HUFFPOST FUNDRACE -- Super PAC Donors Face Federal Investigations

HUFFPOST FUNDRACE -- Super PAC Donors Face Federal Investigations

Some of the biggest super PAC donors have something in common: they're under investigation for alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. HuffPost reports, "A federal law to prevent U.S. companies from paying bribes to business overseas recently came to the forefront when The New York Times reportedthat Walmart officials had covered up alleged bribes made by company representatives in Mexico. The retail giant faces federal investigation for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Wealthy individuals connected with Walmart have meanwhile taken advantage of new campaign finance rules that allow for unlimited contributions -- and raise fears of unlimited influence over a future administration. Jim and Alice Walton, children of the founder of Walmart, have contributed $200,000 each to Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's campaign. Jim Walton sits on the board of Walmart, and both owe their place near the top of the Forbes list of the 400 richest Americans to their stake in the company. The Waltons are not alone among super PAC donors with businesses facing FCPA investigation. At least three other major contributors currently have FCPA worries, and others may be looming. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, another big-money campaign spender, continues its lobbying to loosen enforcement of the anti-corruption law. ...The most notable of the super PAC donors with FCPA concerns is Sheldon Adelson, international casino magnate and eighth richest person in the United States. ...The billionaire's business, Las Vegas Sands Inc., faces three FCPA investigations into casino operations in Macau, China. ...Oil tycoons Charles and David Koch, who have promised to spend no less than $100 million to defeat President Barack Obama and place Romney in the White House, have similar legal concerns. Their company, Koch Industries, is under investigation for potential FCPA violations. The company has already fired a host of employees from the European subsidiary involved in the alleged payments to officials in Africa, India and the Middle East. The computing company Hewlett-Packard is under investigation for alleged payments made by former employees to help a German subsidiary expand into Russia. CEO Meg Whitman and her husband combined to give $200,000 to the pro-Romney super PAC."

WaPo's Fred Hiatt calls out the Republican Party on faking their previous support for disclosure of campaign finance.

According to Dan Eggen, the post-Watergate system of campaign finance regulation has all but collapsed. The current legalization of unlimited contributions could, according to Eggen's story, lead to future scandals, "'I think we’re in the middle of a scandal that hasn’t quite gelled yet,' said Roger M. Witten, who worked in the Watergate special prosecutor’s office and now handles campaign-finance cases at WilmerHale in New York. 'A tremendous amount of ground has been lost. We’ll have to relearn the lessons of Watergate — that money corrupts the system.'"

Republic Report catches the head of The 60 Plus Association, a non-profit that spends money on elections, stating that he talks about ad buys with Republican Party campaign committees and candidates, "Martin asked where Republic Report’s Zaid Jilani had graduated from college. After hearing that Jilani went to the University of Georgia, a rival of Martin’s University of Florida alma mater, he told us a story. Martin said that during a meeting with the National Republican Campaign Committee, the Republican Party arm devoted to electing candidates to the House of Representatives, he jokingly told a prospective candidate for office that he wouldn’t run ads to support her given her husband’s relation to the University of Georgia football team. The woman, Martin laughed, turned purple with embarrassment before Martin assured her that he was only kidding. He said he promised the ads to the candidate anyways."

Two potential Mitt Romney vice presidential nominees -- Sens. Kelly Ayotte and Marco Rubio -- are going to headline a fundraiser for Restore Our Future, the pro-Romney super PAC.

Non-profits outspent super PACs 3-2 in the 2010 election, according to a joint study by the Center for Responsive Politics and the Center for Public Integrity.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse says to expect very little bipartisan support for the DISCLOSE Act or any other effort to edit campaign finance laws post-Citizens United.

Text message campaign contributions could be a huge deal for small donors, reports Roll Call's Eliza Newlin-Carney.

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: SEIU COPE
Candidate Opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "Florida Voters React to Mitt Romney"
Market: Florida.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: SEIU COPE
Candidate Opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "FreeDeal/ Dream Act Nevada"
Market: Nevada.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: SEIU COPE
Candidate Opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "FreeDeal/ Dream Act Colorado"
Market: Colorado.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Mitt Romney for President
Candidate Opposed: Barack Obama
Spot: "Our Time"
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Barack Obama for President
Spot: "Happy Father's Day from First Lady Michelle Obama"
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.

