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Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson poured $53 million into the 2012 elections via controversial super PACs to back these candidates. All lost. From left to right, Mitt Romney, Connie Mack, George Allen, Allen West, Joe Kyrillos, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, David Dewhurst and Newt Gingrich. West is demanding a recount, however, claiming 'disturbing irregularities at the polls.'
Money can't buy happiness, nor can it buy an election, apparently.
The top donors to super PACs in 2012 did not fare well — casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, the No. 1 super PAC contributor with more than $53 million in giving, backed eight losers at this writing.
Adelson was top backer of the pro-Mitt Romney Restore Our Future super PAC, with $20 million in donations. Romney lost to President Barack Obama. In addition, Adelson's contributions to super PACs backing U.S. Senate candidates in Florida, Virginia and New Jersey were also for naught.
He was not the only conservative billionaire who had a bad night.
Contran Corp. CEO Harold Simmons, (No. 2), homebuilder Bob Perry (No. 3) and TD Ameritrade founder Joe Ricketts, (No.4), also bet on Romney. Collectively, the trio gave $13.4 million to Restore Our Future, and Ricketts' super PAC, Ending Spending Action Fund, spent an additional $9.9 million helping Romney's failed bid.
AP
Fred Eychaner, founder of Chicago-based alternative-newspaper publisher Newsweb Corp., was the only one of the top five donors to super PACs to back a winner -- President Barack Obama.
The super donor winner of the night was Newsweb Corp. CEO Fred Eychaner (No. 5). Eychaner gave $3.5 million to pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action through the most recent filing period, which ended Oct. 17, according to Federal Election Commission records.
Decision 2012 on NBCNews.com: Senate election results
Decision 2012 on NBCNews.com: House election results
In Florida, Republican Rep. Connie Mack lost his challenge to the popular Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, who won with 55 percent of the vote. Adelson gave $2 million to the pro-Mack super PAC Freedom PAC, and Simmons and Perry gave a combined $255,000 to the group.
The hotly contested Senate race in Virginia attracted $2.5 million from Adelson and Perry, both giving to Independence Virginia, the super PAC supporting former Republican Sen. George Allen. His opponent, Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine, won the seat with 52 percent of the vote.
Campaign spending by super PACs in this election cycle topped $1 billion – nearly four times the amount spent by such groups in 2008. Looking back now, how much impact did that money have on the race? Former White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton and former RNC Chairman Michael Steele discuss.
Adelson also invested in the re-election of Rep. Allen West, R-Fla., in Florida's 18th District, who narrowly lost to Democratic newcomer Patrick Murphy. On Wednesday, however, West's campaign called for a recount, citing "disturbing irregularities reported at polls."
See which industries funneled the most money into presidential race
The casino billionaire's $1 million to Patriot Prosperity, a New Jersey-specific super PAC supporting the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Joe Kyrillos, and the Republican candidate for U.S. House in the state's 9th District, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, did not pay off.
Shawn Thew / EPA
Sheldon Adelson, chairman and CEO of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., pumped $53 million into the election, but apparently backed only one minor winner by helping defeat a Michigan ballot initiative.
During the primary season, Adelson's $16.5 million in contributions to the super PAC Winning Our Future was not enough guide former House Majority Leader Newt Gingrich to a Republican presidential nomination, though it is credited with keeping him in the race longer than expected. Nor were Adelson's contributions enough to help Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst win the GOP primary for Texas Senate earlier this year, a cause to which gave at least a quarter-million dollars.
Karl Rove's election nightmare: Super PAC's spending was nearly for naught
Adelson did score one point with his $2 million contribution that helped sink a Michigan ballot initiative seeking to enshrine collective bargaining in the state's Constitution. Adelson runs the only non-union casinos on the Las Vegas Strip.
Win-Loss Rundown:
(Giving to candidate-specific super PACs in the federal election)
Sheldon Adelson, Republican, $53.7 million*
- Mitt Romney — loss
- Connie Mack (Florida Senate) — loss
- George Allen (Virginia Senate) — loss
- Allen West (House, Florida’s 18th) — too close to call, but leaning toward loss
- Joe Kyrillos (New Jersey Senate) — loss
- Shmuley Boteach (House, New Jersey’s 9th) — loss
- Newt Gingrich (GOP presidential primary) — loss
- David Dewhurst (GOP primary, Texas Senate) — loss
© Flor Cordero / Reuters
Billionaire Harold Simmons was the second-biggest donor to super PACs in the presidential race, with $26.9 million in contributions.
