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LATEST MONEY GAME RESULTS: Pre-election campaign finance reports covering the first 17 days of this month, due by midnight yesterday, show both presidential campaigns have stuffed their pockets with cash and are well prepared for the final push — as are their main allies in the super PAC world. According to OpenSecrets.org data, super PACs and other outside groups have spent $1 billion this cycle.

In filings made with the FEC late last night, President Barack Obama ‘s campaign reported raising $77.2 million, a hefty number, and ended the reporting period with $93 million in cash on hand. Republican candidate Mitt Romney ‘s campaign raised $51.8 million and ended the period with $52.7 million in cash on hand. The Republican National Committee, which raised $19.8 million in the first part of October, also reported having $67.5 million in cash on hand, a significant advantage in terms of available cash for the Republicans, because the Democratic National Committee only reported having $10.3 million in available cash after raising $14.8 millon.

But the final battle won’t be fought by the two main candidates and their parties alone — super PACs and outside spending groups on both sides of the aisle are apparently well-stocked with ammunition and have shown no sign of letting up their assault. In fact, last night, the combined expenditures of super PACs, shadow money organizations and party committees — together known as outside spending groups — crested the $1 billion spending mark, according to OpenSecrets.org analysis of the data.

Restore Our Future , the super PAC that backs Romney, raised money at a pace of more than $1 million a day — $20.2 million during that 17 day period — and spent $12 million on independent expenditures. Priorities USA Action , the super PAC backing Obama, collected a more modest $13 million and spent $9.4 million on IEs. American Crossroads , the conservative super PAC run by Karl Rove, raised $11.7 million in the first part of October, but used its cash reserves to spend much bigger — $33.1 million on independent expenditures alone.

Other major super PACs had a great two-and-a-half weeks as well: Majority PAC , the super PAC supporting Senate Democrats, raised $9.9 million, and House Majority PAC picked up $6.7 million — both amounts totaling more than 25 percent of each group’s total fundraising for the election cycle, in just 17 days.

The Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC supporting Republican congressional candidates, picked up $2.5 million from Chevron — a very large sum even in the rarefied world of super PAC donors, and the largest donation so far by a publicly traded corporation. It made up the bulk of the super PAC’s $3.1 million total funds raised.

– Russ Choma





PRO-GINGRICH SUPER PAC POSTS APOCALYPTIC PRO-ROMNEY AD: Winning Our Future, the super PAC that supported Newt Gingrich for President, released its first political ad since February yesterday. Winning Our Future, the super PAC that supported Newt Gingrich for President, released its first political ad since February yesterday. The ad, titled “The American Decline,” dramatically depicts the group’s vision of what the world would look like under the next four years of an Obama presidency: rioting, churches turned into mosques, Christianity ripped from the public sphere, a nuclear Iran and sky-high gas prices, not to mention a lot of darkness and blood. The ad urges viewers to vote for Mitt Romney. Somehow the super PAC spent just $5,000 getting the ad, which runs nearly three minutes long, made. It’s the first independent expenditure the super PAC has made since March 1, as well as its first to do anything other than support Gingrich. The super PAC still has more than $2,000 cash on hand, according to its most recent filing.

A person who answered the phone at Winning Our Future’s office hung up — twice — when asked for comment. – Michelle Merlin

QUESTIONABLE ETHICS: Florida Rep. Florida Rep. David Rivera (R) is losing the fundraising battle as he fights Democratic candidate Joe Garcia for the congressional seat in Florida’s 26th district But if that isn’t enough of a challenge, Rivera is being charged with 11 counts of violating state ethics laws while he served as a state lawmaker, after the Florida Commission on Ethics found probable cause against him. Below is an ad by Garcia attacking Rivera for his ethical issues: According to documents released by the commission, Rivera’s charges include misusing campaign funds for non-campaign related expenditures, failing to report income from outside sources and receiving income from Southwest Florida Enterprises, Inc. to influence his vote and/or actions within the legislature. Rivera — who served in Florida’s House of Representatives for eight years prior to winning a congressional seat — also is accused of having a contractual relationship with Southwest Florida Enterprises that “would create a continuing or frequently recurring conflict between [his] private interests and the performance of his duties” as a lawmaker. Not only did he deny guilt of all the civil charges, but he accused opponent Garcia — a former official in the Department of Energy under President Barack Obama who ran against Rivera in the 2010 election — of being a force behind the commissions’ efforts with less than two weeks until the election. “These allegations are false and will be dismissed shortly,” Rivera said in a statement released by his campaign. “It is unfortunate that the Florida Ethics Commission deliberately chose to play politics by injecting itself into the middle of an election after voting has started.”

Separately, Rivera is also under federal investigation for tax violations, according to The Associated Press. As of the end of the third filing quarter for congressional races, Garcia led Rivera in fundraising, $943,275 to $499,341, according to data from the Center for Responsive Politics. – Michelle Martinelli

COINCIDENCE OR POLITICAL PLOY? Film producer Harvey Weinstein is receiving criticism for his latest film production, and this time, it has nothing to do with Michael Moore. Film producer Harvey Weinstein is receiving criticism for his latest film production, and this time, it has nothing to do with Michael Moore. The New York Times reports that Weinstein’s film “SEAL Team Six: The Raid on Osama bin Laden” is claimed to be a political stunt set to premier on the National Geographic Channel on Nov. 4, just two days before voters decide between President Barack Obama and GOP challenger Mitt Romney. Weinstein, a vocal supporter of the president, and the film’s director, John Stockwell, recently added news and documentary footage to enhance Obama’s role in the film for the sake of “realism,” rather than what has been called propaganda. Despite Weinstein, Stockwell and National Geographic denying political motivations and implications regarding the film, Weinstein’s campaign contribution record weakens his defense. According to data from the Center for Responsive Politics, Weinstein has donated $5,000 to Obama’s campaign, along with $61,600 to the Democratic National Committee and $5,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this election cycle. – Michelle Martinelli Got a news tip or link to pass along? We want to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]



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