Stephen Colbert's Super PAC Inspires College StudentsTo Create Campus Chapters

NEW YORK -- When Paul Benefiel sent an email to Stephen Colbert asking for advice on how to set up his own super PAC at the University of Texas at Austin, he doubted Colbert would read his message at all. So it was a big surprise on March 29, when Colbert not only read it on his show, "The Colbert Report," but announced a Super PAC Super Fun Kit for sale online that would show college students how to start their own super PACs.

"Honestly, that email was a complete shot in the dark," said Benefiel, a sophomore chemical engineering student. "I didn't hear back from ['The Colbert Report'] for months."

Benefiel had been studying the changes in campaign finance laws that allowed for the existence of super PACs (political action committees that are able to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money without strict disclosure rules to follow). Benefiel's idea to form his own came up after a discussion with a professor on campus, and he simply thought it'd be cool if Colbert mentioned it on his show.

Benefiel said it took him about 45 minutes to watch the seven-minute segment in which Colbert read his email on air, because Benefiel would "freak out" in excitement each time he tried to get through it. "If we would have recorded my reaction," Benefiel said, "I'm sure they could have used the clip on 'Tosh.O.'"

Yet Colbert's comedic gambit -- which offered tube socks and a shirt reading "Turtles Don't Like Peanut Butter" as parts of the super PAC kit -- has resulted in serious action. College students around the country listened that night and started their own super PACs. These college student-run organizations are not only showing up in FEC reports, but also on campaign finance watchdog websites like OpenSecrets.org.

It's not exactly something Benefiel expected when he shot off an email to the comedian.

"I think it's absolutely wonderful that other colleges are starting their own super PACs," Benefiel said. "[The Supreme Court's decision in] Citizens United has only served to fan the flames of ill-will that were already felt toward the wealthy."

Georgetown University grad student Robert Lucas set up CREEP, which is a reference to the Committee for the Re-Election of the President of the Nixon-Watergate era.

David Jensen, a 24-year-old professional baseball player and 2010 grad of Northwestern University, launched Cats for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow. College students at the University of California-San Diego, Princeton University and Purdue University have also all started their own super PACs.

Politico reports Colbert and his "Super PAC spawn" combined represent 2.5 percent of the nation's registered super PACs.

Utes for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow was started by Joshua Mines, an 18-year-old who has never been eligible to cast a ballot in a presidential or congressional election before. Mines thinks Colbert's antics and his influence on his following of young people can help them understand how complicated issues like campaign finance affect the average person. Mines wants to be able to help out the effort by starting his own super PAC.

"If he can continue to raise awareness on a national level, and I can raise awareness on a local level," Mines said, "then I think our super PACs will have accomplished something really great."

Remy Maisel, a Pennsylvania State University student, ordered Colbert's super PAC kit and started her own chapter. Last week she sent this tweet that pokes fun at the idea of how secretive a super PAC can be:

Penn Staters for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow has gotten its first donation in the mail. We don't have to tell you from whom or for how much.

— Remy Maisel (@brandythief) May 4, 2012

Maisel said she ordered the kit as soon as Colbert announced they were for sale online.

"I immediately knew that my answer was a resounding yes," Maisel wrote in a blog on HuffPost College in April, "and I will do it right now. ... And I will reach out to people young and old, Democrat and Republican, engineers and English majors. And I will do this, even though I'm not exactly sure what I'm doing, or how to do it."

Maisel said when she told her father, he first asked if she needed a lawyer. She didn't know.

"Well," her father then said, "the first super PAC in the family. How exciting!"

Benefiel said it's been a lot of work setting up Texans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, but he's recruited a group of friends to help him. He wants to have an organization established in time for the November elections.

Benefiel added that in the current political environment, he believes Colbert and "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart are just what this country needs.

