Thursday, August 16, 2012

More on GOP Donor Paul Singer's Pro-Gay Super PAC

I've noted before the pro-gay donations and advocacy of billionaire Paul Singer who has established a super PAC to push for marriage equality.  Singer played a large role in pressuring Republicans in New York State to vote for marriage equality in 2011.  Now, Singer is going to use PAC funds to push some GOP congressional members to get on the pro-gay bandwagon.  Unlike many in the GOP, Singer sees the Party's anti-gay positions to be long term suicide.  Thus, he wants to push back against the Christofascist elements in the GOP.  Here are highlights from Politico:

The super PAC created by one of the Republican Party’s most prominent donors to move candidates toward backing gay marriage is about to invest in its first three House races, POLITICO has learned.
American Unity PAC, launched by Elliott Associates hedge fund executive Paul Singer earlier this summer with a $1 million donation, is poised to advertise in the races being fought by Reps. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.) and Judy Biggert (R-Ill.). While none of the three candidates has stated a clear position on gay marriage — only one GOP House member supports it — the group hopes to move the people it backs toward support of it.

A source familiar with the effort said that the group’s aim is to ensure “a counterbalance on the right,” adding that for “the long-term success of the [Republican] party, it must be able to reach gay and lesbian Americans and “the millions of Americans who are related to them.”
The PAC initially decided to enter these three races, the source said, because the incumbents are rank-and-file Republicans with a mixture of economic and tax records the group considers strong, but who also have been solid on specific gay rights issues.

The goal is for the group to spend money to benefit three to seven candidates overall, and this is the initial round. Super PAC support traditionally takes the form of ads.

The major contributors to the PAC, aside from Singer, are financier Cliff Asness, who gave$100,000, Dan Loeb, who gave $250,000, and Seth Klarman, who also gave $250,000. Asness and Loeb played a role in Singer’s efforts to fund the push for New York’s successful gay marriage legislation in 2011.

For Singer, this is a major undertaking for a donor who has become one of the single biggest givers in recent years. The Manhattan Institute chairman’s goal is to move the GOP toward support for same-sex marriage, beginning with his statewide efforts in New York.
This is first move Singer has made at the federal level. Among the goals of American Unity PAC, in terms of how it spends its money, is to offer financial support for candidates who could face a backlash if they speak out for gay marriage.

Singer is also involved in an effort with Loeb, Asness and former Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman to help fund the pro-gay marriage efforts that are part of state-based ballot initiatives this year.

I'm sure Maggie Gallagher and Tony Perkins will be acting as if someone peed in their Cheerios once they get wind of this.  Especially since Singer and his allies have LOTS of money.  And with a gay son, this is personal for Singer, so these developments bode well for the pro-gay forces.

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