Washington (CNN) – Fresh off a major donation to the pro-Mitt Romney super PAC, Nevada billionaire and major Republican donor Sheldon Adelson is expected to continue his support for some other GOP causes and may donate as much as $100 million this campaign cycle, a source with knowledge of his donations told CNN.
He doesn't want to put all his eggs in one basket, according to the source, and wants to see how the groups to which he contributes perform before deciding whether to give more.
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Among the potential recipients: the advocacy group Crossroads GPS co-founded by Karl Rove and an organization aligned with billionaires Charles and David Koch, who are sponsoring several different groups whose priority is aimed at helping Republicans to get out the vote vs. airing television ads. Crossroads and representatives for Koch have each asked Adelson for $10 million, but he has made no firm decisions about the level of commitment, according to the source contradicting some other reports.
"The requests are coming fast and furious," the source said. After months of speculation Adelson and his wife Miriam donated $10 million to Restore Our Future, the pro-Romney super PAC, making them its largest donors. This $10 million would be included in the $100 million total Adelson is looking to give during this campaign cycle.
The Huffington Post first reported the possible expansion of Adelson's contributions.
The casino magnate, whose worth is estimated at almost $25 billion by Forbes Magazine, is ranked as the 7th richest man in America.
Adelson and his wife contributed $20 million to the super PAC Winning Our Future, which was largely responsible for helping keep Newt Gingrich's campaign alive last winter by airing a series of attack ads aimed at Romney. In an interview with Forbes last winter he talked about possibly supporting Gingrich's campaign to the tune of $100 million.
Once Gingrich's campaign faltered, many political analysts wondered when he would switch his support for Romney and at what level.
Those close to Adelson had said he had always vowed to support whoever emerged as the Republican nominee because associates said his primary goal was to prevent the president from getting re-elected.
"He wants to beat Barack Obama," said one friend of his who requested anonymity.
With the second fundraising quarter coming to a close at the end of June, Adelson felt it was the right time, according to the friend.
"The race is on," said the friend. "He will do everything he can."
What may have also helped Romney's cause is a lunch Adelson hosted for the presumptive Republican nominee at his Las Vegas office lasting for more than an hour last month.
One source also addressed concern criticism by Arizona Sen. John McCain that foreign money was making its way into the campaign because much of the revenue of Adelson's Sands Corporation comes from overseas, including in Macau, an administrative region under the control of China.
The source, who is close to Adelson, fought back saying "it is the same revenue stream from four years ago when John McCain took the money," referencing McCain's 2008 campaign.
Representatives of Adelson have refused to speak about his contributions because the casino magnate prefers his political activities be kept private.
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Obama DECLINED public funding in 2008 (even though he first promised to take it, liar) and then went on to raise a record $750 MILLION for his 2008 campaign. Before this campaign, the Obama campaign said their target was to raise ONE BILLION DOLLARS! And all the Democrats and lefties cheered and roared...
Obama and the Democrats are the INVENTORS of massive campaign dollars!! Or is it just OK for YOU to raise large amounts and NOT your opponents? Yes, that is he real issue isn't it!
A fool and his money...
"Citizens United allows one rich guy to shout "Romney" louder than 200 million regular Americans can shout "Obama.""
You may want to look at the "regular" folks who shouted for Obama in 2008, like big PAC's from Wall Street. I cannot believe that myth of the small guy donations is still alive.
It is a battle of the powerful and big money between Obama and Romney. Remember Obama is flying around for free while bankrolling some big bucks. We will see who finally buys us out.
hope he's not counting on buying my vote, he's wasting his money. now that he and some others own Mitt, let's see how fast Mitt backs into a corner.
When your party has no economic plan and no solutions to the recession, you try to buy the election by supporting organizations that specialize in half-truth and out-of-context propaganda. Thank you Supreme Court, for severely damaging the Democratic election process. Your once pristine reputation is also severely eroded.
Here goes America to a higher bidder ( People should know when Romney saying he will go after China THAT'S A COMPLETE LIE, Sheldon Adelson spent 71 million on Republican candidates, he said he will spend up 100 million if needed. The only thing that Romney and Adelson are not saying is that Adelson made more then half on his wealth in China.
Citizen United is the worst thing that happened to America after AIDS.
I always expect and believe wherever the Supreme Court rule on something, they consider the pros and cons of the issue. Did they ever think about horrible dishing out of all this kind of money, and its consequences? It is sad.
Another gross example that the wealthy do not pay enough in taxes. When was the last time you all could toss $100 million at a cause. Better he sent that mone to any charity rather then to another rich man.
You clueless nitwit. Obama's campaign contributions were made by millions upon millions of INDIVIDUAL citizens contributing less than $25 each. To compare Obama's campaign to Sheldon Adelson's purchase of the GOP is just plain stupid. What a good little Republican Sheeple you are. You'll be rewarded – GOP says you'll get rich just like them, right? LOL, what a tard you are.