"They've found a way to present issues that honestly affect this country in a way that captures people's attention," Benefiel said, attributing what he sees as disenchantment with the political process to its coverage in the media. "If Mr. Colbert doing crazy stuff helps to bring people back into the political discourse, then I am all for it."

To see images of what's included in the Stephen Colbert Super PAC Super Fun Kit, and a round-up of the different super PACs started by college, check out the slideshow below:

Loading Slideshow

• Penn Staters For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow

• Georgetown University's CREEP

  Georgetown University graduate student Robert Lucas set up <a href="https://www.propublica.org/documents/item/333071-creep-letter.html" target="_hplink">CREEP</a>, which is a reference to the Nixon/Watergate-era Committee to Re-Elect the President. <em>Roll Call</em> <a href="http://www.rollcall.com/issues/57_131/Using-Super-PACs-to-Get-Rid-of-Super-PACs-214305-1.html?pos=opolh" target="_hplink">reports</a> Lucas has no plans to back a candidate or party, and has a goal of "raising voices, not dollars."

• Utes Super PAC

  University of Utah student Joshua Mines is not yet old enough to vote in a presidential election, but <a href="http://query.nictusa.com/pdf/135/12030800135/12030800135.pdf#navpanes=0" target="_hplink">he launched a super PAC</a>.

• San Diegans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow

  Established by Tyler Michael Bobik, a University of California-San Diego student.

• Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Yesterday

  Created by Stefani Jones, a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stefani-jones" target="_hplink">HuffPost blogger</a> and Duke University student.

• Cats For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow

  View the super PAC's <a href="http://catsforabettertomorrowtomorrow.com/" target="_hplink">Tumblr here</a> and track the group on <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/outsidespending/detail.php?cmte=C00519876&cycle=2012" target="_hplink">OpenSecrets.org.</a>

• Stephen Colbert's Super PAC Super Fun Pack

  <strong>The following images feature items included in the Super PAC Super Fun Pack, via the websites of the various super PACs.</strong>

Related on HuffPost:

From our partners

• 25 Signs You're A Hot Mess | Thought Catalog - thoughtcatalog.com

Comments

[Watching rock grow]

03:04 PM on 05/14/2012

As of May 14, 2012, 535 groups organized as Super PACs have reported total receipts of $204,712,775 and total independent expenditures of $103,956,941 in the 2012 cycle. Taken from the website http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/superpacs.php

The listings of- from the top Super PAC’s is eye opening, Americans are being bought.

[tnana23boys]

08:20 AM on 05/14/2012

"Well," her father then said, "the first super PAC in the family. How exciting!"...Love that line, you have a great dad there Remy!!

[florencebrady]

02:55 AM on 05/13/2012

The article seems to think the student is "proud" to be recognized by Colbert. Notice, Colbert is SELLING his kit online.

I hope he's donating the profits or at least sharing them with the student who gave him a new idea.

[tnana23boys]

08:22 AM on 05/14/2012

He's supplying a product, no one is forced to buy it. Why should he share any of it with anyone? Or is it you just don't like that Colbert found a way to make Super PAC's look as crooked as they really are and make it funny and profitable too.

[Judgeisintoday]

02:17 AM on 05/13/2012

No dummy, it's the electoral votes. Where did you go to school lol.

[BobandKaye]

11:21 PM on 05/12/2012

Love the movement. Love that these young folks are getting involved and taking a stand for our country. At the end of the day, however much money is spent on political ads, it's the number of votes, and the number of votes only, that count in the long run. It's still our country. We just have to vote to make it so.

[Watching rock grow]

02:38 PM on 05/14/2012

“If he can continue to raise awareness on a national level, and I can raise awareness on a local level," Mines said, "then I think our super PACs will have accomplished something really great."”

Joshua Mines founder of Super PAC Utes for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow.

Some are addressing the real concern you addressed.

