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URL: http://www.iwatchnews.org/2012/01/31/8054/colberts-super-pac-raises-serious-money-donors-silly-names
Updated: 33 min 54 sec ago

Media execs, companies gave more than $350,000 to conservative super PACs

Thu, 2012-02-02 21:25
Conservative complaints about a liberal bias in the media do not hold up, at least not when it comes to the free-spending groups known as “super PACs.”News companies and their executives donated more than $350,000 to conservative super PACs in 2011, according to financial disclosure forms filed Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission.The donations included $100,000 from St. 2012-02-02T16:04:17-05:00 2012-02-02T15:56:36-05:00

Samuel Zell, chairman of the Tribune Company, handed $200,000 to conservative super PACs in 2011. His media group owns 11 daily newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune and Los Angeles Times, 23 television stations, and the Chicago Cubs baseball team. 

Corbin Hiar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/corbin-hiar

Los Angeles report: Limit suspensions, don't fine truants

Thu, 2012-02-02 18:24
Led by a top juvenile court judge, a special task force in Los Angeles County is releasing a report attacking excessive student suspensions and cautioning against law enforcement solutions to truancy. The Center for Public Integrity has a near-final draft of the report, which has some illuminating  lessons about the types of attendance-improvement efforts that succeed  – and fail – in certain parts of the populous Southern California region and other areas of the country. 2012-02-02T12:25:01-05:00 2012-02-02T12:16:30-05:00

Presidential super PACs raise $49 million through December

Wed, 2012-02-01 23:15
Outside groups that funded numerous attack ads in the GOP primaries collected more than $49 million in donations in 2011, with huge contributions coming from billionaires, corporations and labor unions, something that would have been illegal were it not for pivotal court decisions in early 2010.The top recipient among these so-called “super PACS” was Restore Our Future, which raised $30.2 million to assist the candidacy of former Massachusetts Gov. 2012-02-01T18:10:45-05:00 2012-02-01T17:54:39-05:00

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, campaigns at Astrotech Space Operations in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar

Adelsons attend Koch Brothers conference for mega donors

Wed, 2012-02-01 22:15
Billionaire casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson seems to be signaling his intention to plow millions more into conservative groups to influence this year’s elections, in addition to $10 million he and his wife gave a super PAC backing Newt Gingrich. 2012-02-01T16:44:49-05:00 2012-02-01T16:30:51-05:00

 

Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam Ochsorn

Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone

Center, NPR finalist for Goldsmith journalism prize

Wed, 2012-02-01 20:14
The Center for Public Integrity and NPR News have been named a finalist for the prestigious 2012 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting. The two organizations collaborated on a major air pollution investigation called Poisoned Places: Toxic Air, Neglected Communities.The Goldsmith Prize is conferred by the Joan Shorenstein Center for the Press, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University. 2012-02-01T15:01:23-05:00 2012-02-01T14:47:37-05:00 Randy Barrett http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/randy-barrett

FACT CHECK: McCain’s erroneous earmark attack

Wed, 2012-02-01 19:14
Sen. John McCain incorrectly claimed that earmarks nearly doubled from $7.8 billion to $14.5 billion in Newt Gingrich’s first two years as House speaker. Actually, the increase was about half that.Furthermore, earmarks first peaked, then declined under Gingrich. 2012-02-01T13:19:12-05:00 2012-02-01T13:19:34-05:00

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., appear on NBC's "Meet the Press."

FactCheck.Org http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/factcheckorg

Wildly different directions on when to eject kids from school

Wed, 2012-02-01 19:14
A Michigan teenager is at home on suspension for hair that's too long. Meanwhile, the state of Maryland may actually restrict suspensions to offenses that are violent or truly harmful to others. Two wildly different takes on when to remove a student from classrooms, a hot debate now among educators, parents and others concerned about kids' welfare. 2012-02-01T13:11:14-05:00 2012-01-31T17:08:20-05:00 Susan Ferriss http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/susan-ferriss

Pro-Romney 'super PAC' brings total haul to $30 million for year

Wed, 2012-02-01 04:57
Mitt Romney cemented his position as the favorite to win the GOP nomination with a first-place finish in Florida Tuesday thanks in no small part to an outside spending group that raised $30 million this year, more than the campaigns of any one of his rivals."Restore Our Future" raised nearly $18 million in the second half of 2011 to go with the $12.2 million the group brought in for the first half of the year. 2012-01-31T23:34:55-05:00 2012-01-31T19:48:44-05:00

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, and his wife Ann celebrates his Florida primary election win.

John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar

Pro-Gingrich super PAC reports $2.1 million in contributions

Wed, 2012-02-01 03:56
Winning Our Future, the super PAC associated with former Newt Gingrich and credited with keeping his campaign alive, raised $2.1 million in 2011, according to a report filed Tuesday night with the Federal Election Commission.The group is best known for its top patron, casino owner and billionaire Sheldon Adelson, who, together with his wife, have given it $10 million. 2012-01-31T22:19:58-05:00 2012-01-31T22:15:31-05:00

Former House Speaker and Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich

Aaron Mehta http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/aaron-mehta

Democratic super PACs can't keep up with GOP

Wed, 2012-02-01 02:56
A handful of Democratic super PACs and nonprofits reported raising together just over $19 million last year, a paltry sum compared to the leading GOP groups.The groups formed last year to help President Barack Obama win a second term and improve Democrats’ congressional fortunes,The total is based on a joint press release the groups issued Tuesday evening and includes over $6.7 million for Priorities USA and Priorities USA Action, started in early 2011 by two former White House aides, 2012-01-31T21:40:46-05:00 2012-01-31T21:17:47-05:00

Current White House Aide Bill Burton, as deputy White House press secretary in 2010.

Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone

Billionaire props up pro-Santorum 'super PAC'

Wed, 2012-02-01 01:55
The patriotically named Red White and Blue Fund, a super PAC created to support former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum's bid for the White House, only managed to raise about $730,000, according to a Federal Election Commission filing.Of the total, $331,000 came from Foster Friess, an investor from Jackson, Wyoming.Thus far, all the group's spending has been in support of Santorum, with one exception, and it's a big one. 2012-01-31T20:37:51-05:00 2012-01-31T20:19:32-05:00 John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone

Super PAC roundup

Wed, 2012-02-01 01:55
Midnight Jan. 31 was the deadline for super PACs and campaigns to file their end-of-the-year financial disclosure statements with the Federal Election Commission. Watch this space as iWatch News investigates and reports on the latest filings.For a quick summary of the presidential candidates, click here. 2012-01-31T20:47:05-05:00 2012-01-31T19:48:19-05:00

 

Republican presidential candidates from left, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., prepare for a debate in Sioux City, Iowa.

The Center for Public Integrity http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/center-public-integrity

Crossroads groups raise whopping $51 million in 2011

Wed, 2012-02-01 00:55
Super PAC American Crossroads and its sister organization raised more than $51 million last year with more than 60 percent of the total flowing into Crossroads GPS, the nonprofit arm that is not required to report its donors.American Crossroads, a super PAC that reports to the Federal Election Commission, raked in $18.4 million last year, including a $5 million donation from Texas tycoon Harold Simmons, plus another $2 million from Contran, a company that he controls, according to Crossroads sou 2012-01-31T19:42:07-05:00 2012-01-31T19:24:36-05:00

Karl Rove, former Senior Advisor to President George W. Bush

Peter H. Stone http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/peter-h-stone

Big oil fuels Pro-Perry super PAC, contributions total $5.5 million

Tue, 2012-01-31 23:54
"Make Us Great Again," the presidential super PAC that supported Texas Gov. 2012-01-31T18:24:06-05:00 2012-01-31T17:52:38-05:00

GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry

John Dunbar http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/john-dunbar

Obama's bundler total exceeds $74 million

Tue, 2012-01-31 22:53
President Barack Obama’s campaign added 90 new big-money bundlers in the fourth quarter, bringing its army of major backers to 445, according to information released by the campaign Tuesday.Total funds raised by bundlers — well-connected groups of fundraisers who tap their networks to collect large bundles of checks — reached at least $74.4 million.The newest bundlers accounted for at least $8.2 million. 2012-01-31T17:43:57-05:00 2012-01-31T17:32:20-05:00

President Barack Obama greets supporters

Aaron Mehta http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/aaron-mehta Fred Schulte http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/fred-schulte Elizabeth Lucas http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/elizabeth-lucas

PAC profile: Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow

Tue, 2012-01-31 21:52
Type of organization: Super PACSupports candidate: Herman CainFounded: June 30, 2011Website: www.colbertsuperpac.comSocial media: Facebook page, Twitter profilePrincipals:Stephen Colbert (president): Comedian and pundit Colbert founded Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow to educate the American publicShauna Polk (treasurer)Profile:Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow is Colbert’s latest attempt to combine comedy with politics. 2012-01-31T15:59:27-05:00 2012-01-31T15:59:34-05:00 Alexandra Duszak http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/alexandra-duszak

PAC profile: American Crossroads

Tue, 2012-01-31 19:52
Type of organization: Super PACSupports candidate: RepublicanFounded: July 9, 2010Website: www.americancrossroads.orgSocial Media: YouTube channel, Facebook page, Twitter profilePrincipals:Mike Duncan (chairman): Served as chairman, treasurer and general counsel of the Republican National Committee. Also worked on the campaigns of Presidents Nixon, Ford, Reagan and both Bushes.Steven Law (president and CEO): Deputy secretary of the Labor Department under President George W. 2012-01-31T14:28:55-05:00 2012-01-31T14:03:03-05:00 Aaron Mehta http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/aaron-mehta

Cain the candidate or Cain the super PAC-man?

Tue, 2012-01-31 19:52
Herman Cain, barely two weeks after suspending his presidential bid, founded his own super PAC called Cain Connections. The problem is that Herman Cain may — at least in the letter of the law — still be an active presidential candidate. 2012-01-31T14:36:08-05:00 2012-01-31T13:53:04-05:00

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain glances up as he speaks at the Congressional Health Caucus Thought Leaders Series in Washington.

Rachael Marcus http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/rachael-marcus

PAC profile: Cain Connections

Tue, 2012-01-31 19:52
Type of organization: Super PACSupports candidate: Newt GingrichFounded: Dec. 14, 2011Website: cainconnections.comSocial media: You Tube channel, Facebook page, TwitterPrincipals:Herman Cain (founder): Former GOP presidential candidate.Anthony Holm (treasurer): Former advisor to Rick Perry’s gubernatorial campaign. 2012-01-31T14:29:27-05:00 2012-01-31T12:34:14-05:00 Rachael Marcus http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/rachael-marcus

PAC profile: Priorities USA Action

Tue, 2012-01-31 19:52
Type of organization: Super PACSupports candidate: Barack ObamaFounded: April 29, 2011Website: www.prioritiesusaaction.orgSocial media: YouTube channel, Facebook page, Twitter profilePrincipals:Bill Burton (founder): campaign press secretary for Obama, later named White House deputy press secretary.Sean Sweeney (founder): former chief of staff to White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.Profiles:Priorities USA Action, which filed with the FEC in April of 2011, is the only super PAC associate 2012-01-31T14:28:35-05:00 2012-01-30T06:00:00-05:00 Aaron Mehta http://www.iwatchnews.org/authors/aaron-mehta
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