Karl Rove's Crossroads GPS Funded By $10 Million Checks

WASHINGTON -- The “GPS” in Crossroads GPS ostensibly stands for grassroots policy strategies, but the Washington Post reported Friday that nearly 90 percent of the money flowing through the Karl Rove-associated group has come from as few as two dozen anonymous donors, two of whom gave at least $10 million each.

The group, known for funding hard-hitting attack ads against congressional Democrats in the 2010 elections, has said that it and its sister group, American Crossroads, intend to spend $300 million in this year's elections. Most recently, Crossroads GPS spent $1.7 million on television ads attempting to blame President Barack Obama for high gas prices.

Crossroads GPS won't divulge the names of its donors, citing its self-declared status as a nonprofit organization operating under section 501(c)(4) of the tax code. That section is intended for “social welfare” groups that have a primary mission other than political activity.

The IRS has yet to formally grant Crossroads GPS that status. Several campaign finance reform groups have demanded that Crossroads' request be denied.

The group let the Post see the tax forms it plans to file with the IRS next week. Those forms reportedly disclose that the group has spent about $17 million on “direct election spending.” It also reported spending $27 million on “issue advocacy,” which the Post notes is “often a subtle distinction, since the ads inevitably help one political figure or party.”

Should the IRS consider that spending political in nature, it could well deny the group 501(c)(4) status -- possibly subjecting it to massive fines for nondisclosure.

The Post reported that the group also passed along money from its secret donors to other conservative groups, including $4 million to Americans for Tax Reform and $2 million to the National Right to Life Committee.

The complete domination of Crossroads GPS by large donors is further evidence of a clear trend that has emerged in campaign financing since the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision. Money flowing into the groups that have sprung up in the wake of that decision -- namely Super PACs like American Crossroads and 501(c)(4)s like Crossroads GPS -- have become vehicles for the super-rich to influence politics more easily than any time since before the Watergate era.

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Comments

[4godsake]

11:09 AM on 06/08/2012

Here where all the tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans are going. It is NOT use to CREATE JOBS, there usually use overseas workers for their job creation. The tax breaks are used to influence the public's THINKING. Why do you think it is getting harder and harder to educate your kids, and if they get an education the first TEN YEARS after receiving a college education they are paying off debts? Because the wealthiest Americans KNOW that an educated individual is harder to INFLUENCE. While the CLASS GAP in this country continues to manifest itself many Americans are still influenec to believe that wealthiest Americans need tax break more than ever, WHY ? TO ALL THE HARD WORKING IGNORANT AMERICANS WHO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT POLICAL PARTIES WHOSE POLICIES SUPPORT THE RICH AND CORPORATIONS WHO PAYS A HAND FULL OF EXECUTIVES ,MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR FOR COMPANIES THAT FAILS AND DOES NOT PROVIDE HEALTH COVERAGE TO THEIR EMPLOYEES WITH FAMLIES(FOR LESS THAN WHAT THEY PAYS A FEW), WHAT DO YOU USE FOR BRAINS ? PROVERTY IS ON THE RAISE IN THIS COUNTRY IT HAS "NOTHING" IT SOCIAL PROGRAM THAT HELPS THE NEEDY IN THIS COUNTRY, YOU MAY BE AGAINST SUCH PROGRAMS NOW, BUT WHEN YOU IN LINE TO RECEIVE THESE GOVERNMENT HANDOUTS REMEMBER WHEN YOU VOTED REPUBLICAN, YOU PUT YOURSELF IN THIS LINE. OH, ONE OTHER THING, PLEASE GO TO THE REAR OF THE LINE, BECAUSE YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING SUCH LINES.

[4godsake]

10:39 AM on 06/08/2012

Where ever Karl Rove appears you can almost SMELL the aroma of DECEIVE AND CORRUPTION.

[4godsake]

10:30 AM on 06/08/2012

This is where poltics have gone. Corruption at its high form. The wealthiest Americans influences on the average hard working American to corral the votes and control the White House and the Legislative Branches of Government leaving the U S Supreme Court basically untouched SO FAR. But even the U S Supreme Courts have a negative approval rating by the American Public. So I ask this question, IF THE WEALTHIEST AMERICANS are spending BILLIONS of DOLLARS to influence elections on all scales of politics in this country, and the CLASS GAP continues to widen and has been doing so since the Reagan Administration, WHY THE AVERAGE HARD WORKING AMERICANS SUPPORT THE POLITICAL PARTY WHO POLICIES AND LAWS SUPPORT THE 1% OF THE WEALTHIEST AMERICANS, while it is getting harder and harder to educate your kids, Harder to receive health coverage, losing ours home to large financial institutes by the millions, Our children fighting in unnecessary wars in the name of GREED, 401k plans that never amount to enough to live on after you retire, increasing number of Americans receiving government assistance just to survive, insurance rates constantly increases along with lawsuits to get insurance companies to pay you when you file a claim. There is only one way to describe it, TOTALLY IGNORANT !

