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By NBC's Michael Isikoff
Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino mogul bankrolling Newt Gingrich’s super PAC isn’t trying to “buy” a presidency, his top political consultant tells NBC News. He’s just following in the footsteps of another powerful business tycoon, Joseph Kennedy, father of President John F. Kennedy.
Billionaire Sheldon Adelson and his wife have given GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich's super-PAC $10 million, the biggest cash infusion in the race for the White House. NBC's Michael Isikoff reports on the couple behind the contribution.
“I don’t think it’s buying a presidency any more than it was when Joe Kennedy helped his son,” Sig Rogich, a veteran Republican operative who serves as Adelson’s government affairs consultant, said in an interview about the massive donations that the casino mogul has made to Gingrich’s super PAC.
Adelson, 78, who has a personal fortune estimated at $21 billion, “plays to win” and “puts his money where his mouth is,” Rogich added.
In the last three weeks, Adelson and his Israeli-born wife Miriam have pumped $10 million into the Winning Our Future Super PAC. Those donations provided a critical cash infusion that helped revive Gingrich’s candidacy, bankrolling attack ads against Mitt Romney in South Carolina and now Florida. They’ve also made the Adelsons the largest known donors so far in a presidential race awash with money under new rules allowing unlimited donations to so-called super PACs.
But the contributions have also raised new questions about Adelson’s outside role in influencing the campaign. Those questions could intensify as a result of potentially provocative comments he has made about Israel uncovered by NBC News.
Scott Audette / Reuters
Republican presidential candidate former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich makes a point during the Republican presidential candidates debate in Jacksonville, Florida January 26, 2012.
Adelson owns a newspaper in Israel, 'Israel HaYom,' that backs conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and adamantly opposes any peace settlement with the Palestinians.
But while Adelson and Gingrich have bonded on the issue of a hawkish Mideast policy, especially over the threat of a nuclear Iran, some of the casino mogul’s comments could prove embarrassing.
In a talk to an Israeli group in July, 2010, Adelson said he wished he had served in the Israeli Army rather than the U.S. military—and that he hoped his young son would come back to Israel and “be a sniper for the IDF,” a reference to the Israel Defense Forces. (YouTube video of speech)
“I am not Israeli. The uniform that I wore in the military, unfortunately, was not an Israeli uniform. It was an American uniform, although my wife was in the IDF and one of my daughters was in the IDF ... our two little boys, one of whom will be bar mitzvahed tomorrow, hopefully he’ll come back-- his hobby is shooting -- and he’ll come back and be a sniper for the IDF,” Adelson said at the event.
“All we care about is being good Zionists, being good citizens of Israel, because even though I am not Israeli born, Israel is in my heart,” he said toward the end of his talk.
Asked about those comments, Rogich said: “No one could possibly ever think that he is anything but a loyal American. He’s shown that time and time again.”
Rogich cited major donations that Adelson has made to medical research and other philanthropic causes that were far bigger than his political contributions, he said.
As for Israel, Rogich said: “I think that the fact that he is a Zionist and believes deeply in the preservation of Israel is so commendable.”
Newt Gingrich, who stirred controversy recently by calling the Palestinians "an invented people," appears on the cover of Sheldon Adelson's newspaper, Israel HaYom, blasting the Obama administration for its policies on Iran. "The Obama administration is denying reality," reads the headline in Hebrew. "The refusal to confront evil could cause a second Holocaust."
Gingrich, who stirred controversy recently by calling the Palestinians “an invented people,” appeared on the cover of Adelson’s Israeli newspaper blasting the Obama administration for its policies on Iran.
“The Obama administration is denying reality,” reads the headline in Hebrew. “The refusal to confront evil could cause a second Holocaust.”
When Gingrich was questioned about the money from Adelson this week, he immediately cited the casino mogul’s backing of Israel as a major reason he had received his support.
“Sheldon Adelson is very deeply concerned about the survival of Israel and believes that the Iranians represent a mortal threat to Israel and the United States,” Gingrich said in an interview while on the campaign trail in Florida. “And he is deeply motivated by the question of having a commander-in-chief strong enough and willing to make sure the Iranians do not get nuclear weapons.”
Asked if he had promised the casino mogul anything in exchange for the money to the super PAC, Gingrich replied: “I promised him that I would seek to defend the United States and the United States allies.”