Harold Simmons, Republican, $26.9 million*
- Mitt Romney — loss
- Connie Mack (Florida Senate) — loss
- Rick Santorum (GOP presidential primary) — loss
- Newt Gingrich (GOP presidential primary) — loss
- Rick Perry (GOP presidential primary) — loss
- David Dewhurst (GOP primary, Texas Senate) — loss
- Orrin Hatch (GOP primary, Utah Senate) — win
Bob Perry, Republican, $21.5 million*
- Mitt Romney — loss
- George Allen (Virginia Senate) — loss
- Connie Mack (Florida Senate) — loss
- Rick Perry (GOP presidential primary) — loss
- David Dewhurst (GOP primary, Texas Senate) — loss
Joe Ricketts, Republican, $12.9 million*
- Mitt Romney — loss
Fred Eychaner, Democrat, $12 million*
- Barack Obama — win
Tuesday marked the first presidential election under the new campaign finance regime installed following the 2010 Citizens United U.S. Supreme Court decision. The ruling paved the way for super PACs and nonprofits, allowing them to accept unlimited contributions from individuals, corporations and unions, which could be spent on advertising backing or opposing candidates.
Full election coverage on NBC Politics
*As of Oct. 17, 2012 for the 2011-2012 election cycle. Source: Center for Responsive Politics and Center for Public Integrity analysis of Federal Election Commission records. Totals include contributions from individuals, family members and corporations that are controlled by the individual super donor.
The Center for Public Integrity is a non-profit independent investigative news outlet. For more of its stories visit publicintegrity.org.
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I just love to watch Fox News and listen to the BS.
They continue to be negative, bullyish, condescending, blameless, and uninsightful. Which is what all the Republican party has been about.
As long as they continue to project fear, conspiracies, and ridiculous claims; they will continue to have the majority of the people rolling their eyes at them. That is just too out of touch with reality!
The latest is to blame the people on welfare whom they claim just want "things". Never mind the wealthy who just want everything their way and steal from all of us which is another form of welfare!
It is fun to laugh at the crazy but after awhile the negativity gets to me. I just cant see how anyone who is "normal" would ever want to be a part of it or the Republican party until they can get a clue.
Keep it up FOX! Take no responsibility and we will continue to win.
Yes you are absolutely correct. Republicans backed Citizens United for they felt they could buy the elections. Sheldon Adelson is a hard right wing Israeli supporter who only cares about further enriching himself. I believe that Americans finally started to see the Right wing Teavangelicals for who they are. Intolerant hateful Screw you I have mine people who would sell out America to China if it meant more money for them like Bain Capital is doing to Sensata. I never really had any animosity towards the Republicans at first but I have grown to dislike Republicans over the years especially when they Incorporated Jerry Falwell's moral majority in them. It is a sad party that is composed of angry hateful wealthy whites who only want to further enrich themselves even at the expense of the very country they live in. Mitt Romney was at his very core a two faced "Etch a sketch" who started a private equity firm that would come in and raid companies and sell off their assets to enrich the board of Bain. Despite having record profits in 2011 Sensata is being sold to the Chinese who will work for about $1.00 per hour. Another slap in the face was when these American workers were forced to train their Chinese replacements. Sensata workers tried to contact Mitt Romney and Mitt simply ignored them all while claiming that America should crack down on China and call them a currency manipulator.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney started the "private equity" firm Bain Capital. Bain Capital makes its money by purchasing companies using "leveraged buyouts" that borrow huge sums using the purchased company's own assets as collateral. They often use part of the borrowed money to immediately pay itself. Bain then cuts costs by doing things like sending jobs to China, cutting wages and manipulating tax rules to cut taxes owed, along with standard big-business practices like consolidating business units, taking advantage of economies of scale not available to smaller competitors, squeezing distribution channels for price cuts, and other practices that bring competitive advantages. (Please see "So DID Mitt Romney Really 'Create Jobs' At Staples?" for a look at how this works.) Then, after reorganizing the purchased companies Bain "harvests" them for profit. ("Harvest" is Romney's word, watch the linked video.)
