Congressional Leadership Fund
| Congressional Leadership Fund | |
| Leadership: | Norm Coleman, Chairman, and Brian Walsh, President |
| Website: | Official website |
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The organization is seen as not ascribing to the Tea Party vision,[2] and CLF Board Member Vin Weber stated: "It's important to also maintain some breadth to the Republican message because there are places in the country where a very conservative Republican simply can't compete and a truly national party has to be able to be at least somewhat competitive everywhere."[2]
Leadership
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Former Sen. Norm Coleman | Chairman |
| Fred Malek | Member |
| Former U.S. Rep. Tom Reynolds | Member |
| Former U.S. Rep. Vin Weber | Member |
| Brian Walsh | President |
| Pete Meachum | Treasurer/Secretary |
2012 elections
According to the Sunlight Foundation, the Congressional Leadership Fund PAC spent $9,450,237 on the 2012 elections. Of those funds, 54 percent achieved the desired result, based on Sunlight Foundation analysis.[3]
Pre-election
As of March 31, 2012, the Congressional Leadership Fund had raised $5,223,753 and spent $115,347.[4]
Donors
Organizations
As of June 21, 2012, the top 5 donors to the Congressional Leadership Fund were[5]:
| Top 5 Donors to the Congressional Leadership Fund, 2012[5] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Occupation/Employer | Total | From Individuals | From Organizations |
| Adelson Drug Clinic | $2,500,000 | $2,500,000 | $0 |
| Las Vegas Sands | $2,500,000 | $2,500,000 | $0 |
| American Action Network | $28,501 | $0 | $28,501 |
| Hilmar Cheese | $25,000 | $0 | $25,000 |
| Ods Technologies Lp | $21,250 | $0 | $21,250 |
Industries
As of June 21, 2012, the top 5 industries contributing to the Congressional Leadership Fund were[6]:
| Top 5 Donors to Congressional Leadership Fund, 2012[7] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Total | From Individuals | From Organizations |
| Health Professionals | $2,505,000 | $2,500,000 | $5,000 |
| Casinos/Gambling | $2,500,000 | $2,500,000 | $0 |
| Leadership PACs | $40,000 | $0 | $40,000 |
| Republican/Conservative | $38,501 | $0 | $38,501 |
| Dairy | $25,000 | $0 | $25,000 |
Connections
Some have raised concerns that many super PACs are not truly independent from candidates or parties.[8] The Congressional Leadership Fund has come under this criticism, as some see the organization as too closely linked to the Republican party and its candidates.[2][9] CLF President Brian Walsh is former political director of the National Republican Congressional Committee,[1] and the CLF launch event featured half a dozen Republican congressmen and party leaders.[2][1] A political lawyer commented of Super PACs like CLF: "Yeah, they are starting to look a lot like a party vehicle."[2] CLF Chairman Norm Coleman, however, said the Super PAC can effectively assist candidates without needing to coordinate directly with their campaigns.[2]
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Congressional Leadership Fund website "About," Accessed July 7, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Minnesota Public Radio "Norm Coleman's super PAC could influence Congressional races," January 16, 2012
- ↑ Sunlight Foundation "Outside spenders' return on investment," November 14, 2012
- ↑ Open Secrets "2012 PAC Summary Data," July 7, 2012
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Open Secrets "Top Organizations Donating to the Congressional Leadership Fund, 2012," Accessed July 7, 2012
- ↑ Open Secrets "Contributions to Congressional Leadership Fund Industry Breakdown, 2012," Accessed July 7, 2012
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedos3 - ↑ Brookings Institution "Campaign Finance in the 2012 Elections: The rise of the Super PACs," March 1, 2012
- ↑ Weekly Standard "They Pack a Wallop," July 2, 2012