Adelson’s interests extend beyond Israel. His personal fortune comes from a casino empire that stretches from the Vegas strip to the gambling havens of Singapore and Macau. But his business interests have also provoked legal troubles.
Adelson’s company, the Las Vegas Sands, disclosed last year that it was being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department and Securities and Exchange Commission over allegations by a former top company executive that Adelson directed him to put a local government official on its payroll in Macau — a potential violation of a U.S. anti-bribery law. The firm has denied the allegations, saying they come from a lawsuit filed by a disgruntled former employee.
Adelson also earned a reputation in Las Vegas as a fierce foe of labor unions after he bought the legendary Sands Hotel, home base of Frank Sinatra’s Rat Pack, and then blew it up in 1996.
About 1,500 casino workers lost their jobs. Adelson built a spectacular new hotel in its place, the Venetian, but locked out the state’s powerful Culinary Workers Union, which resulted in street protests and lawsuits.
Union official D. Taylor (sic) said that Adelson’s security officials at the Las Vegas Sands Hotel tried to have the protestors outside his hotel arrested, but Las Vegas police refused.
“He claimed that he owned the sidewalks,” Taylor said. Georgia Democratic “congressman John Lewis led us on the sidewalks to say that nobody’s going to own the people on the sidewalks,” he added. “Sheldon then appealed the decision of the police not to arrest us all the way to the Supreme Court.”
Taylor said Adelson lost that battle — the courts upheld a finding of anti-labor practices against his company — but now the casino mogul thinks he can purchase a presidency.
“I think it’s very scary that any one candidate would be so beholden to one persona, a billionaire, who obviously has a very specific agenda that he wants to achieve,” said Taylor.
But Rogich, Adelson’s consultant, said that agenda consists of nothing more than trying to elect a good friend who he believes “would be a great president.”
“And that’s what this process is all about — that’s why we call it America,” he said. “You have the right to spend your money how you’d like to spend it.”
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I'm more interested in whether anyone in the lamestream media can tell me how much George Soros spent on the presidency he already bought.
The figure is 1 Billion
Fools believe that which they do not investigate and shrug off that which is true. As most post here again it would be a good Idea to take a closer look at Global Polotic! Many Countries that we have supported or aided over the past 34 years have pumped Billions into Presidential Campaigns for Outcome. There is nothing new here. Oligarchy (google it) has been funding, handling, controlling a myriad of Election's, Wars, Financial Bail Outs, even Genocide, for decades. There is always a "justified action" scenario even if that scenario does not exist. It was not the "Voter" that gave Obama, Bush, Clinton, Reagan the win it is a planned destiny. That is why we have "Electoral College" (google that as well). Government learned from thousand's even millions of years that Human Belief is nothing more than story and event told over and over with a manipulated example to make it real. Hitler was the out front first to actually use that strategy. Since then the scenario changes from time to time but World Population does not get better as a matter of fact (google that) World Population including our sanctified America has been in constant decay. Take a look around.
old saying more money than brains
I just heard another $118 MILLION dollars was pissed away to a so-called "green energy" company that is filing for bankruptcy. That's money the taxpayer will never see again as oppssed to private capital.
I'm laughing..........I'm laughing some more.................
Yeah the made elctric car batteries, probably the ones for the chevy volt, that only cost us 250K a copy.
Why don't we just let the mega-buck donors to the super PAC's run for president and eliminate the middle men?
If heavy investors to a particular campaign runner isn't trying to "buy" that person into the Oval Office, then I'm an illiterate from way back when. And, trust me.. those heavy investor(s) get paid back one way or another.. it's not gifted money. JFK was one of the best presidents we ever had, so any heavy investing would have paid off even more so than it did. When a president is assassinated or nearly so, it just means he's doing his job for this country, and doing way too well. I don't think we've ever had many worries about screw up presidents ever being threatened to be assassinated.. cause they aren't doing anything good for this country, in the first place. And the biggest one that stands out in my mind is Obama.
But I still say I'm not that convinced Gingrich is in our best interests either. Voting conjours up different ways of voting. 1) You vote for the best person you feel will fulfill his promises as best as possible, but never forgetting he's charged with operating this country and its interests. 2) You vote just to say you did it without regard to who can produce the best efforts for this country. or, 3) Your a person of color and just want to see another person of color in the White House.. no regard whatsoever for his intentions, broken promises, ill-fated actions against this country, etc.