Bain Capital purchased a sensor manufacturer that makes key components for our automobile supply chain, and named it Sensata. They immediately announced that they're closing a factory in Freeport, Ill., and sending the manufacturing and jobs to China to save money. (This is significant because China is engaged in efforts to dominate American auto supplies. See "China Cheating Costs 400K Auto Parts Jobs" and "Why The Latest Trade Complaint Against China Matters." )
Bain/Sensata brought in Chinese workers and made the Freeport workers train them. Bain/Sensata is moving the equipment out of the Freeport factory and shipping it to China right now. The Freeport employees have set up a camp outside the factory that they call Bainport and are trying to stop the Bain trucks that are moving the equipment out for shipment to China. Supporters were arrested this week, trying to stop those trucks.
So is the hard right really good for America? If being bought and outsource to countries with the lowest taxes and cheapest labor is what America wants then we deserve this. Lets lower the corporate tax rate and provide incentives for companies to employ workers here in America. Lets provide tax incentives incentives to companies to hire here in America and retain American jobs and tax those companies that outsource American jobs. Lets grow the middle class since millions of families making $50,000 a year will benefit America much more than just a handful of millionaires.
Let me see-- Appears that most of these are associated with Republicans-- where are the dems and how did Obama amass the amount of dollars that were spent on his campaign???? What about his super PAC's and who contributed to them?
Lets not forget about Jeff Imhalt (GE) who is the jobs czar-- what did he/GE spend on this campaign and oh by the way what did they pay in taxes?
One sided story for the most part-- the process is broken regardless of which side of the fence you sit on!!!! At least show both sides instead of always leaning pro left
Of course money buy election!!, it just did with that socialist nobama.
I did not vote for either of these two candidates. I feel both parties have been bought by he highest bidders...if you actually look at the donors you will see that Barack Obama has just as many large corporate donors as Romney. And to assume that these do not in someway influence his policy is simply naive. Also I am hearing a lot of people really bashing those that have money...tax the rich, etc. I am in the middle class, and I find this to be rather disturbing. Do I wish I had more money? yes, but i don't feel I am entitled to someone else's money simply because they are more successful than I. Everyone acts as though republicans are all rich men, and that somehow democrats are not. Wake up people, the democrats are just as filthy rich and power hungry as the Republicans. And this "tax the rich" is nothing but propaganda to get us to separate into groups and fight. This doesn't unify anyone. This is a similar tactic used by Hitler to separate the "chosen ones" from the Jewish population. He told them look at all the money the Jewish people are making while you are barely scraping by. The Jewish people are running all the banks and businesses while paying you pennies. These people turned on their neighbors, and began hating a people for no other reason than they were fed this type of separatist propaganda. We are a great country made up of all different types of people. Don't let one group of very rich people use us to destroy another group of equally rich people. We are gaining absolutely nothing by doing this. As an independent I support the abolishment of political parties. We should vote for people not political affiliations.
A lot of good and important medical research might have been possible with these sums of money. What a waste.
Obama has ONLY HELPED unions, welfare recipients, GE, Microsoft and Dupont...."you the people" will pay dearly for your ignorance in the long run...wait and see. TOUGHER TIMES ARE COMING...hold on to your hats, it's going to be an Obumpy ride.
pop!pop!pop!pop!pop!pop!.........You can still hear their heads pop. The hate lies and threats never stop.
Republicans FAILED across the board with their messaging. Modernization of the party is key. The GOP is living so far in the past with its aged values that the new generations of women, minorities, and yes white young voters DO NOT want to belong to the GOP or vote for its candidates.
The GOP might as well concede 2016 because I do not believe it will change fast enough.
Suck it Sheldon. In your face!
No it can't Nor can it repair shattered feelings among weeping conservatives when the bottom just fell out from under their whole world after Obama won the election. Whether you're riding in a brand new car or living in a new home, you still feel like over roasted dung on a rainy day. "Hanky, sir?"
