Report: Cancer Center Chief funneled millions to Freedom Works : Talking Points Memo [View all]

[Stuart G]

Last edited Fri Dec 28, 2012, 01:43 PM - Edit history (1)

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/12/richard_stephenson_freedomworks.php?ref=fpb

additional information from: The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/freedomworks-tea-party-group-nearly-falls-apart-in-fight-between-old-and-new-guard/2012/12/25/dd095b68-4545-11e2-8061-253bccfc7532_story.html


Eric Lach-December 27, 2012, 11:03 AM3639

The Washington Post’s story of former House Majority Leader Dick Armey’s attempted coup of the tea party group FreedomWorks had the political press buzzing on Wednesday. But in the background, behind the dramatic account of a high-stakes D.C. power struggle, Amy Gardner’s story also supplied some answers to one of the abiding money mysteries of 2012 election.

In early November, several news outlets ran stories about a Knoxville, Tenn. man named William S. Rose III. Over six weeks that began in late September, using two newly formed companies with no other apparent purpose, Rose gave more than $12 million to FreedomWorks. The donations made Rose’s companies among the biggest corporate donors of the election cycle. In response to the press interest over his motivations, Rose released a six-page statement, denying that he or his companies were “shadowy” but insisting that the business of one of the companies, Specialty Group, was a “family secret” that would be kept secret “as allowed by applicable law — for at least another 50 years.”

The Post’s story this week reported that the money given by Rose’s companies actually came from Richard Stephenson, a “reclusive Illinois millionaire” and the founder and chairman of the board of the for-profit Cancer Treatment Centers of America. From the Post:

Rose, who could not be reached for comment, has said publicly he would not answer questions about the donations. But according to three current and former FreedomWorks employees with knowledge of the donations, the money originated with Stephenson and his family, who arranged for the contributions from the Tennessee firms to the super PAC. Brandon, Freedom Works executive vice told colleagues starting in August that Stephenson would be giving between $10 million and $12 million, these sources said. Brandon also met repeatedly with members of Stephenson’s family who were involved in arranging the donations, the sources said.

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Money made from Cancer Treatment Centers of America, ultimately goes to Freedomworks...something to think about..when watching all their ads.