[JoanneRM]

03:13 AM on 05/13/2012

"the Hollywood liberal Jew set (palestinian)." What is that liketobuild? Do you mean Jews who lived in what was Jerusalem Palestine prior to 1948, but now live in Hollywood? Colbert is a Doctor of Fine Arts. Are you unhappy because he is part of the upper class, and you are part of the ignorant class?

[liketobuild]

06:06 AM on 05/13/2012

Yes Colbert is what ever you say he is because you have the ability to fabricate just like your annointed one and " pull rabbits out of hats and call it reality"... Colbert is part of the Hollywood Fantasy world and you are part of the " I know whats its like even though I have never been there world".. You are the ignortant one because eveything you stated including your statistics are based on what you read...I think this ignorant class you accused me of is your lack of self esteem in that you have nothing to critque based on real time experience but its all a figment of your imagination...Really sad that you are " lost " in that world??

[nevitta357]

04:01 AM on 05/13/2012

Warefare?

[chasborg]

12:45 AM on 05/13/2012

You have to be kidding or your very sick.

[gtrblues4]

01:45 AM on 05/13/2012

Sadly, I don't think he's kidding. He truly believes that load of garbage..

[jerabbit]

04:01 AM on 05/13/2012

Well, we certainly have anger issues don't we? You really should discuss your illusions with a medical professional before you go completely off the deep end. And just so you know, it is still spelled God. Or is that my mistake and you actually know somebody named Gad who is supposed to bless America?

[chris hatala]

04:42 PM on 05/13/2012

Psychiatric help needed by the baggers.

[CHUXKLES]

07:12 PM on 05/12/2012

Can they add their PAC contributions added to their student debt?

[Billsback331]

07:30 PM on 05/10/2012

Vomit has more credible substance than anything that Colbert spouts from his pie hole.

[mail4warding]

08:06 PM on 05/12/2012

Well, I might agree Colbert is short on substance; but I don't know anything about this guy Vomit. What's his campaign all about and why are you a supporter (not athletic, of course)?

[JoanneRM]

02:13 AM on 05/13/2012

He got more than a million dollars that says a lot of people say he is worth listening to, enough that they have given him money without knowing what he is going to do with it. That is trust.

[krondool]

05:27 PM on 05/10/2012

People need to show the Supreme Court how truly ignorant Citizen's United really is. Go Colbert and college students everywhere, show how ridiculous the system has become.

If you're mad because we think elections are a joke, THIS is why.

[Bnic5]

04:11 PM on 05/10/2012

Colbert for president. He's much better than what we have right now.

[Billsback331]

07:31 PM on 05/10/2012

I agree even that joke calling himself a man is better than Obama.

[calderasf]

08:45 PM on 05/12/2012

Of course he's an Obama supporter you knwow that yes he's a fake conservative?

[LXIX WITHU]

03:38 PM on 05/10/2012

Gee...I had a turtle who LOVED peanut butter.

[popokinip]

02:39 PM on 05/10/2012

Stephen Colbert is BRILLIANT............. .no doubt about it.

Trevor Potter is kinda cute, too.

[Rickinohio522]

05:46 PM on 05/10/2012

S C has excellent writers, but he has the delivery.

[grneydmuse]

01:09 PM on 05/10/2012

Steven Colbert is absolutely HILARIOUS...I love him to death!

[Billsback331]

07:32 PM on 05/10/2012

Of course you do. However most of us like to hear from credible news reporters like on Fox not from clowns like Colbert.

[Suzanne Corrigan]

08:03 PM on 05/12/2012

Credible? Fox? Hmm.....

[mail4warding]

08:09 PM on 05/12/2012

...speak for yourself... besides the clowns like Colbert are funnier than the clowns who masquerade as credible news reporters

[smp276dp]

10:21 AM on 05/10/2012

So is lying but that hasn't stopped him. In fact he has taken it to a new level.
The lying I mean. Hey Mitt you were against the tarp. But know you want credit
for saving the auto industry. We will see come November what the people from
Michigan and Indiana Ohio say to you with their votes.