Posted on 04/04/2012 7:46:42 AM PDT by throwback
WASHINGTON — A few weeks before the Republican primary in Florida in January, the billionaire owner of the NFL's Miami Dolphins hosted a fundraiser for Mitt Romney at his oceanfront home in Palm Beach. The average voter wouldn't know about the event at the home of Stephen Ross because Romney's campaign doesn't follow the practice of other major presidential candidates who have willingly identified big-money fundraisers and the amounts they collect.
A review by The Associated Press of campaign records and other documents reveals hints about the vast national network of business leaders bringing in millions to elect Romney. The same month that Ross invited friends and colleagues to his home, for example, Romney's campaign received $317,000 from nearly 150 people who share Ross's exclusive ZIP code on Florida's east coast, according to Federal Election Commission records. That mysterious surge of donations outpaced all contributions to Romney during the previous year from the wealthy Palm Beach area, when the campaign collected $270,000 over nine months. Romney got $21,000 more from residents there in February.
Unlike President Barack Obama, Romney's campaign will not identify his major fundraisers, and federal law doesn't require him to. The AP identified several of Romney's "bundlers" through interviews, finance records, event invitations and other publicity about campaign events. The lack of transparency by the Romney campaign prevents voters from knowing who wields influence inside the GOP frontrunner's campaign and how their interests might benefit if he is elected. Romney is in California this week for at least five private fundraisers.
Bundlers are typically well-connected business and banking executives who tap their professional and social networks to steer individual contributions from others to the campaign in amounts that can range from $10,000 to well over $500,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Has any freeper or anyone seen an analysis of the results of the primaries? A tally of the open primaries vs. the closed primaries? What is the true choice of registered Rs vs. the democrats telling us who our candidate will be?
Were yesterdays results those of the liberals controlling our outcome?
Romney disgusts me.
I’m sure the Rooney family will hold another big fundraiser for Obama to even this out.
Romney just won here in Wisconsin and looks to be the GOP nominee. I voted for Santorum as he is more conservative, but see the writing on the wall. I want anyone but Obama so you know I’ll vote for the GOP candidate in 11/2012.
Money is the blood of politics and if Romney can raise enough to beat Obama, great. I stopped giving to the national GOP a few years back and am not likely to give again until it is more conservative in its stance. I will give to Walker and local GOP candidates here in Wisconsin who I respect. A strong local party is good for us and those who are not comfortable with Romney should support the local and state candidates they like.
I don't blame him at all because, during the Proposition 8 controversy, donors, especially Mormons, were targeted for threats of violence.
The problem is that Obama will CRUSH Romney on fundraising at least 2-1, and Obama’s super pac will crush Romney’s 5-1. Soros, Buffett, Gates, Goldman Sacs, Freddie/Fannie, ect will donate to Obama and his PAC heavily, and so will the unions.
I totally agree. Just donated to Walker and will soon to Rebecca Kleefisch, too. I have voiced my STRONG opposition to RNC phone calls asking for money. Both times just this week the fellows on the phone said “I hear you, I hear you”. I expressed my disgust with them supporting Murkowski in Alaska over Miller who won the primary / she lost. She is still senator - shazam - thanks GOP! Also over their support of Snarlin Arlin - I said how’d that turn out for ya?.
The state of Wisconsin IS the battleground for the union thugs / recall Walker is totally disgusting and a waste of our tax dollars. Obama is behind this / Soros funding protesters, etc. This country is IN A MESS and more folks need to wake up and start helping do something to take it back. This is OUR generation's duty to save this Republic.
Get on it folks.
Bump
If you read the article, it seems like we have the wealthy battling it out amongst each other. I think that's why we had the housing meltdown because neither party had a problem with the boom. So the more I see of this ideological split, the less real it seems. It's just about the money.
I am voting for downsizing the size, scope and the cost of the Federal government, which I believe will grow personal liberty and freedom and American ingenuity, economic growth and improved quality of life for everyone will follow.
Unfortunately, GOPe Romney and progressive demonrat obama both grow government, but GOPe Romney is sold to us as having a better business plan.
In other words, both take the country over the edge, but with GOPe Romney it takes a little longer and we have a better portfolio when go over.
Ramney winning in the state that is trying to recall the first Governor to actually try to FIX the fiscal problems of the state, who hammered the unions who were one of the biggest reasons for the state’s near-bankruptcy...
Should we be surprised?
WI will probably go for Obama in November, no matter who the GOP candidate is.
They also had success in Michigan, Alabama and Mississippi. Any open primary is vulnerable to their prank voting effort.
You have to remember that these donors do a lot of “Fence Crossing”. In the general, many of these people who donated to Romney’s campaign will also give generously to Obama’s. They did the same in 2008 with McCain and Obama.
And, yes, Fannie/Freddy are giving heavily to Obama.
Santorum would have won without the endorsement by Ryan and Johnson. Here’a pic of the WI. primary map and where the votes for both came from.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2867864/posts?page=23
Once again, heartland, value centered, hard working people go for Santorum
Suburban and urban for Mittens. That urban will translate to Hussein votes before the voters know what hit them.
Rom.continues to get support in what will be Obama strongholds. The mistaken assumption of the Elitist GOP(who just decided that my tagline is a lie) is that moderation beats radicalism. It doesn’t and won’t.
I too will help Rebecca and Scott as much as I can. Walker especially is in the this fight for Wisconsin’s and figuratively, the nation’s survival.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
