HUFFPOST FUNDRACE - Republicans Want Corporate Contributions
New Hampshire results should be trickling in and only one candidate -- Jon Huntsman -- really got any support from a super PAC. Huntsman's super PAC, funded by his billionaire daddy, is one of numerous examples of the ludicrously defined "independence" that super PACs operate under. HuffPost's Jason Linkins gives the media a lesson in how to deal with super PACs before the January 24 primary in South Carolina, which will undoubtedly be the full scale super PAC World War to Iowa's Poland and New Hampshire's Norway: "In an ironic twist, the rule that ostensibly disallows coordination probably does more to prevent accountability than it does to promote it. No amount of Gingrich outrage could lead former Massachusetts Gov. Romney to request that his super PAC refrain from harsh attacks even if Romney wanted it to, which he doesn't. ... The rule, which ostensibly exists as a means of public assurance, is an essential part of the mechanism that enables the dirty pool in the first place. But the whole idea that there is no coordination strains credulity. ... And that's basically where the whole issue just becomes one of those classic examples of a thing that everyone in the world of political reporting knows but -- absent definitive proof -- won't actually say. ... The notion that there's no coordination going on between candidate and super PAC is transparent bullshit." [HuffPost]
The Republican Party is arguing in court that corporations should be able to give direct contributions to candidates for office. University of California-Irvine professor Rick Hasen says at his Election Law Blog that this could be another piece of poor optics fitting into a narrative of an out-of-touch party, "Especially if Romney is the nominee, expect this to be rolled into Romney's 'corporations are people, my friend' line, the Bain Capital stuff, and the recent 'I like to fire people gaffe,' with Occupy undertones, for Democrats (or their super PAC surrogates) to make an anti-corporate, Populist message for Obama's reelection."
While the RNC is not arguing for unlimited corporate contributions to candidates and parties, Democracy 21's Fred Wertheimer points out that corporations are not governed by aggregate contribution laws: "Under current contribution limits, a single corporation could contribute $61,600 to each of the three national Republican party committees in a two-year cycle, or a total of $184,800. The same corporation could contribute $20,000 to each of the 50 Republican state parties in a two-year cycle, or a total of $1 million dollars. All of this money could be raised by and transferred to the RNC since there are no limits on transfers among party committees. The overall total that could go to the RNC is $1,184,800 per corporation per election cycle."
Newt Gingrich has a full page ad in the Union Leader hitting Romney in New Hampshire. [HuffPost]
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Newt is also out with a brand new ad knocking Romney for supporting abortion. There have been remarkably few ads attacking Romney in this election. [HuffPost]
Just in time for the campaign to head South, Gingrich has a new attack line against Mitt Romney: "Massachusetts Moderate."
On why Sheldon Adelson came in to rescue Newt Gingrich with a $5 million super PAC contribution: "Several people with knowledge of Mr. Adelson's decision to donate to Winning Our Future said that it was born out of a two-decade friendship with Mr. Gingrich, his advocacy on behalf of Israel and his turbulent months as a presidential candidate." [NYT]
Behind the bidding war for the anti-Bain documentary that will be a focus of ads from the pro-Gingrich super PAC funded by Adelson. Ad buys have already been made totaling $1.4 million in South Carolina.
Joshua Green reviews the film for Bloomberg News. Green writes that the documentary includes the following line from Romney: "Make a profit. That's what it's all about, right?"
Democracy 21 calls on the Justice Department to monitor presidential candidate super PACs.
CAMPAIGN VIDEOS
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: Newt Gingrich for President
Candidate opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "Changed?" -- Gingrich goes after Romney for supporting pro-choice policies while acting as governor of Massachusetts. The female narrator of the ad says, "He governed pro-abortion. Romney appointed a pro-abortion judge, expanded access to abortion pills, put Planned Parenthood on a state medical board but failed to put a pro-life group on the same board."
Link: [http://youtu.be/Hwh82GtVGh4]
Market: Unknown.
Buy: Undisclosed.
Committee: Jon Huntsman for President
Spot: "Live Free or Die" -- This video represents Huntsman's closing argument in New Hampshire, which is a segment from Sunday's televised debate. In the video Huntsman derides the lack of trust and unity in the country. Huntsman explains his vision by parrying the rhetoric of his opponents, "It's not about taking on different groups and vilifying them for whatever reason. It's about projecting a vision for a more hopeful tomorrow."
Link: [http://youtu.be/vt_XlYEcTkY]
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: American Bridge 21st Century
Spot: "Romney's Ugly Coronation" -- The Democratic super PAC links Romney to Karl Rove through a host of clips featuring Rove praising the candidate or deflecting criticism of him.
Link: [http://youtu.be/G8Ct4NU3Qm8]
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
Committee: Newt Gingrich for President
Candidate opposed: Mitt Romney
Spot: "Pious Baloney" -- Few of the Republican candidates like pork -- earmarks -- but Newt Gingrich really hates Mitt Romney's "pious baloney." This video features a litany of Romney lines from Sunday's debate along with a Baloney Meter to judge how much cold cut meat the former Massachusetts governor is spewing. It also includes Gingrich's new attack against Romney, "Massachusetts Moderate."
Link: [http://youtu.be/Douad0v1f-Y]
Market: YouTube.
Buy: None. Just a web video.
TRACKING INDEPENDENT SPENDING IN THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE:
These numbers represent spending by independent groups, like super PACs and non-profits, to support or oppose a particular candidate for the presidency 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.
Newt Gingrich (R), $982,082 to support, $4,470,935 to oppose. (+$10,424)
Rick Perry (R), $3,798,524 to support, $0 to oppose.
Jon Huntsman (R), $2,453,204 to support, $0 to oppose.
Ron Paul (R), $889,039 to support, $106,982 to oppose. (+$39,609)
Rick Santorum (R), $832,436 to support, $2,407 to oppose.
Mitt Romney (R), $475,000 to support, $335,302 to oppose.
Herman Cain (R), $462,217 to support, $0 to oppose.
Barack Obama (D), $0 to support, $429,919 to oppose.
Gary Johnson (R), $518 to support, $0 to oppose.
RECENT INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURES
Restore Our Future, $4,983 to oppose Newt Gingrich for President in South Carolina.
Restore Our Future, $5,441 to oppose Newt Gingrich for President in New Hampshire.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, $76,794 to support Suzanne Bonamici for Congress in Oregon First District.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, $76,794 to oppose Rob Cornilles for Congress in Oregon First District.
Endorse Liberty, $39,609 to support Ron Paul for President.
RECENT POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE REGISTRATIONS
Mara and Day PAC, Washington, D.C., Treasurer: Timothy W. Day.
Anonymous PAC, Arvada, Colo., Treasurer: Christopher Scott Wintemute.
Send tips, hints, submissions, rumors to HuffPost Fundrace at paulblumenthal@huffingtonpost.com.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
