Miriam and Sheldon Adelson gave $55 million to conservative Super PACs in September

Bill Theobald | USA TODAY

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WASHINGTON – Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and his physician wife Miriam gave $55 million to three conservative political action committees over a two-day period in September, according to campaign finance reports.

They are two of at least a dozen individuals who gave $1 million or more to one of several Super PACs in September as the hotly contest midterm election campaign drew to an end with control of the House and Senate in the balance.

These Super PACs were created beginning in 2010, and are allowed to raise unlimited funds and spend unlimited amounts for or against candidates, although they are not allowed to give directly to candidates.

The Adelsons gave the most, $25 million between them, to the Senate Leadership Fund, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission in the past few days. The fund was set up by allies of Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell with the intent of trying to main GOP control of that body

The Adelsons gave $20 million to the Congressional Leadership Fund. The fund already has raised and spent well over $100 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, and is working to keep the GOP in control of the House.

On the other end of the political spectrum, former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave $5 million to the Independence USA PAC, which he created in 2012 to focus mostly on helping to elect candidates who support stronger gun laws.

James Simons, a billionaire New York hedge fund manager, gave $2 million to the Senate Majority PAC and $2.7 million to the House Majority PAC.

The two committees are the Democratic counterparts to the Congressional Leadership Fund and Senate Leadership Fund, working to elect Democrats to the House and Senate.

Here are the individuals who gave at least $1 million to a Super PAC in September:

Sheldon Adelson, Las Vegas, Chairman/CEO, Las Vegas Sands Corp.

• $10 million, Sept. 12, Congressional Leadership Fund

• $12.5 million, Sept. 12, Senate Leadership Fund

• $5 million, Sept. 13, America First Action, Inc.

Miriam Adelson, Las Vegas, Adelson Drug Clinic/physician

• $10 million, Sept. 12, Congressional Leadership Fund

• $12.5 million, Sept. 12, Senate Leadership Fund

• $5 million, Sept. 13, America First Action, Inc.

Richard Uilein, Lake Forest, Illinois, CEO Uline,

• $1 million, Sept. 17, Americas PAC

• $2 million, Sept. 17, Restoration PAC

Ronald Cameron, Little Rock, Chairman, Mountaire Corp.

• $1 million, Sept. 13, Americans for Prosperity Action Inc.

• $1 million, Sept. 17, Congressional Leadership Fund

Andrew Beal, Plano, Texas, Chairman, Beal Bank

• $1 million, Sept. 11, Senate Leadership Fund

• 1 million, Sept. 11, America First Action, Inc.

Michael Bloomberg, Executive, Bloomberg LP

• $5 million, Sept. 12, Independence USA PAC

Robert Rowling, Dallas, Chairman, TRT Holdings

• $1 million, Sept. 25, Senate Leadership Fund

James Simons, New York City, Money Manager, Renaissance Technologies; President, Euclidean Capital

• $2 million, Sept. 26, Senate Majority PAC

• $2.7 million, Sept. 26, House Majority PAC

Marsha Laufer, Lantana, Florida, retired

• $1 million, Sept. 19, Senate Majority PAC

Dustin Moskovitz, San Francisco, Co-Founder, Asana

• $1 million, Sept. 11, Senate Majority PAC

Ken Griffin, Chicago, CEO, Citadel Group

• $2.5 million, Sept 19, New Republican PAC

Peter Thiel, San Francisco, chairman, Thiel Capital

• $1 million, Sept. 27, Club For Growth