Billionaire gives $5 million to pro-Gingrich group

[Omaha Steve]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20120108/D9S4PEM01.html

By BETH FOUHY

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) - A Las Vegas billionaire has contributed $5 million to an independent group backing Newt Gingrich, breathing new life into the former House Speaker's struggling campaign for the GOP presidential nomination and casting renewed attention on the role of such groups in the 2012 contest.

A person familiar with the development said Sheldon Adelson, a casino mogul and longtime donor to Republican candidates, made the contribution Friday to Winning Our Future, a super PAC run by Gingrich allies. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity and was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said Adelson is expected to contribute as much or more to groups backing the Republican nominee, be it Gingrich or one of his rivals.

Rick Tyler, a former top Gingrich strategist and spokesman for Winning Our Future, declined to comment on the donation, which was first reported by The Washington Post. Politico reported last month that Adelson was prepared to spend $20 million to help Gingrich.

A 2010 Supreme Court decision easing restrictions on corporate and individual spending laid the groundwork for these political action committees, or super PACs, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to influence elections as long as they do not coordinate directly with a candidate's campaign. The identities of those who contributed to super PACs in the second half of 2011 won't be reported until the end of January.


Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich answers a question during a Republican presidential candidate debate at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

FULL story at link.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. More free speech than I can afford.

[aggiesal]

39. Yup, the more money you have ...

the more free speech you have.

Just what the framers of the Constitution wanted.

*sarcasm*

[Hotler]

2. But, but, but, but...

It's ok if a repug casino mogul gives millions to the right-wing but, if George Soros give one thin dime to liberal causes the repugs go fucking nuts.
Money for repugs = free speech
Money for liberals = socialism

[pocoloco]

8. Who gives money to wimps??

newt gets his shit done, lobbied to get mandates in the health bill passed, for example!

[onethatcares]

3. "winning our future"

but yours, not so much, eh?

Slap a Sheldon Adelson patch on the newtsters jacket. Hope he doesn't run outa room.

[sarcasmo]

22. Newt should put Adelson's face on the back of his suits.

[onehandle]

4. Too little, too late. nt

[CanonRay]

5. Rick Santorum: "There are no classes in America"

I can't remember who I gave that last 5 mil to.....

[AlbertCat]

6. The most annoying thing about super rich people

They waste so much of their money!

I find it extremely difficult to believe this person got rich off his wits.

[loudsue]

16. This is absolutely NOT a waste for the donor. Think about it:

First of all, he's going to have every republican in 50 states sucking up to him, in hopes that THEY, too, will get some of his dirty money. This gives him huge influence over the policies that these hungry dogs might have to support if they're going to get money for new campaigns.

Whether these hungry dogs are new people getting into politics, or old ones who already have influence (which, don't kid yourself, Newt Gingrich DOES have influence), he has just made HIMSELF, HIS views, and HIS special interests, the views and interests of those who are running for office.

He just bought himself $4 million worth of influence over our government, which 99% of us cannot do.

This asshole is the 1%.

[Blue_Tires]

37. not only that, but I promise you that the donated money

was structured in a way to give him some kind of big tax benefit, too

So he buys $5 million in influence that won't even cost him $5 million

[AlbertCat]

40. This is absolutely NOT a waste for the donor.

Oh.... c'mon! I understand what you mean. But 2 million woulda done the trick.

And to Newt Gingrich??? My millions woulda gone to a safer bet. See post #10


It's really more like a PR stunt.

[liberalmike27]

24. Pocket Change

It's like most of us buying a newspaper, them giving 5 million to anything.

[BootinUp]

26. lol nt

[izquierdista]

7. He's still a billionaire?

Back during the 2008 crisis, his net worth took a HUGE beating, what with the Las Vegas real estate market and all. Looks like he didn't learn anything from that ride.

[leveymg]

9. The Vegas mob was deeply overleveraged, and when the swaps markets froze in '08, they took a big hit

Looks like QE2 really loosened up the money markets, and Shelden has walking around money again. Aren't you glad that the Wall Street bailout worked?

[bitchkitty]

10. $5 million won't help Newt.

$50 million wouldn't help.

[wordpix]

18. 'xactly, love how these billionaires have million$ to burn

[riverwalker]

11. even algae call him slimey

and he is hideously influential.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheldon_Adelson

"Originally a Democrat, Adelson became a Republican as his wealth increased. "Why is it fair that I should be paying a higher percentage of taxes than anyone else?" he once asked. He began making major contributions to the Republican National Committee following clashes with labour unions at his Las Vegas properties.
Adelson divorced his first wife Sandra in 1988 and met his current wife Miriam Ochsorn, an Israeli physician, on a blind date the following year. They were married in 1991"

[JHB]

23. Because you have enough money to throw five mil at a politician...

...that's why you should be paying a higher percentage of taxes than anyone else.

The founders sought to prevent tyrrany by breaking up concentrations of power: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, etc. As you've just demonstrated, money is power too. That's what the high marginal tax rates did: encourage the break-up of that power rather than it's concentration.

Question answered.

[Canuckistanian]

38. +1

When you have nothing left to buy except a politician, you have too damn much money.

[MMJjestic]

36. You know, you would think that a casino mogul

would support policies that would grow the incomes of Middle and Working Class people. I mean a bigger disposable income would encourage more people to come to Vegas. I mean imagine Joe Lunchbucket spending a weekend in Vegas every year instead of luckiliy if he comes every other year, or better yet how about more weekends to spend money at the casino?

