SOURCES: SCC.Virginia.gov, captured 2020-08-31 [local copy (html)]
This page last modified: 2022-03-16 14:21:26 -0700 (PST)
See also: Congressional Leadership Fund
Charles Koch-backed group, per: Joe Manchin Gets Thousands From GOP Megadonor After Tanking President Joe Biden's Build Back Better Act
SOURCE: FactCheck.org, captured 2020-10-05
This page last modified: 2022-03-16 14:21:26 -0700 (PST)
The Senate Leadership Fund is a Republican Super PAC that was established in 2015 by allies of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.
The Senate Leadership Fund says its purpose is to "protect and expand the Republican Senate Majority." Its President and CEO is Steven J. Law, who served as McConnell's chief of staff from 1991 to 1997. Steven Law also serves as the President and CEO of American Crossroads, another Republican super PAC. From 1998 to 2000, Steven Law served as Executive Director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
As a super PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund can accept unlimited contributions, but it must disclose its donors and cannot coordinate with campaign committees or campaigns on its independent expenditures.
According to the most recent Federal Election Commission data available, the Senate Leadership Fund has raised a little over $43 million in the 2020 election cycle, and spent $8.4 million, including about $1.6 million on independent expenditures -- a term the FEC uses for advertising that "expressly advocates" for the election or defeat of a specific candidate.
The Senate Leadership Fund's largest donors in 2020 include Stephen A. Schwarzman, CEO of the investment firm Blackstone Group, and Timothy Mellon, Chairman of transportation company Pan Am Systems. Stephen Schwarzman donated $10 million and Mellon 2.5 million, while Paul Elliott Singer donated $2 million.
The Senate Leadership Fund has used most of its independent expenditures to support five Republican incumbents, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and three senators in vulnerable states. It also spent nearly $150,000 opposing the presidential candidacy of Democratic Montana Gov. Steve Bullock. Steve Bullock dropped out of the presidential race on Dec. 2. Some senior Democratic officials tried to convince Bullock to run for the Senate against incumbent Republican Steve Daines, but Bullock declined.
The Senate Leadership Fund spent about $127 million during the 2018 campaign season, including $95 million on independent expenditures.
The Senate Leadership Fund notably spent more than $6.5 million in the December 2017 special Senate election in Alabama, supporting candidate Luther Johnson Strange III over Roy Moore in the Republican primary. After the primary, the Senate Leadership Fund endorsed Roy Moore after his victory, but did not spend any money supporting him in the Dec. 12 general election. Moore lost in that general election to Democrat Doug Jones.
Notable donors in 2018 included Las Vegas-based billionaire Sheldon Adelson, his wife philanthropist Miriam Adelson, and the Karl Rove-affiliated One Nation group. One Nation gave $18.6 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, while the Adelsons combined to give $50 million. Other significant donors included Bernard Marcus and private equity manager Stephen A. Schwarzman.
[reference] New faces emerge among top political donors in 2020.
... Timothy Mellon, chairman of Pan Am Systems and grandson of famed Pittsburgh banker Andrew Mellon, contributed over $40 million to Republican causes this election cycle [2020], but only became a top GOP donor recently. In the 2018 election cycle, Timothy Mellon contributed $10 million to the GOP-aligned Congressional Leadership Fund. This cycle [2020], Timothy Mellon gave $20 million to the Senate Leadership Fund, $10 million to America First Action, and again donated $10 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund. ...
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