I've said it before and I'll say it again: The RGA has an annual budget in the area of $50 to $60 million. The Republican association raised $31 Million for political activity in just three months of 2010 (July to September).
The contributors included an additional $250,000 from Rupert Murdoch’s News America Inc., bringing its total contribution for the year to $1.25 million; $3.5 million from Bob Perry, the Texas builder who was a major financier of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, for a year-to-date total of $4 million; $1 million from Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino mogul and longtime conservative donor; and $1 million from Paul Singer, the hedge fund manager, who has now contributed $2 million to the group this year.
In addition, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce donated $1 million, bringing its total to $5.4 million. A number of corporations also wrote sizable checks, including Cisco Systems, for $35,000; Microsoft, for $100,000; and Motorola, for $50,000. (These companies also contributed to the Democratic Governors Association.)
So, Merck's 355k contribution is a pittance in terms of even amounts contributed to the RGA by the MI Chamber of Commerce. Nice try though - keep digging.
Hello Robert:
Hate to link you to the Washington Post, but here it is:
Rick Perry and HPV vaccine-maker have deep financial ties
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/perry-has-deep-financial-ties-to-maker-of-hpv-vaccine/2011/09/13/gIQAVKKqPK_story.html
But campaign disclosure records portray a much deeper financial connection with Merck than Perry’s remarks suggest.
His gubernatorial campaigns, for example, have received nearly $30,000 from the drugmaker since 2000, most of that before he issued his vaccine mandate, which was overturned by the Texas legislature.
Merck and its subsidiaries have also given more than $380,000 to the Republican Governors Association (RGA) since 2006, the year that Perry began to play a prominent role in the Washington-based group, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics.
Perry served as chairman of the RGA in 2008 and again this year, until he decided to run for president. The group ranks among the governor’s biggest donors, giving his campaign at least $4 million over the past five years, according to Texans for Public Justice, a watchdog group.