But conservatives can't blame absolutely no one but themselves. It was they who dared to believe the almost impossible when they magically envisioned that Romney's momentum was strong enough to steal states and counties that had historically went to Obama in 2008. THAT'S WHEN ROMNEY STARTED POURING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE HOPES OF SWAYING LOYAL OBAMA VOTERS. THE TRADEOFF? HE WOULD GIVE THEM THE NEW AND IMPROVED "TRICKLE DOWN" FOR THEIR VOTE. But, their memories were long as many of them were still anxiously rushing to the mailboxes looking for the promised trickledown funds that never came from the last time under Bush.
For days after the first debate, many of the radio talk show hosts like Hannity, Schnitt and Limbaugh started over selling to their audience the delusion of an "October Surprise" for their candidate. Democrats kept telling them that--according to the math-- they had no win. KEEP YOUR MONEY IN YOUR POCKETS.
But, no one listened as GOP/Tea Party/Conservatives continued to build up false hopes and pipe dreams as many excited, but clueless, Romney supporters bought into the hype. Could it be true? Did Romney have a conceivable chance in spite of all the obvious writings on the wall, they asked themselves? Well, they thought so. "kEEP YOUR MONEY IN YOUR POCKETS!"
Amazingly, delusional conservative pundents and talking heads begain prematurely sowing seeds of a possible Romney landslide victory!! MITT GOT ON THE "HORN" TO HIS SUPERPAC BUDDIES TO WIRE HIM MORE MILLIONS. Hordes of misled and gullible conservative supporters got sucked into the whirlwind hype as they became giddy with exuberance. It was like they had smoked mushrooms or some other type of hallucinogenic drug. Well, we know they rest of the story...
--But that was then. We know now that it was only wishful thinking. So, you can imagine how profoundly shocking and sobering it must have been for them to abruptly witness Ohio roll "sevens" on the big screen for Obama the dreadful night. Like a powerful Boa Constrictor coiling tightly around their necks, you could almost feel their pangs of disbelief and hopelessness as all the air of exuberation and hope was slowly being squeezed out of their bodies. There would be no October Surprises. There would be no miracles. Obama had won....again. "CURSES!!"
I know the Republican Pary wants to keep blaming everyone but themselves but the real reason that Obama won is because the people got angry at how Obama has been treated by the Republicans when they blatantly refused to work with him. I for one was not going to reward the R party for that. Another reason is the extremists in the party. And all the negativity. We are not as stupid as they think we are! We know when you care more about yourselves and protect those who buy you!
Basically Mr. Obama won, congratulations. America lost when will we hold the wake?
Mr. Obama will be the last president of the United States as we know it! Think of the USSR that is where we are heading, do you really think that those people with millions have enough money to support even 2% of the US population? Basic mathematics says no. But these are the people that can give you jobs, if they didn't make millions you would not have a place to work! If they were unable to earn a lot of money why would they bother to expand their business? Millionaires are greedy, but it is their greed that gives you jobs!
Obamacare helping the elderly? I hope your parents don't live to beyond 70 years old, there is no provision for medication or medical help for those people. Above 70 you are dead anyway so why spend money on them. Oh but they still have to buy medical insurance even though they are turned down for any medical procedures or medication assistance!
Sure lets pull all of our military back to the US and close all the overseas bases. What will that do? Iran would love it, they would start a war in an instant, by the time that the UN would meet and call for intervention and Obama calling it just some kids having "fun" they would have half of the world in flames!
Where would our oil come from in that case, lets see gas prices around $20 a gallon, maybe you can afford it but I can't. With fuel prices that high what do you think the cost of food would be. Again basic mathematics, the farmer has to by fuel to run his tractor and truck to take the produce to market. The factory ha to pay the trucker to move the produce to their packing plant. The distributor has to pay the trucker to move the goods to their warehouses. The outlets have to pay the truckers to move the produce to the stores and you pay for all of that plus the salaries of the workers at the check out lines.
I could go on and on, these things were taught to me in Grade, Jr. High and High school, makes me wonder what the children of today are taught?
Sweet Jesus!!!!!! coulda, shoulda, woulda. Enough!!!! The fact remains that President Obama has been re-elected. We all stand to gain if common ground can be accieved
Many people here have very poor logic skills. In the same sentence you'll whine about the big money influence in this election and then say it doesn't make any difference. Which is it? One of the candidates was going to lose and thus "fritter away" about a billion dollars.
