When the super PAC backing Mitt Romney, Restore Our Future, files its June donation report on Friday with the Federal Election Commission, it is expected to show a six-figure contribution from Wyoming businessman Foster Friess, his first to the group. But an unwelcome scrutiny came to Friess, Nevada billionaire Sheldon Adelson and some of the other wealthy donors to these super PACs, and some are planning for much of their future generosity to be behind a cloak of anonymity. Friess said he has decided his financial donations in the future will mostly be to groups that do not have to disclose their donors. He said he is planning on contributing to five or six so-called 501(c)(4) groups named after the section of the tax code they are organized under. These are nonprofit organizations that can advocate on behalf of social welfare causes or to further the community. He refused to discuss which groups, but did say one recipient could be an affiliate of American Crossroads, the group founded by Karl Rove.
Another major donor who has felt the wrath because of his political contributions this year is Adelson, who is considering making at least some of his future contributions to groups that aren’t required to reveal the names of their contributors, sources have told CNN. Adelson, along with his wife, gave $20 million to the super PAC backing Newt Gingrich, Winning Our Future, and those donations caused controversy. The couple last month made its first donation to Restore Our Future. Their $10 million contribution will be reported on the Friday report, sources previously told CNN. Adelson is now considering requests by several major GOP activists, such as David and Charles Koch and leaders of Crossroads GPS, to commit as much as $10 million to them, sources have said. The groups operated by the Koch brothers and Crossroads, an arm of American Crossroads, aren’t legally required to disclose donors’ names.
Friess, owner of an investment management firm, was a major reason Rick Santorum could stay alive during the primary season and was one of the largest contributors to the super PAC that supported the former Pennsylvania senator, the Red, White and Blue Fund, by giving it $2.1 million. The 72-year-old multimillionaire is a long-time backer of various conservative and religious causes and is now fully backing Romney, saying the presumptive Republican nominee is the best hope for helping fix the country’s economy.
Full Article: Super PAC donors may keep opening wallets, but public may not see it – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs.