Republican outside groups have already launched major ad buys against President Barack Obama, but Democratic groups have barely responded. What gives? As Bloomberg reports, "The reason: Democratic groups formed to counter those charges don’t have the money to do it. 'To most donors, threat of attacks on the president has been only theoretical,' said Bill Burton, a co-founder and spokesman for Priorities USA Action, a so-called super political action committee created to defend the president’s re-election campaign. 'This last week it became very real.'"
The money for those Republican outside group attacks is coming from some controversial sources. One them is the bingo operator Irving Moskowitz, who gave $1 million to the Karl Rove-linked super PAC American Crossroads in February. HuffPost reports, "Even in the era of unbridled campaign contributions, Irving Moskowitz's $1 million donation in February to American Crossroads, the Karl Rove-linked super PAC, is eye-catching. A retired physician who made a fortune purchasing hospitals and running bingo and casino operations in the economically depressed California town of Hawaiian Gardens, Moskowitz is well-known to those who follow the Israel-Palestine conflict. His contributions to far-right Jewish settler groups, questionable archaeological projects and widespread land purchases in East Jerusalem and the West Bank have routinely inflamed the region over the past four decades and, according to many familiar with the conflict, made him a key obstacle to peace in the Middle East. Now, at age 83, Moskowitz has turned his money on the American political realm in a more prominent fashion than ever before, funding "birther" groups that question the legitimacy of President Barack Obama's U.S. citizenship and others that stoke fears about the president's alleged ties to 'radical Islam.' Although he has funded Republican politicians and organizations in the past, his $1 million donation to American Crossroads is his biggest contribution to U.S. electoral politics to date."
One Democratic-aligned super PAC that has raised a decent chunk of change is the labor-backed Workers Voices PAC. The group has raised $4.1 million and will not use it against anti-labor Democrats, instead looking to focus on ousting Republicans from office.
Rick Santorum admits that he dropped out of the race because he had run out of money.
Who are the small donors to Mitt Romney's super PAC? Salon went and found out.
The John Edwards campaign finance trial starts today and NPR runs with a good story asking the important question, "Does the case against John Edwards go too far?"
There are more than a lot of super PACs out there. ProPublica combs through some of the more entertaining ones.
The New York Times finds a private equity campaign donor to the Obama re-election campaign. That's one that we know of!
Sen. Dianne Feinstein's lawyer argued her case before the FEC to be able to re-solicit campaign donors after her treasurer turned about to be a fraud who was stealing from the campaign account. The FEC did not rule, but instead extended the hearing to craft another draft opinion.
AD WATCH
Help us populate our list of campaign videos. Send any notable TV, radio or web ads that you see to Fundrace. Send your submissions to paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.
Committee: Barack Obama for President
Candidate Opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "The Anniversary of Romneycare"
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: Scott Walker for Governor
Candidate Opposed: Tom Barrett
Spot: "Backwards"
Market: Wisconsin.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Scott Walker for Governor
Candidate Opposed: Kathleen Falk
Spot: "Gonig Back"
Market: Wisconsin.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: David Dewhurst for Senate
Spot: "Courage (Radio)"
Market: Texas.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: David Dewhurst for Senate
Spot: "Only One (Radio)"
Market: Texas.
Buy: Undisclosed.
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), $13,014,518 to support, $18,885,161 to oppose.
Rick Santorum (R), $7,548,235 to support, $20,923,379 to oppose. (+$8,416)
Mitt Romney (R), $3,317,306 to support, $6,927,290 to oppose. (+$262,982)
Rick Perry (R), $4,167,697 to support, $1,404 to oppose.
Ron Paul (R), $3,748,218 to support, $214,158 to oppose.
Jon Huntsman (R), $2,453,204 to support, $0 to oppose.
Barack Obama (D), $294,895 to support, $979,322 to oppose.
Herman Cain (R), $501,717 to support, $954 to oppose.
Gary Johnson (R), $518 to support, $0 to oppose.
RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
Campaign for Primary Accountability, $15,331 to oppose Tim Murphy for Congress in Pennsylvania's 18th District.
American Action Network, $4,042 to support Orrin Hatch for Senate in Utah.
Restore Our Future, $148,091 to support Mitt Romney for President in New York.
Restore Our Future, $1,961 to support Mitt Romney for President in Delaware.
Restore Our Future, $8,416 to oppose Rick Santorum for President in Connecticut.
Restore Our Future, $100,016 to support Mitt Romney for President in Pennsylvania.
Restore Our Future, $12,914 to support Mitt Romney for President in Rhode Island.
FreedomWorks for America, $10,988 to support Ted Cruz for Senate in Texas.
Arizona Republican Party, $64,703 to oppose Ronald Barber for Congress in Arizona's 1st District.
RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS
NONE.
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