Colbert Super PAC

Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow
(Colbert Super PAC)
Motto Making a better tomorrow, tomorrow
Formation 2011
Purpose/focus Political action committee
Leader Stephen Colbert
Website ColbertSuperPAC.com

Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow[1] (also known as Colbert Super PAC) is a United States political action committee (PAC) established by Stephen Colbert, who portrays a conservative political pundit on the television series The Colbert Report. As a so-called "super PAC," the organization can raise unlimited sums from corporations, unions and other groups, as well as wealthy individuals.[2][3] Speaking in character, Colbert said the money will be raised not only for political ads, but also “normal administrative expenses, including but not limited to, luxury hotel stays, private jet travel, and PAC mementos from Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.”[4]

Contents

Founding

Colbert filed a request with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) asking for a media exemption for coverage of his then-prospective super PAC on a May 2011 episode of The Colbert Report.[5][6] The FEC voted 5-1 to grant The Colbert Report a limited media exemption during a June 2011 public meeting.[7] Following the hearing, Colbert formally filed paperwork for the creation of his super PAC with the FEC secretary.[8]

Colbert Super PAC's treasurer, Salvatore Purpura, resigned on August 11, 2011 to work as campaign treasurer for Rick Perry. Shauna Polk took over treasurer duties for Colbert's PAC.[9]

On September 29, Colbert consulted his lawyer and they set up his own 501(c)(4) organization, similar to American Crossroads.[10] Colbert will serve as president, secretary, and treasurer of his new organization and its stated purpose will be to educate the public.[10] However, the organization may legally donate to his Super PAC, lobby for legislation, and participate in political campaigns and elections, as long as campaigning is not the organization's primary purpose. Colbert's organization may legally accept unlimited funds which may be donated by anonymous donors. Since the Federal Election Commission doesn't require full disclosure, Colbert likens his 501 (c)(4) to a "Campaign finance glory hole": "You stick your money in the hole, the other person accepts your donation, and because it's happening anonymously, no one feels dirty!" Colbert is currently looking for a billionaire donor, who some use the slang term of description for such a person as a "sugar daddy".[11]

The official name of the Delaware Corporation which is Colbert's 501(c)(4) was initially "Anonymous Shell Corporation"[12]. However, according to the Secretary of State's Office the official name was changed to "Colbert Super PAC SHH Institute" on the same day it was filed. According to experts, Colbert's actions are perfectly legal and shine a light on how the financing of elections has dramatically changed since the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that corporations have free-speech rights to spend unlimited amounts of money in political advertising to elect or defeat candidates for office.[10][12]

Ad campaigns

On August 10, the first ad by the Super PAC, titled "Episode IV: A New Hope", ran in Iowa, telling Iowans to write-in "Rick Parry" instead of Rick Perry at the Ames Straw Poll.[13][14][15] The following day the second ad, "Behind the Green Corn", was run.[16][17] Two Iowa networks ran the ads; however, WOI-TV told Colbert that they would not run the ads because they considered them confusing to viewers.[18]

In October 2011, the Super PAC released its third ad, titled "Foul Balls," concerning the 2011 NBA lockout.[4] It also released a fourth ad, also related to the NBA lockout, titled "Ball Gags."

References

  1. ^ "Colbert's Super PAC Not Actually Called Colbert Super PAC". TPMMuckraker. Talking Points Memo. 2011-07-01. http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/07/colberts_super_pac_not_actually_called_colbert_super_pac.php. Retrieved 2011-07-01. 
  2. ^ [1], Center for Responsive Politics
  3. ^ "Rick Perry Super PACs Raise Issues of Coordination, Collusion". Huffingtonpost.com. 2011-08-13. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/13/rick-perry-super-pacs-rai_n_925943.html. Retrieved 2011-08-16. 
  4. ^ a b Khan, Huma (September 8, 2010). "Stephen Colbert's Super PAC Takes on the NBA - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/10/stephen-colberts-super-pac-takes-on-the-nba/. Retrieved October 19, 2011. 
  5. ^ Knott, Alex (May 12, 2011). "Stephen Colbert Files FEC Request for Colbert PAC (VIDEO)". Roll Call. http://www.rollcall.com/news/Stephen-Colbert-PAC-FEC-video-205563-1.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter. 
  6. ^ Vogel, Kenneth P. (May 13, 2011). "Stephen Colbert at the FEC? Really". Politico. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/54946.html. 
  7. ^ Bauerly, Cynthia L. (June 30, 2011). "Advisory Opinion" (Press release). http://www.colbertsuperpac.com/advisory/Advisory-Opinion.pdf. Retrieved 2011-10-19. 
  8. ^ Shear, Michael (2011-06-30). "Colbert Gets Permission to Form Super-PAC". New York Times. http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/30/colbert-gets-permission-to-form-super-pac/. Retrieved 2011-07-01. 
  9. ^ Levinthal, Dave (August 16, 2011). "Stephen Colbert loses treasurer to Rick Perry". Politico. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0811/61508.html. Retrieved August 17, 2011. 
  10. ^ a b c "Colbert takes satirical swipe at disclosure laws to create corporation in Del". Delaware Online. http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20111004/NEWS02/110040346/Colbert-takes-satirical-swipe-at-disclosure-laws-to-create-corporation-in-Del-?odyssey=tab. Retrieved October 6, 2011. 
  11. ^ "Stephen Colbert Plays 'The Donating Game' With Kevin Kline To Find Billionaire Donor (VIDEO)". Huffingtonpost.com. September 30, 2011. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/30/stephen-colbert-plays-the-donating-game-billionaire-donor_n_989542.html. Retrieved October 19, 2011. 
  12. ^ a b Sink, Justin (2011-09-30). "Colbert creates shell corporation to lampoon Karl Rove's groups - The Hill's Video". The Hill. Capitol Hill Publishing Corp.. http://thehill.com/video/in-the-news/184755-colbert-creates-shell-corporation-to-lampoon-rove-money-laundering. 
  13. ^ Sands, Geneva (2011-08-10). "VIDEO: Colbert launches first super PAC ad - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room". Thehill.com. http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/176373-colbert-launches-first-superpac-ad-. Retrieved 2011-08-16. 
  14. ^ "Colbert Sends Message to pro-Rick Perry PACs - Back Off! - The Note". ABCNews.com. 2011-08-09. http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/08/colbert-sends-message-to-pro-rick-perry-pacs-back-off.html. Retrieved 2011-08-16. 
  15. ^ "Stephen Colbert | Rick Parry | Ames Straw Poll". The Daily Caller. 2011-07-19. http://dailycaller.com/2011/08/13/colberts-ads-advocate-rick-parry-write-in-create-a-straw-poll-mess/. Retrieved 2011-08-16. 
  16. ^ "Colbert SuperPAC's Debut Vote for 'Rick Parry' Ads". Colbertnewshub.com. 2011-08-12. http://www.colbertnewshub.com/2011/08/12/colbert-superpacs-rick-parry-ad/. Retrieved 2011-08-16. 
  17. ^ "Colbert's SuperPAC releases another corny ad | The Examiner | Yeas & Nays". Washington Examiner. http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/yeas-nays/2011/08/colberts-superpac-releases-another-corny-ad. Retrieved 2011-08-16. 
  18. ^ POSTED: 10:01 am CDT August 12, 2011 (2011-08-12). "'Colbert Report' Slams Iowa TV Station - Commitment 2012: Iowa Caucuses News Story - KCCI Des Moines". Kcci.com. http://www.kcci.com/the-iowa-caucus-extended-coverage/28846864/detail.html. Retrieved 2011-08-16. 

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