[Kneeanderthal]

08:41 AM on 04/22/2012

At $10 million, that is some expensive grass in their "grassroots".

Seriously, I knew a number of Karl Rove types in high school. Rove was a debate team guy, probably lost a LOT of lunch money to bullies, and is out to show the world that he is now the one REALLY in charge. Never caught a pass or hit a home run, girls probably shunned him, didn't finish college, didn't serve in the military. Never accomplished a single thing in his life except to sway opinion and get nitwits like W elected. Rove and his ilk are the most disgusting thing about America except for pink slime.
With his money he should get his neck liposuctioned, get contacts, go buy a Caribbean island and live the next thirty years there but noooo, he is still here and still trying to be popular in high school.
Is anyone fooled by this Grassroots (read ASTROTURF) nonsense any more?

[kyosaku]

11:07 AM on 04/18/2012

The lion's share of access to the political machine...one more argument for the one percent paying the lion's share of the cost of government.

[golions]

04:38 PM on 04/15/2012

We should call this "golf club grassroots."

[trueglobalnews]

11:55 AM on 04/15/2012

Mitt Romney and Barack Obama top donors are Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. They are different sides of the same coin, don't get fooled by the rhetoric.

Ron Paul top donors are the US army, navy and airforce and he has had the same message for more than 30 years.

[kyosaku]

11:05 AM on 04/18/2012

OK, but we know this because the identity of the donors has been disclosed. This organization is hiding its contributors behind a nonprofit designation that has not been granted; and, given their activities, should not be granted.

My preference would to require full discloser, of all political donations, regardless of affiliation. Full discloser includes the names of all persons (and corporate persons) identified as donors. A nonprofit designation would not exempt that group from disclosure.

[ldjwood]

07:41 PM on 04/14/2012

So they're asking for Obama to give back the million dollars from Bill maher...while the slimebaggers collect $10 million a pop from the haters!

[gibels]

04:41 PM on 04/14/2012

My guess is that Mittens wrote the 10 million dollar check will never know because this election will be bought and paid for by the top 1% and there cronnies...
'I bet they are working on the voteing machines as we speak....

[ldjwood]

07:43 PM on 04/14/2012

Nice avatar! Listen, how do you put an avatar on your post? I don't see anything in my profile that allows me to do it. Thanks!

[stape45]

02:16 PM on 04/14/2012

I don't suppose they could ever have "too much" money, but beyond a certain point, isn't it just overkill?

[CePe]

02:12 PM on 04/14/2012

Gee, wonder how many of these donations come from oil-related interests? Although oil production under Obama has boomed, the industry is terrified by administration efforts to develop alternative energy sources - they are working to stop it, no matter the cost in terms of money or the future of our society.

[justan olnamvet]

01:31 PM on 04/14/2012

With that kind of money,one would wonder what kind of grass these people are into.

[MtnMutt]

12:48 PM on 04/14/2012

Teddy Roosevelt would call Rove and his anonymous clients traitors and would be correct.

[kevinbr38]

12:40 PM on 04/14/2012

The Supreme Court's ruling on the Citizen's United case has got to be one of the greatest affronts to true democracy ever.
It has paved the way for people like Karl Rove to attempt to literally purchase government with impunity, while fronting for those who would benefit most the policies, and tactics that he employs while remaining anonymous.
This situation bears absolutely no resembelance to the nation The Founding Fathers envisioned, laid out in The Constitution.
I sincerely hope that President Obama gets the congress he needs in his second term (with the accompanying SCOTUS appointment or two), in order to be able to go after this hei_n_ous affront to our democratic process.

[atteloc716]

12:32 PM on 04/14/2012

Karl Rove has never had ethics thats why he had to go in past administration
He funnels money from one hand to Grover Norquist.

Has always been the bought mouthpc of the influence peddlers to the President.......
"Bush's Brain"

[montn2]

02:13 PM on 04/14/2012

Amazing how two unelected people have so much control over our government.....it is really sick!