Justice asked to probe mystery donation to pro-Romney group

[TomCADem]

Source: NBC News

Two campaign reform groups are asking the Justice Department to investigate a mysterious $1 million contribution to a political committee backing Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney from an obscure company that shut down shortly after making the donation.

The contribution to Restore Our Future, a so-called “super PAC” formed by three former Romney political aides, drew scrutiny following an NBC News report on Thursday . The firm that gave the money, called W Spann LLC, was formed in March – with no listed officers or directors — made the contribution in April, then dissolved itself in July, according to corporate records.

Fred Wertheimer, the president of Democracy 21, an advocacy group for campaign reform, said the contribution appeared to be “blatantly” designed to circumvent campaign disclosure laws. He said Democracy 21 and the Campaign Legal Center, another advocacy group that promotes greater transparency in election laws, will formally request an investigation into the donation on Friday.

“The apparent effort to keep secret the actual donor or donors of the $1 million may well be a violation of the campaign finance laws and this matter should be investigated by the Federal Election Commission and the Justice Department,” he said in a statement.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44027203/ns/politics-decision_2012/

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Welcome to politics post-Citizens United. Campaigns have to dislose the identities of us little people if we give just over $200. But, if you are super rich, you can form a corporation, fill it with millions in capital, then have that corporation give an unlimited amount to the campaign of your choice while your identity remains anonymous. Still, will this hurt corporate Republicans like Romney? Of course not. The corporate media has trained us well to Blame Democrats and Give Republicans a Free Pass.

[AndyTiedye]

1. Very Much Kicked and Recommended

:kick:

[truthisfreedom]

2. Die, fuckwads.

As we enter the new Greater Depression, we need to cut down these evaders, cheaters, liars, scum, fuckwads, one by one. I hope they're caught.

[digitaln3rd]

3. They were also asked to look into Gitmo, Wiretapping, war crimes, and other issues.

It's not going to go anywhere.

If they start investigating campaign finance, everyone is going to be implicated because everyone does it. Politicians are addicted to special interest $$$ and they'll get it any way possible.

[VWolf]

4. Exactly. Fox guarding the henhouse, or something similar n/t

[SemperEadem]

5. oh, how adorable! They want the FEC to investigate this...

where the fuck have they been for the whole of the last 10 years? The FEC does nothing but suck money from taxpayers while they sit on their asses and screw each other on the copy machines.

[Enrique]

6. are they hiring? n/t

[Jackpine Radical]

7. ROFL! (nt)

[GiveMeFreedom]

22. ROFL n/t

[SkyDaddy7]

8. What is there to investigate??

I thought Citizen United allowed unlimited donations from anyone to Super PACs...If so, then calls for an investigation are not going to go anywhere. We might as well get use to such crap.

What does it matter anyway...Romney or Rick Perry or some other nut job Republican will be the next POTUS. Then we will see the destruction of Social Security & Medicare for real!

[valerief]

9. It could have been an undocumented working corporation from Arizona doing it.

:shrug:

[RaleighNCDUer]

10. Wow. I love it.

With only about three campaign finance laws left in the country, they find a way to violate one of them.

Kind of like my first wife - she didn't lie because she needed to; she didn't lie because she wanted to; she lied because she didn't know how to NOT lie.

[Kevin Cloyd]

11. FAUX NEWS

There is a new theory on how President Obama got bin Laden, they were able to trace the campaign contribution bin Laden made to the Romney campaign on April 28 through the front company W. Spann LLC.

Bin Laden was shot Navy Seals only 4 days after the anonymous contribution was received by Romney’s PAC.

W Spann LLC was created March 15th and dissolved July 12th. There are no records of any corporate activities other than this political donation.

There is no indication whatsoever that this money did not come from Osama bin Laden.

Clearly bin Laden saw that his only hope to achieve the success that he had seen during the administration of George W. Bush was to return another republican to the White House.

[JAnthony]

12. I would almost believe Faux News would actually SAY that!

They make up stuff all the time!

[A Simple Game]

16. What a dilemma.

If he gives the money back, he is supporting terrorists.

If he keeps the money, he is being supported by terrorists.

I suppose to be fair to the wishes of Bin Laden, if Romney doesn't get the Republican nomination for president, he should donate the million to the person that does get the nomination.

Republican takes money from terrorists! Let's keep the meme going.

[Pacifist Patriot]

13. And who here didn't see it coming after Citizens United?

[lsewpershad]

14. When are dem going to learn

The repukes use every tool to screw the dems the US and possibly the world, Dems should do the same to save the us all from the thugs.

[CanonRay]

15. Holder? DOJ? Yeah right.

I'm sure they'll get right on it. You people just don't understand the new two tiered Justice system. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[TomCADem]

23. Ha Ha Ha - Blame Democrats, Give Republicans A Free Pass!

Even when Republicans are caught red handed, it is hilarious how we just can't help but attack Democrats like Pavlov's dog. A group of Republicans could probably burn a cross on some minorities lawn, and the thread would get hijacked by folks attacking President Obama for not eliminating racism.

I understand. It is hard to fight the corporate media narrative even in the face of Romney getting caught red handed benefitting from corporate corruption.

:rofl:

[loudsue]

17. This is going to be a HUGE mess come 2012 elections. Republicans

are going to have the justice department so tangled up with lawsuits over this type of donation that nothing else will get done. There will be hundreds of these, and after the republicans take over everything after 2012, all of the investigations will go away, UNLESS the democrats get some money this way as well.

The republicans are going to bring this country down one way or the other.

[Kurmudgeon]

18. You have to vote with enough numbers that the GOP can't mess with the results.

If it's close, you'll have Florida 2000 and Ohio 2004 again.
GET OUT AND VOTE, it's our only chance!

[BetsysGhost]

19. W Spann LLC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W_Spann_LLC

W Spann LLC was a phantom company created on 15 March 2011 by Cameron Casey, a Boston lawyer, in order to donate funds to a Super PAC supporting US Presidential candidate Mitt Romney.<1><2> After donating one million dollars on 28 April, it was dissolved on 12 July.<3> Its given address in Midtown Manhattan at 590 Madison Avenue, a 41-story tower, has no record of its tenancy, although the address is shared by Bain Capital, of which Romney was once Chief Executive Officer, among other companies



Cameron Casey

http://www.ropesgray.com/cameroncasey/

[JDPriestly]

24. My suspicion (and that is all it is) is that the donation is from Romney

himself or one of his companies. He might be inclined to give himself a sizable donation in order to make it look like his campaign was receiving more donations that it really is.

Another possibility is that this donation is from a foreign source or some group with which he is associated but ashamed of his association.

Could it be some sort of religious group that is giving him money? Or maybe one of his children?

Most likely it is Romney himself.

[No Elephants]

26. Sadly, that's how we know who the frontrunner is a political race is anymore.

You raised the most money?

Congratulations on your nomination to the office of your choice.

[progressoid]

20. Pretty please, will you investigate this??

Golly, it sure would be swell if you fellows could look into this. That is, if you aren't too busy with the marijuana raids.

:banghead:

[DFW]

21. A few corrections, if I may

It appears that this is not an isolated case. Romney has had other "mystery companies" appear out of nowhere,
donate a million or so to him, and the disappear again. Maybe Roberts and Alito own stock on them. Like about
on the order of 98% of the shares?

[LetTimmySmoke]

25. You know it's better for us if it remains a mystery donation.