The Obama 2012 Campaign released a list of the campaign's bundlers Tuesday - a list of fundraisers for the campaign. Here are few of the sixty bundlers listed who earned the campaign more than $500,000 during the final months of 2011. [See a collection of political cartoons on Super PACs.]
Thomas Carnahan — Founder of Wind Capital Group, a developer of Midwestern wind farms
Carnahan's been linked to the Obama administration before. One of his company's projects in Missouri received a $107 million federal tax credit from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Carnahan's father, Mel Carnahan, served as Missouri Governor and his mother was U.S. Senator Jean Carnahan. His brother, Russ Carnahan, has served in the House of Representatives since 2006.
Bob Clark - CEO of Clayco Inc., a comprehensive architectural, engineering and building firm
Clark sits on the Board of Trustees of the University of Chicago Medical Center, former employer of Michelle Obama. Clark's been a champion of furthering stem cell research and was invited by President Obama in 2009 to be present from the signing of the executive order lifting the ban on federal funding for stem cell research. In February 2010, President Obama appointed Clark to serve on the Committee for the Preservation of the White House.
Jon Corzine - Former New Jersey Governor, former CEO of MF Global
Corzine resigned in November from his post as MF Global's CEO after the company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, one of the 10 largest in U.S. history. A federal investigation was also launched to search for millions of dollars in missing customer funds. The Associated Press reports that the Obama campaign as well as the Democratic National Committee returned more than $70,000 worth of personal donations Corzine and his wife made, but funds he raised from others remain with the campaign.
Harvey Weinstein - Cofounder of Miramax Films
Weinstein is responsible for producing such movies as "Shakespeare in Love" and Broadway shows including "The Producers" and "Billy Elliot the Musical." Weinstein cohosted an Obama fundraiser in August where guests included Gwyneth Paltrow, Jimmy Fallon, Alicia Keys and Vera Wang. Attendees paid $35,800 a head to wine and dine with the president.
Michael Kempner - President of MWW Group, a PR firm that boasts their strategists ability to build relationships with "influential voices."
The Obama campaign has been clear that they will not accept money from lobbyists, and according to Opensercerts.org's lobbyist database, Kempner is not currently registered as a lobbyist. He was, however, registered in 2005. The New York Times reports that Kempner's PR firm employees seven registered lobbyists.
- See photos from President Obama's State of the Union address.
- Zuckerman: 5 ways to create more jobs.
- See political cartoons about the economy.
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ann keenan of MI 12:51AM February 02, 2012