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Divided We Stand

Divided We Stand
New book about the 2020 election.

Friday, August 23, 2013

McConnell and Super PACs

The Daily Beast reports on Kentuckians for Strong Leadership, a pro-McConnell super PAC.  The story nicely illustrates the connections among outside groups, campaigns, and politicians:
The Kentucky super PAC leading the charge for McConnell can tap the golden Rolodex of Steven Law, who is one of its three board members: an ex-chief of staff to McConnell who ran his first reelection campaign, Law is currently president of American Crossroads. For extra muscle, the PAC’s senior adviser is Scott Jennings, a political director of another McConnell reelection drive, and a former aide to Crossroads co-founder Karl Rove in the George W. Bush administration.
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When the pro-McConnell super PAC reported in late July that it had raised $1.2 million in its first six months, almost half its top 19 donors were individuals who in 2012 also backed American Crossroads when, in tandem with its advocacy arm, Crossroads GPS, it raked in over $300 million.

Among the top donors to the Kentucky PAC was the late Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, who ponied up $100,000 and had given Crossroads $8.5 million in 2012. The Kentucky PAC initially reported that his donation came in early June, but when it was noted that Perry died in April, it quickly corrected the error, changing the date to one day before Perry’s death.

Besides Perry, other major Crossroads donors helping the new PAC included hedge-fund manager John Childs, who gave $250,000, and coal company CEO Joseph Craft III , who donated $100,000. Six other donors hailed from Texas, the longtime fundraising base of Crossroads co-founder Karl Rove.

With regard to personnel, the new PAC’s treasurer is Caleb Crosby, who also serves as treasurer of American Crossroads.