Michigan's economy may be in even worse shape than Florida's, but the Michigan Chamber of Commerce still managed to send $1.6 million in political contributions to the Sunshine State this month.
The money flowed into the Florida affiliate of the Republican Governors Association, which listed a total of $6,606,281 in cash donations in just the past two months.
Of that take, $4.3 million was forwarded to the Republican Party of Florida.
The RGA's money machine is called a "mixing bowl" by the Michigan Campaign Finance Network.
"I think the chamber's money was swapped for individuals' contributions in the RGA mixing bowl and all came home to Michigan," said Rich Robinson of MCFN.
That's Robinson's theory anyway. Because Michigan's campaign-finance laws effectively shield donors' identities to the chamber, "there's no way to see into the black box," he says.
The RGA says it receives contributions at its Washington headquarters and distributes them around the country as needed.
"The Michigan chamber helps to elect Republican governors in other states," said RGA spokesman Chris Schrimpf. "All of our donors know their money goes out elsewhere."
RGA Florida's Washington-based treasurer, Michael Adams, did not respond to a request for comment from Sunshine State News.
Dan Conston, spokesman for the Republican Party of Florida, said, "The RPOF does not earmark funds. Contributions that come to the party are responsibly and efficiently spent to elect all Florida Republicans, and Rick Scott is at the top of the ticket."
One big RGA donor whose funds landed in both Florida and Michigan is Bob Perry, a Houston-based homebuilder. On Oct. 4, RGA-Florida received $1.995 million of Perry's contribution to the national organization. It was the largest single donation reported by the Florida affiliate.
The Michigan RGA also got a seven-figure slice from the Texan's prodigious political bankroll.
Perry spokesman Anthony Holm said his boss gave roughly $4 million to the national RGA during this election cycle.
Other sizable out-of-state contributions funneled to RGA-Florida coffers came from Rooney Holdings Inc. of Tulsa ($275,000), Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson ($250,000), FirstEnergy of Akron ($200,000) and ETC Capital LLC of Farmington, Mich. ($200,000).
The biggest in-state donor to RGA-Florida was U.S. Sugar, which gave $250,000 on Sept. 16 and $500,000 on Oct. 7. Before Charlie Crist bolted the Republican Party, U.S. Sugar contributed to the governor, who engineered the billion-dollar plan to buy sections of company lands, ostensibly to "restore" the Everglades.
The RGA, which began forming state affiliates in the past two years, appears to be leveraging a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that eased the way for more corporate contributions.
Robinson calls the Michigan chamber-RGA connection a sort of "currency exchange."
"The chamber gives its donors anonymity. The RGA finds a legal home for the chamber's corporate contributions because corporations cannot give directly to Michigan political action committees," Robinson explained.
As in Florida, the Michigan RGA has given its state's Republican Party more than $4 million.
Michigan has become a sandbox for the Ubermensch of Republican political donors, Robinson said. David Koch, Bob Perry, Boone Pickens, Paul Singer -- they all get credit for putting money in the RGA Michigan PAC."
Also on the donor list is Orlando Magic owner Richard DeVos, whose son, Dick, was the 2006 Republican candidate for governor in Michigan.
Florida appears to be building its own sandbox, too, with a little help from the Great Lake State.
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Contact Kenric Ward at kward@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 801-5341.
