HUFFPOST FUNDRACE - Romney Secret Super PAC Donor Revealed
EXCLUSIVE: The Romney super PAC, Restore Our Future, today filed an amendment to their year-end filing replacing the name of an obscure shell company with those of two actual human beings. The change happened to Glenbrook LLC, which had become the subject of a New York Times investigation to determine the person behind the contribution. The $250,000 Glenbrook LLC contribution has now been attributed to Jesse and Mindy Rodgers, with each giving $125,000.
Rogers is a former Bain Capital partner who launched a buyout fund, Golden Gate Capital, in 2001 with investment money from both Mitt Romney and Bain & Co. He is now the head of Altamont Capital Partners, a San Francisco Bay area-based private equity fund. In December, Rogers and his wife were listed as Chairs of a California fundraiser for Romney. (PDF link)
Both the Glenbrook LLC contribution, since removed from the amended filing, and the Rogers' contributions come from the same address and occurred on the same date. There were no other changes to the amended filing.
This is the second time that a Restore Our Future contribution from a shell corporation has had to be reassigned to a human being. The previous time it happened to a $1 million contribution from another former Bain Capital executive. (h/t to HuffPost's Aaron Bycoffe)
Obama's Super Reversal -- The reelection campaign of President Barack Obama announced last night that it was throwing its support behind Priorities USA Action, a super PAC. This marks a big reversal for the president, who has been very critical of super PACs and the court decisions that spawned them. Campaign and executive branch officials, including some cabinet members, will appear at events for the super PAC. The President, the Vice President, and the First Lady will not participate in any events organized by the super PAC.
In a conference call Tuesday morning campaign officials explained that the final decision was made by President Obama. This came after seeing the torrent of super PAC spending in the Republican primary and after the Koch Brothers and the Karl Rove-linked groups announced fundraising goals that combined to reach half-a-billion dollars.
HuffPost asked whether the super PAC would take contributions from lobbyists, which the campaign does not accept, and whether the campaign would be supporting the super PAC's nonprofit group that does not disclose it's donors.
On lobbyist contributions: "That's not a decision we can make. That's a decision for Priorities."
On the secret money nonprofit: "We're not lending support to the 501(c)(4)."
Super PAC reax:
Former Sen. Russ Feingold told HuffPost's Sam Stein: "It will lead to scandal and there are going to be a lot of people having corrupt conversations about huge amounts of money that will one day regret that they went down the route of what is effectively a legalized Abramoff system."
Democracy 21's Fred Wertheimer renewed his call for an investigation of Priorities USA Action and Restore Our Future.
The Brennan Center's Adam Skaggs: "However disappointing it was to campaign reform advocates, the only surprise about the Obama campaign's decision to play by the same rules is that it waited this long to make the announcement. Any campaign that doesn't take advantage of the rules that permit super spending by Super PACs doesn't stand a chance."
The Sunlight Foundation's John Wonderlich: "Now we know why disclosure and reform were absent -- they've been jettisoned, relegated to an awkward reassuring line in the announcement that the biggest checks are now welcome, despite the President's persistent warnings throughout 2010 that we should make no mistake in remembering how unlimited, often secret donations affect public service."
NBC First Read: "Anyone who is surprised by the Obama campaign's announcement last night that it's encouraging Democratic donors to give money to the pro-Obama Super PAC Priorities USA Action -- after previously criticizing this practice -- wasn't paying attention in 2008."
AD WATCH
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TRACKING INDEPENDENT SPENDING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE:
These numbers represent spending by independent groups, like super PACs and non-profits, to support or oppose a particular candidate for the presidency in 2012. Fundrace will update this spending daily to help show which candidates are gaining from the proliferation of independent groups in this coming election.
Newt Gingrich (R), $5,226,377 to support, $17,072,195 to oppose. (+$9,291)
Mitt Romney (R), $2,216,953 to support, $5,073,059 to oppose.
Rick Perry (R), $4,167,697 to support, $1,404 to oppose.
Ron Paul (R), $3,631,320 to support, $133,333 to oppose. (+$1,195)
Jon Huntsman (R), $2,453,204 to support, $0 to oppose.
Rick Santorum (R), $2,235,927 to support, $397,503 to oppose.
Barack Obama (D), $24,468 to support, $735,730 to oppose. (+$50,000)
Herman Cain (R), $501,717 to support, $954 to oppose.
Gary Johnson (R), $518 to support, $0 to oppose.
RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
Life and Liberty PAC, $50,000 to oppose Barack Obama for President.
Endorse Liberty, $1,194 to support Ron Paul for President.
SEIU COPE, $14,552 to oppose Mitt Romney for President in Nevada.
RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS
NONE
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First Posted: 02/ 7/2012 6:28 pm Updated: 02/ 7/2012 7:50 pm