In the Sport of Fundraising, This Is Who Colbert's Super PAC Beat
It may not stack up to Karl Rove's American Crossroads but Stephen Colbert's super PAC Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow puts a whole host of serious super PACs to shame when it comes to fundraising.
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At midnight last night, the Comedy Central host wowed political observers with his Federal Election Commission disclosure that his super PAC has raised $1,023,121.24. "We raised it on my show and used it to materially influence the elections – in full accordance with the law," wrote Colbert. "It's the way our founding fathers would have wanted it, if they had founded corporations instead of just a country."
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If you weren't sure how significant a $1 million haul is for a super PAC lead by a comedian or any other public figure, the Center for Responsive Politics super PAC disclosure list makes it perfectly clear: It's a big deal. Take a look at all the groups that have raised less than Colbert's super PAC (the total amount raised appears in the right-hand column, the column to the left tracks expenditures):
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Of course, Colbert's PAC can't be bigger than everybody. According to Open Secrets, the pro-Romney PAC Restore Our Future raised more than $12 million and the pro-Obama PAC Priorities USA Action raised more than $3 million. Some non candidate-based PACs also come ahead of Colbert's, including House Majority PAC and American Bridge 21st Century with more than $2 million and $1.5 million respectively. Still, Colbert's haul is nothing to sneeze at.
