Mitt Romney is scheduled to attend a lavish fundraiser during the London Olympics with an entry contribution of between $25,000 and $75,000. That fundraiser, however, won't feature co-host Robert Diamond, the now ex-head of Barclays. HuffPost, "A disgraced London banker has rescinded an offer to co-host a high-dollar fundraiser for Mitt Romney, sparing the GOP hopeful the difficulty of appearing at a lavish event with a man embroiled in scandal. Romney's plan to hold a fundraiser in London this summer with Barclays CEO Robert Diamond was reported June 28 by the London Telegraph. The cost of the dinner seemed to shock the British paper, which noted that 'the price of invitations dwarfs the amounts paid for such fund-raisers in British politics.' On Tuesday, Diamond resigned from Barclays after his bank was fined more than $450 million by British and U.S. authorities for attempting to manipulate the Libor rate (London interbank offered rate), a key global metric used to set everything from credit card to mortgage interest rates. ...Even before Diamond was set to co-host the lavish event, Barclays was a big source of money for the Romney campaign. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, employees of the international bank have contributed $234,650 to Romney, making them the ninth biggest donor to the presumptive Republican nominee. The campaign is also closely tied to the bank through Barclays' chief lobbyist, Patrick Durkin, who leads the campaign's fundraising efforts within the financial industry. In that role, Durkin has raised $927,160 for the campaign from other donors. He has also been featured at numerous roundtable events during which donors can talk to Romney advisers about policymaking in a future Romney administration."
A lot of money is being spent on advertising right now. NBC reports, "With four months to go until Election Day, the presidential campaigns and outside groups supporting them are spending nearly $15 million on advertising for this week alone ... From July 2 through July 8, the Obama campaign has purchased $6.5 million of advertising in the battleground states; the Romney camp $4.3 million; the conservative group Americans for Prosperity $2.6 million; and the pro-Obama Priorities USA Action $1.4 million."
Political advertising buys in the nation's top media markets will go online in one month, the Sunlight Foundation reports.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Obama is still pulling in money from Wall Street, even if it is down from 2008.
Is Rick Santorum's new nonprofit running afoul of tax laws prohibiting its primary purpose from being political? Mother Jones takes a look.
Energy has been a hot topic in outside group advertising.
Former French President Nicholas Sarkozy's home was raided by the police today in a campaign finance investigation. Apparently, French presidents have immunity from investigation while in office. Maybe he should have campaigned harder.
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Committee: Barack Obama for President
Candidate Opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "Believes"
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Republican National Committee
Candidate Opposed: Barack Obama
Spot: "Unpatriotic Debt"
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Michigan Republican Party
Candidate Opposed: Barack Obama
Spot: "Unpatriotic"
Market: Unknown.
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), $7,337,304 to support, $20,972,667 to oppose.
Barack Obama (D), $882,828 to support, $9,548,928 to oppose. (Support: +$135,477; Oppose: +$234,780)
Most Outside Spending for Congressional Candidates:
TX-Senate: Ted Cruz (R), $933,252 to support, $2,325,821 to oppose.
TX-Senate: David Dewhurst (R), $536,126 to support, $2,481,715 to oppose.
IN-Senate: Richard Mourdock (R), $1,442,961 to support, $1,280,052 to oppose.
OH-SEN: Josh Mandel (R), $172,404 to support, $1,739,326 to oppose.
IN-Senate: Dick Lugar (R), $208,628 to support, $1,671,841 to oppose.
RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
America's Next Generation, $40,000 to oppose Barack Obama for President.
Service Employees International Union PEA-Federal, $135,477 to support Barack Obama for President.
Service Employees International Union PEA-Federal, $18,835 to support Tammy Baldwin for Senate in Wisconsin.
Service Employees International Union PEA-Federal, $4,770 to support Shelley Berkley for Senate in Nevada.
Service Employees International Union PEA-Federal, $30,098 to support Sherrod Brown for Senate in Ohio.
Service Employees International Union PEA-Federal, $4,770 to support Steven Horsford for Congress in Nevada's 4th District.
Service Employees International Union PEA-Federal, $15,197 to support Joe Miklosi for Congress in Colorado's 6th District.
Patriot Majority USA, $100,966 to oppose Denny Rehberg for Senate in Montana.
Campaign to Defeat Barack Obama, $4,499 to oppose Barack Obama for President.
Republican Majority Campaign, $100,000 to oppose Barack Obama for President.
Senate Conservatives Fund, $10,071 to support Jeff Flake for Senate in Arizona.
Senate Conservatives Fund, $10,899 to support Mark Neumann for Senate in Wisconsin.
Senate Conservatives Fund, $10,831 to support Josh Mandel for Senate in Ohio.
Senate Conservatives Fund, $11.151 to support Richard Mourdock for Senate in Indiana.
Senate Conservatives Fund, $57,998 to support Ted Cruz for Senate in Texas.
FreedomWorks for America, $32,662 to oppose David Dewhurst for Senate in Texas.
FreedomWorks for America, $54,961 to support Ted Cruz for Senate in Texas.
FreedomWorks for America, $18,176 to oppose Barack Obama for President.
Florida Freedom PAC, $72,105 to oppose Barack Obama for President.
Secure Arizona PAC, $17,500 to oppose Jeff Flake for Senate in Arizona.
RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS
Pivot Point Washington, New Castle, Wash., Treasurer: Daniel C. Dickson. (Super PAC)
The American People Today Now, Frisco, Texas, Treasurer: Linda Smith. (Super PAC)
Haphak America, Tampa, Fla., Treasurer: Cesar Ruiz. (Super PAC)
National Union SuperPAC, Long Beach, Calif., Treasurer: Osama H. Ahmed. (Super PAC/Hybrid PAC)
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