Why do so many complain about the Citizen's United decision when it appears that spending on negative campaign commercials didn't sway voters for either candidate in any significant way?
According to the above NYT article, President Obama actually outraised and outspent Governer Romney by about $100 million. Small donations weren't much different between the two candidates. It would be stupid to say that the President bought the election wouldn't it? Using the logic that so many on the left have spewed in the past (and again in some of the goofy comments here) about campaign finance, the president bought this election.
Stop - your breaking my heart! Poor bastards lost - damn - total disaster. I am always amused that the rich scum bags think they can just buy anything they want. Usualy they can, but not this time low lifes. Go get in your indoor pools and cry while your maids are giving you a rub down. Poor Romney will have to go back to his hard work of buying out companies and firing people - that he said he enjoys so much.
Suck it Sheldon ! In your face!!!
I can't decide what is more gratifying... the wealthy not being able to buy an election or Karl Rove being irrelevant. As one who was part of a team that knocked on hundreds and hundreds of doors for the Obama campaign, I can say that it was a wonderful experience to meet everyday Americans and listen to their hopes, concerns, and their growing awareness of recognizing GOP false narratives.
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Ah, so rich and yet, so stupid.
Guys, the next time you want to throw away your money, toss it in the direction of a charity that will do good for the people.
I know, that's probably a difficult concept for you to grasp.
I LOVE YOU PEOPLE!!
One group, 1 group, thats ONE GROUP of people have seen their wealth increase in how many decades? When these people are highlighted as having up to $53, 000, 000 extra just laying around like your pocket change for a cup of coffee, to try to get "their man" into a political position. You people bitch about unions and welfare ruining the country. Its so funny I can barely type.
Of course money can buy an election, it just did! Everyone's money! Who do you think helped Obama buy votes in Ohio and Michigan because "he saved the auto industry"? And no matter how much money the republicans raised, CBS, NBC and ABC did their share of "campaigning" for Obama, for free, something that would have tripled whatever republicans spent. Give me a break!
"Give me a break!"
You just got one. Romney was defeated. Unless you think the U.S. should be more like China.
That's pretty funny. You'd think they'd be smart enough to bet on sure thing.
To all Republicans who support the Tea Party. On CSpan this morning a tea party leader said right on national tv that within 4 years there would be no Republican Party, but only the Tea Party. Look it up. If that is not proof you have been used by the fanatics I don't know what is. Friends aren't suppose to stab friends in the back. A little advice Republicans, dump the Tea Party.
The Trumps, Roves, Mitch McConell's and Tea Party fanatics of this country have been told and far warned by the American people we have had enough of their nonsense. Enough of the corporate welfare by the rich, banks, business, and corporations and trying to blame the disabled, poor, elderly and veterans. Time to get to work Congress or more of you will feel the wrath of the People. To all the business that threatens to shut-down or move, go for it, we the people can create new business for the benefit of all, not the few
Y'all are too close. You need to step back to see the big picture. So here it is:
Adleson, Simmons and the rest are supposedly business leaders, and look at the wise financial decisions they've made. The "investment" they made into the candidate that would favor their bottom lines over the rest of America will have no return on that investment.
Think really hard before parting with your cash - as these folks clearly lack the vision to get it done.
This is one the court got wrong. Mr. Alito does not see that way. But we proved the American Public is smarter than they think we are. When an Ad by American Cross Roads came on I flipped the Channel, when any other one came up I flipped the channel. I took my phone off the hook so I did not have to get the messages. I had made up my mind votted the way I knew was right. These people were wrong. Corporations are not people. I am glad of the way the election turned out. I just wish more Democrats had won. Go Claire roud you won against that Akin fellow he was a fruit cake. but most Republicans are fruit cakes.
I am SO glad those who tried to bribe the election lost their money! To tell the truth, knowing how America's politics work, I was concerned about the power of money and therefore the Republicans' dirty liaisons ' maneuvers. Thanks God it didn't work! America can congratulate those conscious voters who know best not only for themselves but also for the country.