[loudsue]

51. Very astute observation. Funny these brilliant "business moguls" haven't figured that out yet. n/t

[warrior1]

12. wow

what a waste of 5 million dollars.

[JoePhilly]

13. My first thought also.

[Wait Wut]

15. Oh yeah.

Even if I had the money, I wouldn't give $5 mil to any politician. Donate, yes. Not that much. There are so many other causes that could make better use of that money. But, this is just another selfish move from another Republican. Throwing $5 mil at someone they think will "protect" their interests instead of using it to save or better the lives of others.

I don't get it. I never will.

[tawadi]

27. Exactly what I was going to post. eom

[qb]

14. I'm glad to see the $$$=speech bullshit eating the Republicans.

[fascisthunter]

17. So, Mr./Mrs. Billionaire, your one vote isn't sufficient, yet you will not pay more taxes?

I see... when you want it all, you want everything your way. Well, we 99%ers understand this, and now we are going to change the game so that fuckers like you will never be represented more than any other citizens, rich or poor.

[opihimoimoi]

19. Noot is Moot...$$ not gonna help him win shit....he is a large anus...farting shit as he tries to

tell us his failed story...

Noot Carries too much evil....he is sour grapes...vindictive and has stupid ideas...

His attack is not worthy of series debate...mostly attack others to make himself look smarter.

Clever but no cigars

[wordpix]

20. we need to get Citizens United overturned. Money=speech is ruining the country

[marmar]

21. Sheldon Adelson is a well-known sugardaddy for Reich Wing nutcases.

nt

[Botany]

25. From the Dept. of Pounding Sand down a Rat Hole.

If the man wants to piss away 5 million $s he could have spent it with me but if some
right wing nut job wants to waste money I say "go for it."

[hughee99]

28. Why is no one else happy about this?

Gingrich is going to stay in the race to attack Romney, who appears to be likely nominee. The PAC will be running anti-Romney ads. By the time it gets to the general election, people will already be aware of many of the reasons Romney is a bad candidate. It's a plus for Obama.

[virtualobserver]

31. it is truly wonderful to watch the Republicans fund the digging of their own grave

If we controlled Reublican puppet strings, we couldn't construct a better scenario.

it is fun to watch a party built on lies and hate self-destruct right before our eyes.

[hughee99]

32. My thoughts exactly...

Look, a single person donating a ton of money to a Pac isn't unique to this situation or even to the repukes, but how can you not like a repuke pouring money into a dead campaign for the sole purpose of fucking with the likely nominee and hurt him in the general election.

[cosmicone]

43. My thoughts exactly ...

This is $5 million Obama won't have to spend in the GE.

[tpsbmam]

29. "Winning our future." Yeah, right. More like "buying our future" and "losing our future" for

the US if any of these assholes get into office.

[KamaAina]

30. Most of his casinos are in Macau

the former Portuguese colony across the bay from Hong Kong.

The only one he has in Vegas is the Venetian. (Tip: Don't go to the Venetian.)

So basically, this is foreign money, even though it comes with a U.S. return address.

[Bushfire]

41. Sands Casino Corp

Venetian and Palazzo in Vegas, and Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem PA are the US based casinos fyi.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

42. Oh yeah...

... I was there for a convention at the Sands (stayed up the strip at Harrah's) and would drive the security in the Venetian nuts when I would walk through the casino to get to the Sands convention center, whistling the theme from the 1970's NBC Sunday Night Mystery show, you know, McCloud, McMillian and Wife, etc... LOL

[DeSwiss]

33. K&R

- I suppose this is what is meant when it is said that rich pukes are job creators.....

[NewImproved Deal]

34. Casino Money

is Mafia Money...Newt's fans all seem to be crooked parasites.

[24601]

35. Where is George Soros when you need him? Even if Adelson reaches the $20M threshhold, he'll still

be $3.5M shy of what Soros spent for the 2004 election.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

45. Which primary candidate would you like Soros to support?

Given a lack of Democratic Candidate Debates on TV, I just don't know who to vote for in the primary.

[24601]

48. I wasn't speaking only of the primary but of the whole election cycle.

But if will help the auditors, he can make the check out to me.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

49. He may check in later this year

I think it's too early to put Soros' money to good use. Wait until the Republicans have a slate.

[Tsiyu]

44. Contact info - tell this tool what a poor bet he's made

Sheldon Baby, the poor old addled thing, might as well have thrown that $5 million in a hole, or put it through a paper shredder.

Talk about your bad bets.

http://sandsconfidential.com/contact/

[johnlal]

46. I wonder how effective all this money really is...

People are becoming more media savvy. Time-shifting technology such as DVR and TIVO means we never really have to watch TV commercials. We are not shy about hanging up on robo-calls or throwing junk mail in the circular file. I just wonder if Super Pacs are going to turn out to be a distribution of wealth from the very rich to the middle class. It seems that Super pacs are the things that help to divide a fool from his money.

[SixthSense]

47. it's FOUR TIMES as bad as reported

latest reports this guy is throwing $20 million, not $5 million, behind Gingrich

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/dec/15/sheldon-adelson-commits-20-million-pro-newt-gingri/

[Populist_Prole]

50. Throwing away bad money after bad. Newt's done

It's predictable, but I aint worried.

[cstanleytech]

52. If they are going to allow PACs they should make it so atleast that

they have to be formed and report all sources of donations atleast 6 weeks before any election takes place and that no new money can be injected into a PAC nor can a new PAC be formed after the cutoff period.