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Governors group is Perry's largest donor
LA Times ^ | 09/13/2011 | Matea Gold

Posted on 09/13/2011 7:13:11 PM PDT by Rational Thought

Reporting from Washington— The biggest political donor to Texas Gov. Rick Perry during his 11-year tenure has not been one of the state's oil barons or cattle ranchers, but a Washington-based organization into which Perry helped funnel millions of dollars.

The Republican Governors Assn. — which Perry chaired twice — gave him $4 million in the last five years, making it the largest single source of the $102.8 million he has raised since 2001.

The organization's donations came as Perry helped infuse the governors' group with millions of dollars from some of his major political patrons. Out of the $217 million the RGA raised between January 2006 and June 2011, $68.7 million came from 139 donors who have also given to Perry, according to a new report being released Tuesday morning by the watchdog group Texans for Public Justice.

Nearly a third of those contributors were wealthy Texans who form the backbone of Perry's finance operation — many of whom were not active donors to the RGA until 2006, when the Texas governor took on a bigger role at the organization.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections; gardasil; merck2rga; merck4perry; rickperry
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Money is the mother’s milk of politics.

Jesse Unruh

1 posted on 09/13/2011 7:13:15 PM PDT by Rational Thought
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To: Rational Thought

And the problem is?? This is how politics works...ALWAYS has...


2 posted on 09/13/2011 7:15:44 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Rational Thought

Wait...I thought Merck was Perry’s largest contributor???


3 posted on 09/13/2011 7:17:43 PM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus ("A gentleman considers what is just; a small man considers what is expedient.")
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To: Rational Thought

Permanent Political Class, anyone?


4 posted on 09/13/2011 7:18:08 PM PDT by reasonisfaith (Governor Palin: "I'm not for sale.")
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To: Rational Thought

The RGA raised $217 million in 5 years. It’s job is to elect republican governors. During that 5 years, it gave Rick Perry $4 million. $4 million is less than 1/50th of the total the RGA. Perry is governor of 1 of the 50 states, the 2nd largest state, and yet he got less than 1/50th of the money they spent to elect republican governors.

Sounds like if anything he got less than the share you’d expect. Especially since he ran it twice and managed to hook up a good number of those donations.

Nice to see the liberals attacking our candidates for getting money from an official republican political organization. Hope our own side don’t fall into this trap.


5 posted on 09/13/2011 7:19:22 PM PDT by CharlesWayneCT
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To: Sacajaweau
"(N)early $30,000 from the drugmaker
since 2000" given to Perry
and "more than $355,000...
to the Republican Governors Association since 2006
which was the year that Perry began to play a prominent role."

6 posted on 09/13/2011 7:19:55 PM PDT by Diogenesis ("Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. " Pres. Ronald Reagan)
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To: Rational Thought

Republican governors often make good presidents.


7 posted on 09/13/2011 7:25:25 PM PDT by yup2394871293
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To: Sacajaweau

Dittos!

As I’ve said before...

We have to get 0 OUT. Perry isn’t the purist but
like I said, WE NEED TO GET 0 OUT.


8 posted on 09/13/2011 7:26:08 PM PDT by TribalPrincess2U (Rabid democRATS and 0bama the dictator own it all now.)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

No, but they donated a bunch of dough to the RGA.


9 posted on 09/13/2011 7:29:59 PM PDT by perfect_rovian_storm (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. -- G.K. Chesterton)
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To: Rational Thought


10 posted on 09/13/2011 7:30:44 PM PDT by Outlaw Woman (GOD 2012 because no one else will do)
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To: CharlesWayneCT

There’s nothing wrong with the RGA donating $4m to Perry at all. However, don’t try and sell me that the ‘establishment is scared of him’ line of crap, when the establishment is his biggest donor.


11 posted on 09/13/2011 7:32:01 PM PDT by perfect_rovian_storm (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. -- G.K. Chesterton)
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To: CharlesWayneCT

BTW, I mean that in general, not to accuse you of saying that the establishment is scared.


12 posted on 09/13/2011 7:34:36 PM PDT by perfect_rovian_storm (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. -- G.K. Chesterton)
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To: Diogenesis
"(N)early $30,000 from the drugmaker since 2000" given to Perry and "more than $355,000... to the Republican Governors Association since 2006 which was the year that Perry began to play a prominent role."

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.

13 posted on 09/13/2011 7:36:51 PM PDT by RobertClark (People sleep peaceably in their beds at night b'cse good men are rdy to do violence on their behalf)
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To: perfect_rovian_storm

I really wish DeMint would get in the race.


14 posted on 09/13/2011 7:36:58 PM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus ("A gentleman considers what is just; a small man considers what is expedient.")
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To: perfect_rovian_storm
No, but they donated a bunch of dough to the RGA.

See reply 13. In terms of comparison, Merck's contributions are a pittance.

15 posted on 09/13/2011 7:38:20 PM PDT by RobertClark (People sleep peaceably in their beds at night b'cse good men are rdy to do violence on their behalf)
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To: Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus

Yeah, he’s the only senator I’d toss my ‘no senators’ rule for. :)


16 posted on 09/13/2011 7:38:40 PM PDT by perfect_rovian_storm (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. -- G.K. Chesterton)
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To: RobertClark

The direct contributions, the meetings, contributions through the RGA, the incestuous relationship between Merck and various Perry Chiefs of Staff...

At some point, all of these ‘pittances’ will add up to something more than a pittance. Better that time be now than after we’re stuck with him as the nominee.


17 posted on 09/13/2011 7:42:11 PM PDT by perfect_rovian_storm (It is terrible to contemplate how few politicians are hanged. -- G.K. Chesterton)
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To: perfect_rovian_storm

Me too. Seriously, DeMint is the real deal, everything we need wrapped up into one guy. I’m sure the really hardshell supporters of a few other candidates on here would pitch a fit, but frankly, we need to consolidate behind a solid, all-around conservative, and none of the others - Palin, Perry, Cain, etc. - have it all consistently.


18 posted on 09/13/2011 7:44:21 PM PDT by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus ("A gentleman considers what is just; a small man considers what is expedient.")
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To: perfect_rovian_storm

Until they do, it is all mere conjecture. Wishing something to be present doesn’t make it so.


19 posted on 09/13/2011 7:45:39 PM PDT by RobertClark (People sleep peaceably in their beds at night b'cse good men are rdy to do violence on their behalf)
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To: perfect_rovian_storm
Skeered? Of Perry?? Hardly. The establishment GOP is playing two cards in this primary, Romney and Perry, and will be happy with either of these two native sons continuing the GOP's kinder, gentler progressivism.
20 posted on 09/13/2011 7:52:54 PM PDT by GBA
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