Committee: Mitt Romney for President
Spot: "Father's Day"
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.

Committee: American Future Fund
Spot: "Thank You Senator McConnell"
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.

Committee: Majority PAC
Candidate Opposed: George Allen
Spot: "Only One"
Market: Virginia.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Americans for Prosperity
Candidate Opposed: Jon Tester
Spot: "Tell Tester: Start Supporting Montana"
Market: Montana.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Jon Tester for Senate
Candidate Opposed: Denny Rehberg
Spot: "Is Rehberg a Rancher: Mansion Ranching Ain't Ranchin'"
Market: Montana.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Montana Democratic Party
Candidate Opposed: Denny Rehberg
Spot: "Rehberg's Unreasonable Bailouts"
Market: Montana.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Heidi Heitkamp for Senate
Spot: "Twelve Years"
Market: North Dakota.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: David Dewhurst for Senate
Candidate Opposed: Ted Cruz
Spot: "Ted Cruz: DC PAC Man"
Market: Texas.
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Pete Hoekstra for Senate
Spot: "Leaks"
Market: Michigan. (Radio)
Buy: Undisclosed.

Committee: Tarryl Clark for Congress
Spot: "Community"
Market: Minnesota's 8th District
Buy: Undisclosed.

TRACKING INDEPENDENT SPENDING:

These numbers represent spending by independent groups, like super PACs and non-profits, to support or oppose a particular candidate 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.

Presidential Race:
Mitt Romney (R), $7,327,516 to support, $16,503,880 to oppose. (Oppose: +$15,609)
Barack Obama (D), $553,481 to support, $1,775,425 to oppose. (Support: +$43,859; Oppose: +$102,467)

Most Outside Spending for Congressional Candidates:
TX-Senate: Ted Cruz (R), $838,270 to support, $2,301,676 to oppose.
TX-Senate: David Dewhurst (R), $501,126 to support, $2,481,715 to oppose.
IN-Senate: Richard Mourdock (R), $1,442,961 to support, $634,899 to oppose.
IN-Senate: Dick Lugar (R), $208,628 to support, $1,671,841 to oppose.
OH-SEN: Josh Mandel (R), $109,681 to support, $1,535,258 to oppose.

RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES

Campaign for Our Future, $5,752 to support Clyde Williams for Congress in New York's 15th District.
Friends of Mark van Gorder for Napa County Supervisor District 2, $318 to support Mike Thompson for Congress in California's 5th District.
MoveOn.org Political Action, $15,609 to oppose Mitt Romney for President.
FreedomWorks for America, $12,312 to support Dan Liljenquist for Senate in Utah.
FreedomWorks for America, $12,289 to oppose Orrin Hatch for Senate in Utah.
Republican Majority Campaign, $100,000 to oppose Barack Obama for President.
1911 United, $9,201 to support Barack Obama for President.
American Federation of State County And Municipal Employees AFL-CIO, $34,658 to support Barack Obama for President.
Women Vote!, $15,473 to support Grace Meng for Congress in New York's 6th District.
American Society of Anesthesiologists PAC, $19,387 to support John Sullivan for Congress in Oklahoma's 1st District.
Campaign to Defeat Barack Obama, $2,467 to oppose Barack Obama for President.

RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS

Native American Republican Super PAC, Sacramento, Calif., Treasurer: Charles H. Bell, Jr. (Super PAC)
Specials Operations for America, Whitefish, Mont., Treasurer: Christopher S. Hyatt. (Super PAC)
Citizens for Prosperity and Reform Movement, LLC, Irvine, Calif., Treasurer: Bill Sidhu., (Super PAC)
Enxco Inc PAC, Portland, Ore., Treasurer: Virinder Singh.
Massachusetts Blue PAC, Boston, Mass., Treasurer: Deirdre Savage.
United Americans For A Brighter Future, Palm Harbor, Fla., Treasurer: Dominique Samei.

Send tips, hints, submissions, rumors to HuffPost Fundrace at paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.

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