Colbert's Super PAC Raises More Than $1 Million
Stephen Colbert's quasi-satirical presidential bid has raised serious cash — over $1 million, as of Tuesday morning, the comedian announced.
An announcement on the Web site of Mr. Colbert's political action committee said the "super PAC" had filed $1,023,121.24 with the Federal Election Commission at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday. The super PAC — once known as the "The Definitely Not Coordinating With Stephen Colbert Super PAC," then the "Colbert Super PAC," but officially as "Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow" — raised money from viewers to fund things like a commercial shown in South Carolina that equated Mitt Romney with a serial killer.
"We raised it on my show and used it to materially influence the elections – in full accordance with the law. It's the way our founding fathers would have wanted it, if they had founded corporations instead of just a country," according to a release on the Web site, with contact details of someone named Alberto Rèalnamè, the communications director and an online "Clicktivist Organizr," at bottom.
Donors listed in the 147-page document include Gavin Newsom, the lieutenant governor of California ($500). A representative from Mr. Newsom's office confirmed in an e-mail that the lieutenant governor had in fact donated to the super PAC. Some celebrities' names also turned up in the filing, including the actors Laura Sangiacomo, star of "Hot in Cleveland" ($250), and Bradley Whitford, a star of "The West Wing" ($250) — naturally. Mr. Colbert also received money from a Rolling Stones tribute group called "Sticky Fingers Band" ($400). None of these donors' contributions to the committee could be immediately confirmed.
In addition to the super PAC's more notable donors, it also received small donations from several people with dubious identities, including one in Wisconsin whose name, when pronounced, makes an obscene phrase.
The entire filing can be viewed here:
Along with the report, the super PAC included a cover letter to the F.E.C.
Dear Sirs and Sirettes,
Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow (ABTT) would like it entered into the record that as of January 30th, 2012, the sum total of our donations was $1,023,121.24.
Stephen Colbert, President of ABTT, has asked that I quote him as saying, "Yeah! How you like me now, F.E.C? I'm rolling seven digits deep! I got 99 problems but a non-connected independent-expenditure only committee ain't one!"
I would like it noted for the record that I advised Mr. Colbert against including that quote. Sincerely,
Shauna Polk Treasurer Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Inc.
Mr. Colbert's mockery via his super PAC intends to point out loopholes in the nation's system of campaign financing. The super PAC's name changes reflect another satirical point of Mr. Colbert's: because super PACs are not permitted to coordinate with the campaign of the candidate being backed, Mr. Colbert has alternately ceded to or wrested control over the entity from Jon Stewart, his colleague at Comedy Central, depending upon whether or not he wants to, as he says, run for "president of the United States of South Carolina."
On television on Monday night, Mr. Colbert physically chased Mr. Stewart across the sets of both of the shows they each host to get retake control of the super PAC.