In my opinion, all major contributors to a campaign should be full disclosed, so the voters have a choice as to whom they'd rather see their elected official paying back, or how the payback will happen. Oftentimes, the payback is nothing more than getting certain laws/bills, etc., passed for self-purpose.
Think about it.
The US military has become unpaid mercenaries for any special interest group that can afford the lobbying effort in Washington. Iraq was a perfect example of a totally useless war to benefit a special interest group that totally pulled the wool over Bush II's eyes. If Newton Leroy is elected President, there is a 100 % chance we will be at war with Iran within 4 years.
Didn't the mafia buy support with gambling money too? Why is this NOT surprising?
Doc Holliday, you are no Doc Holliday. Total twisted and clueless. You are the problem America has right now. You are a media parrot with zero self intelligence. You only do what your Liberal "Lords" tell you to do. You are nothing more than a "serf" in Obama's feudal realm. I'm sure you're getting your hand out from the Bamster so WHY NOT 4 MORE YEARS! Go pay some "extra" union dues for me to so they can lobby more Liberal freaks into office.
So this casino guy (probably no corruption there) says he "unfortunately" wore the wrong military uniform when he served for the U.S. He wants a proxy Israeli PM to be President of the U.S. Yeah, that's not troubling at all....
Ron Paul 2012
"Not like a bad episode of Jersey Shore"
"Cause he's not a swinger"
Ya I'm not tryin to buy the White House, wink, wink!!
if i ever even contemplated voting for gingrich, which i havent, the fact that this adelson guy is involved just makes it that much easier of a decision to not vote at all as NONE of the candidates are worth a squirt of pi$$. dem, repub or otherwise, they ALL appear to be in line with their hands out while pandering to the wants of the mega wealthy. NOT ONE of these clowns is even worthy of a vote, nevermind being worthy of being called "President".
one of these useless piles of crap is going to wind up winning just because someone has to. but please do not be confused, ALL of these clowns are not pursuing the office because they are patriots or want to fix the mess our country is in. they are ALL in it for their own ego and personal benefit--and whatever that costs our country, that's just fine with each and every one of them
And the Democrats don't? Please spare us.
spare yourself...dem, tea, indep, repub...if they call themselves politicians, THEY ARE GARBAGE. the guy who wins will literally be the last man standing from a field of non qualified, self absorbed narcissists. but feel free to take your pick, ANN, and then cry about how disappointed you are for the next four years...and likely beyond. one of them will win, THE REST OF US ARE GOING TO LOSE as a direct result.
This is the Gingrich the Republican savages want.He won't win though the normal Republicans will leave him under the clown car
Of course he is not buying it. He just wants to rent it.
Now this sounds strangely familiar.
"We're not out to buy the presidency..." Yeah? Then why are therre 'superpacs'? Why is a casino backing Gingrich? What a joke!
Isreal is NOT our friend. Makes me sick that this person who is basically an Isreali at heart can influence the election. What next, Iranians or Mexican cartels will be able to buy off their local republican?
Newt would sell his soul and Calista to win the Presidency. Not going to happen Newt. With all the years of Republican deck stacking in the SCOTUS, President Obama has restored the decisions of this country to their rightful owners. The People!
And the people will speak loud and clear in November when the clear the traitorous Republicans out of both houses. They have sold our future to the highest bidder (Just as Newt is trying to do now) for the last time!
Um.....does anybody recall that Socialist George Soros is the money behind the current President???
And how many millions was that? Because I think Oprah was his main benefactor. And I guarantee you she needs no favors or quid pro quos.
all of it or is this just something another republican pulled from his a,ss because his mouth IS FULL OF SHI,T
He can spend all the money he wants, it helps the TV and Newspaper industries, we independents and females will NEVER vote for the serial adulter and we certainly do not want a mistress adultress as first lady. "Thats no lady that is my 2nd or 3rd mistress".
He say's he isn't trying to "Buy" the presidency? Yeah, sure. I still believe in the Tooth Fairy myself. And this Billionaire say's he's just following in the Foot Step's of Joseph Kennedy?? That say's it all for me. If this doesn't wake people up to Ex Lobbiest Gingrich I don't know what will.
Is he bankrolling the Newt campaign or trying to ensure an Obama win? Newt is WAY behind Obama in national polling.
He plays to win ,well this time he's backing a loser,