Rick Perry wants to create a super PAC, tap big-dollar donors and influence The Election

[w8liftinglady]

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/02/rick-perry-wants-to-create-a-s.html


Rick Perry, whose own bid for the White House ended in failure, is asking the Federal Election Commission for permission to create a so-called super PAC that could raise and spend unlimited sums to influence political races this year. In a letter to the FEC, the Texas governor says he wants to transfer the remaining money from his presidential account to a new political committee. When Perry ended his presidential campaign on Jan. 19, he mailed letters to his financial backers asking if he could take the money they'd contributed for his White House bid and "redesignate" it as donations for a new political action committee. The request underscores Perry's expressed intention to remain active in national politics and would give him a big-dollar platform to attack President Obama's reelection.
Super PACs, which were authorized by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2010, can collect money without limits from individuals and corporations. Under federal law, the committees can promote a candidate but can't directly coordinate with the campaign itself. Austin lobbyist Mike Toomey, a former Perry chief of staff, headed the pro-Perry Super PAC Make Us Great Again, which ran television ads in early primary states attacking the governor's presidential rivals. Now, Perry is asking to create such a PAC himself, which affect the presidential contest this fall. Kathy Kiely of the Sunlight Foundation first reported the Perry request to FEC.

According to the letter to the FEC signed by the governor's campaign treasurer, a few Perry donors have approved the transfer but others with contributions totaling $100,000 have asked for their money back. It's not clear exactly how much money remains in Perry's presidential account. His campaign reported $3.8 million in the bank on Dec. 31, but bills and other debts likely will reduce that figure.

[RevStPatrick]

1. I heard he was gonna run...

...for president again next year.