11/15/2018

CAMPAIGN FINANCE/TRUMP PEOPLE: “A political group aiming to be a megaphone for President Donald Trump’s policies raised $26 million in its first year in operation, new disclosures show, the vast majority of which came in through a political nonprofit that does not have to reveal its donors. The group, America First, consists of two parts that face different federal disclosure requirements. Political nonprofit America First Policies raised $22 million in 2017, a filing with the IRS showed Thursday [11-15-18]. An affiliated super PAC, which reveals its fundraising totals quarterly, raised $4 million that year, previous disclosures with the Federal Election Commission showed. Overall, the combined America First operation has amassed more than $75 million total since it launched after the 2016 election, spokesperson Erin Montgomery said — three-quarters of the $100 million the group had said it hoped to spend boosting Trump’s tax reform legislation and supporting Republicans in the midterm elections. The filing Thursday showed America First Policies raised money from 33 donors in 2017, who each donated between $5,000 and $5 million. Two anonymous donors who gave contributions of $4.5 million and $5 million each gave close to half of America First Policies’ funding. The group does not have to disclose the names of its contributors, who could be individuals, corporations or unions. The groups exist to promote Trump’s agenda from outside the White House.”

Maggie Severns, “Pro-Trump group raised $22 million from anonymous donors,” Politico, November 15, 2018 4:20 pm