM on 02/16/2012

Gov. Buddy Roemer is the only candidate that has the integrity to take action against Special Interests NOW! He proves it by putting the money where his mouth is and currently runs his campaign with self imposed limits of $100 max. contribution No PAC or Super PAC. Roemer is the only candidate who has been granted Matching Funds from the FEC because of this.

"We need to wake up America! They Have Stolen Our Govt." -Buddy Roemer

[Nikki cox]

03:03 PM on 02/10/2012

Cute sugar daddy=)

[jeffeastwood15]

03:07 PM on 02/09/2012

On the Feb. 8 Rachel Maddow show, she pointed out (and showed the video) how Mr. Santorum went out of his way to not shake Mr. Freiss' hand after his win in MO -- even tho he shakes all the hands of the people on either side of his benefactor. Just a slip or do you think he was advised not to be seen shaking the hand of the millionaire that has given you over half a million dollars? And if that's the case, why have the guy standing on the podium next you?

[Ketan Pattani]

10:00 AM on 02/10/2012

After his 2nd showing in Iowa(now corrected to 1st) he even spoke to the Green tie for about 10 secs. This is exactly like the Colbert Superpac handing off to Stewart analogy. Wink-Wink nod-nod. Not only that, Rupert Murdoch owner of FOX endorsed Santorum a while ago and so FOX news is constantly propping him up and spreading lies. Talk about conflict of interest.

[Brian Rendina]

08:56 AM on 02/09/2012

I said Senator for Buddy Roemer on my earlier post. Meant to say Congressman.

[Brian Rendina]

08:47 AM on 02/09/2012

The only candidate that doesn't take PAC money at all is Buddy Roemer. He's the only guy running that's been a Governor and Senator, and built a billion dollar bank with no bailout money, and didn't foreclose on a single homeowner. www.buddyroemer.com

[Venus7]

12:59 AM on 02/09/2012

"Foster Freiss, Santorum Super PAC Backer, Gets Cozy With Candidate"

When I saw that headline, I thought it was going to be about some "romantic night" news. :p

[ibsyboy]

11:31 PM on 02/08/2012

JUST IN...FOX DECLARES WAR ON AMERICA.
HAMMITY FIRES ONE OVER THE BOW OF THE SHIP OF STATE.

[bcwarp]

07:48 PM on 02/08/2012

Friese is bankrolling Santorum's super Pac, but of course there is no coordination between the two. What? Super Pacs are such a joke. These were all made possible by the Supreme Court's Citizens United ruling. Activists jurors.

[itsboomervilla]

06:12 PM on 02/08/2012

Foster Freiss needs to do a little math and hold on to his money.
186.765 voters in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota voted for Santorum in their respective Republican Primary votes in 2012.

10,305,494 voters in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota turned out to vote in the Presidential election in 2008.

1.8% of likely 2012 voters -- yes, that's 1.8% -- in these three states voted for Santorum in their Republican primary elections.

So what makes this a "big win" for Santorum? And why should Foster Freiss give his campaign any money at all?

[dil123]

07:19 PM on 02/08/2012

Oh what the heck, let him spend it. He has nothing else to do with it, it's not like he's using it to help the economy. It's probably like an investment to him, if he wants to back a dead horse, who are we to stop his fun.

[Wolf Larsen]

06:10 PM on 02/08/2012

The right to choose or refuse a service is freedom. The denial of that service is_tyranny....

[Wolf Larsen]

06:13 PM on 02/08/2012

Oops wrong thread....sorry.... ; )

[luckyfreeman69]

05:04 PM on 02/08/2012

did u get your bail out ? ? ?

[Wolf Larsen]

06:10 PM on 02/08/2012

You should ask your bondsman.....

[lmishen]

04:56 PM on 02/08/2012

Santorum is evil carrying a bible! Watch him get angry when someone in the crowd tells a story of their dying child and see how angry and nasty he gets and how he can defend the drug companies as being corporations over a childs health! or if a woman gets raped SHE THEN HAS TO HAVE THE CHILD!!! Yea thats reall christianity, but to see NO honest concern or empathy! I am telling you he is evil! and people watch out! Doesnt the bible say the anti christ will be the first to say how god loving and caring he is ?

[Michael73501]

04:01 PM on 02/08/2012

L@@K at this....

Obama is accepting PAC money !!! Oh my !!!

Click - http://www­.nytimes.c­om/2012/02­/08/opinio­n/another-­2012-campa­ign-for-sa­le.html?_r­=1&pagewan­ted=all

[baileywick]

04:30 PM on 02/08/2012

You don't think he should when cons are just getting theirs from one or two billionaires?
Your idea of democracy would go far in 1920's Italy.

[Schalaine]

07:58 PM on 02/08/2012

About damn time!

[mrluckyman]

03:50 PM on 02/08/2012

Mr. Freiss, you are wasting your time and your money.

[jeffeastwood15]

03:18 PM on 02/09/2012

It's especially sad when you realize that money, over half a million dollars, could have been donated to a charity that helps, oh, I don't know... the sick or kids who are dying because they don't have uncontaminated water to drink or the prevention of cruelty to animals.

[practiceempathy]

03:42 PM on 02/08/2012

Who's that peaking over Santorum's shoulder?

The top.

Duh.