On October 12th, big donors laid down some very, very big money to defeat Democratic Senate candidates. While it's not a surprise, the size of the expenditures was eye-opening, even to someone like me who thinks she's seen it all. They are at least ten times the usual amount spent on ads three weeks out. Combined with today's news that the US Chamber of Commerce has taken in at least $885,000 from foreign corporations, I fear our democratic process is forever corrupt and irreparably tainted with the smell of global agendas.
From the FEC near real-time report on independent expenditures:
AMERICAN CROSSROADS - C00487363
1. Opposes Candidate: Michael F. Bennet (S0CO00211)
Office Sought: Senate, Colorado District
Payee: Crossroads Media LLC
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $770144.20
Purpose: TV/Media Placement
2. Opposes Candidate: Michael F. Bennet (S0CO00211)
Office Sought: Senate, Colorado District
Payee: McCarthy Marcus Hennings Ltd.
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $14899.00
Purpose: TV/Media Production
AMERICAN CROSSROADS - C00487363
1. Opposes Candidate: Robin Carnahan (S6MO00287)
Office Sought: Senate, Missouri District
Payee: Crossroads Media LLC
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $505483.60
Purpose: TV/Media Placement
2. Opposes Candidate: Robin Carnahan (S6MO00287)
Office Sought: Senate, Missouri District
Payee: McCarthy Marcus Hennings Ltd.
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $16370.00
Purpose: TV/Media Production
CROSSROADS GRASSROOTS POLICY STRATEGIES - C90011719
1. Opposes Candidate: Alexander Giannoulias (S0IL00204)
Office Sought: Senate, Illinois District
Payee: Crossroads Media LLC
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $1157209.70
Purpose: TV/Media Placement
CROSSROADS GRASSROOTS POLICY STRATEGIES - C90011719
1. Opposes Candidate: Harry Reid (S6NV00028)
Office Sought: Senate, Nevada District
Payee: Crossroads Media LLC
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $557595.95
Purpose: TV/Media Placement
2. Opposes Candidate: Harry Reid (S6NV00028)
Office Sought: Senate, Nevada District
Payee: Wilson-Grand Communications
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $14216.00
Purpose: TV/Media Production
CROSSROADS GRASSROOTS POLICY STRATEGIES - C90011719
1. Opposes Candidate: John (Jack) William Conway (S0KY00123)
Office Sought: Senate, Kentucky District
Payee: Mentzer Media Services Inc.
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $344885.00
Purpose: TV/Media Placement
2. Opposes Candidate: John (Jack) William Conway (S0KY00123)
Office Sought: Senate, Kentucky District
Payee: Wilson-Grand Communications
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $14921.78
Purpose: TV/Media Production
CROSSROADS GRASSROOTS POLICY STRATEGIES - C90011719
1. Opposes Candidate: Charlie Crist (S6FL00160)
Office Sought: Senate, Florida District
Payee: Crossroads Media LLC
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $340152.00
Purpose: TV/Media Placement
2. Opposes Candidate: Charlie Crist (S6FL00160)
Office Sought: Senate, Florida District
Payee: Rising Tide Media Group LLC
Date Expended = 10/12/2010 Amount Expended = $13864.00
Purpose: TV/Media Production
In other fairly decent independent expenditures, Roy Blunt is the beneficiary of a $152,500.00 radio ad buy paid for by a local credit union. The NRSC spent $789,695.00 on opposition ads against Joe Manchin (in one day!).
And then there's RightChange.com, the 527 funded by North Carolina pharma king Fred Eshelman and his partner Ernest Mario. Although RightChange.com claims to have a "grassroots movement" that's over 514,000 strong, they report no donations other than from Fred Eshelman on their IRS disclosures for this entire election cycle, nor do they have much reported on their FEC disclosures. On October 7th Eshelman spent $465,185 on direct mail campaigns to Colorado, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Florida, etc...you get the picture. All the targeted Senatorial races.
But hey, at least he disclosed it. There's that, anyway. This is October 13th. Imagine what these numbers are going to look like by October 30th.
Bonus: Think Progress ties independent expenditures into job losses by district.