____________
Obama – Protecting the rights of ILLEGAL ALIENS to invade our country while SUING states to make sure they can vote as well
>su3385 – Ah yes! Democracy for sale to the highest bidder.
Obama is the highest bidder on record in 2008. Were you complaining then?
He could be doing good with all that money instead of evil.
Atleast Adelson puts his money where his mouth is, can't say the same for Donald Trump so I guess Trump will sit down and shut up. In fact, Mitt Romney and Donald Trump have never submitted their earnings.
Obama raised a lot of momey from small doners. If you think that Adelson is spending $100 millions for nothing then I have a bridge to sell tht dosen'tneed repairs. He is buying influence and an inside seat at Romney's table. Go ahead middle class voters continue to dig your grave by backing Romney.
its amazing how china government pay its citizen minimum wage, and use it's shavings to modernize its country, by focusing all their energy at being number one on our planet, while the repubs mentality of every one on their own, and doing their own thing without government help, as we watch china past us by. Obama ask only for the rich to help keep pace with China, but the repubs called that class warfare. I wonder what future generation will say when they look back on this era, as they ask their elders why China is the only super power.
Nothing like unlimited foreign money buying an American election.And Thanks to the SCOTUS it, all legal and they don't have to disclose where it comes from. and the repubs don't have a problem with this at all.Is this how Willard is gonna get "Tough" on China? I hope he atleast gives them a receipt..
The 100 million dollars would be better spent fighting off starvation in drought and war zone areas of Africa.
It's funny to hear the leftists whine about this. I don't remember them complaining in '08 when Obama raises 800 million for his campaign back then; and when questioned about where the money came from all records mysteriously "disappeared". How convenient.
If you want to sell our country completely down the tubes to the corporations that have shown they put profit ahead of our country's welfare (by outsourcing jobs, sitting on $2 trillion in cash, and off-shoring their earnings to avoid paying taxes – and yet have no qualms using our infrastructure), then vote for Mittens.
If you want to move our country forward for EVERYONE and not just those with money, vote for President Obama.
The choice is that simple.
Hey, GOP...I wish that all of you knew what most of Americans have grown into~out of which is this...Money can't buy you Love! My apologies GOP but the ~"US" of American voter's vote isn't for sell. In case y'all didn't get the memo but please spend on...it's helping the numbers. YES, WE CAN....move FORWARD! 2012, USofA best days are ahead.
Just what do yo suspect Adleson thinks he is purchasing with that $100 million? Do you think he is spendingit for your good and mine? If he believed that republicons were going to do good for the majority of Americans, why might he feel so compeeled to spend so much money getting them elected? Wouldn't they be a shoe in if their policies were going to do good things for you and me? If they were proposing things that would help my country, my children, my family then they would already have my vote.
This is proof that we the people have absolutely no choice but to vote straight Democrat or a few hundred billionaires will rule our nation instead of having an elected representative government.
The naked buying of an American president.
Obama was the highest bidder in 2008 thanks in part to Big Money from corporations including Wall Street. Goldman Sachs, etc. from government audit records.
The current president is a 1% guy. Hate to burst the bubble but it is time for everyone to wake up.
To break the highest bidder plan, you cannot vote for either Obama or Romney. Consider the Green Party.
ladyfon, Did you know Romney (Robmey) took the Gov office admin computers of the state of Mass when he left office. The Mass state officials never did find those computers.
Hey Robmey , where are those 2011 and before tax returns? Not finished sanitizing them yet.
There is no such thing as a "left" in American policits, for the record. And Obama did not raise $800 million in $100 milion donations from 8 people. He got $800 million mostly in donation of less than $100. Money from ordinary citizens wishing to have a small voice, not a few very very rich people trying to purchase a government to serve them like serfs.
From the list of donors of $500,000 or more to Super PACs, as of the last reporting period:
There are 84 such donors. Ten are unions, which aggregate the support of their 15 million members. (BTW, the unions’ grand total was only $16 million, which doesn't go very far these days, thanks to Citizens United).
That leaves 74 major Super PAC donors. Of those, 64 support GOP candidates; 10 support Progressives/Democrats.
The average contribution of the right wing Super PAC was larger than the average contributions of progressives.
The total of Super PAC contributions by the ten progressives was $10.7 million. By contrast, Sheldon Adelson alone already has spent three times as much.
So, America, are you ready to have your president picked by the likes of Sheldon Adelson, a man who's made his fortune after taking the money of suckers in Las Vegas?
It's a joke if Americans think they have a democracy. No matter what party, everyone should be outraged. And what does this guy adelson have up his sleeves? No one gives this much money unless he has a high stake in this campaign. It can't be Obama's policies.. b/c it wouldn't take that much out of his pockets compared to the 100+ mil he's spending.