Front money has made it possible for Donald Trump to spoil the party of the conservatives.
Donald Trump's Donations to Democrats, Club for Growth's Busy Day and More in Capital Eye Opener: February 17
By Zachary Newkirk on February 17, 2011 6:00 AM
REPUBLICAN DONALD TRUMP’S PAST AND CURRENT GENEROSITY TO DEMOCRATS: Billionaire real estate tycoon Donald Trump's recent speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference excited a number of Republicans, many of whom applauded his statement that Rep. Ron Paul(R-Texas) has "zero chance" of winning.
It also fueled speculation that the mogul would run for president. Cries of "
you're hired!" to a Draft Trump 2012
website added to a growing sense of support among Republicans.
But that GOP support has not always been reciprocated by Trump.
According to a
Center for Responsive Politics analysis of Trump's federal campaign contribution history, The Donald has been a prolific donor to both Democrats and Republicans during the past two decades.
In all, Trump has contributed to 96 candidates running for federal political office since the 1990 election cycle, the Center finds. Only 48 of the recipients -- exactly half -- were Republicans at the time they received their contribution, including ex-Gov.
Charlie Crist (I-Fla.) and ex-Sen.
Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), who both of whom received their Trump contributions as Republicans.
Since the 1990 election cycle, the top 10 recipients of Trump's political contributions number six Democrats and four Republicans. Embattled Rep.
Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), who was
censured last year by his U.S. House colleagues, has received the most Trump money, totaling $24,750. The most recent contribution from Trump to Rangel was a $10,000 gift during the 2006 election cycle.
In the most recent election cycle, Trump doled out $22,500 to political candidates, of which $16,200 benefited Democrats.
The top Republican recipient of Trump's money is Sen.
John McCain (R-Ariz.) who has collected $13,600 from the billionaire magnate, the second most of any politician. Trump did not contribute to McCain during the 2010 election cycle, during which the former presidential candidate was facing re-election.
Sen.
Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) is the recipient of $12,000 in Trump contributions, including $10,000 for his 2006 re-election campaign.
Senate Majority Leader
Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has received the fourth-largest amount of Trump's contributions, including $4,800 in the successful 2010 campaign against Tea Party favorite
Sharron Angle. In total Trump has contributed $10,400 to Reid.
In 2010, Trump also contributed $4,000 to Sen.
Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who easily won re-election. Schumer has received $8,900 from Trump since the 1996 election cycle. Trump has also been generous to New York's other Democratic U.S. senator,
Kirsten Gillibrand, who's received $5,850 in Trump money.
After McCain, the Republican with the largest amount of Trump's contributions is former Rep.
Mark Foley (R-Fla.), who left office in disgrace in 2006 when his online solicitation of male House pages became known. Trump contributed $9,500 to Foley between the 1996 and 2006 election cycles.
Trump has also supported other notable politicians, including:
• $7,000 to former Sen.
Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), the "liberal lion of the Senate"
• $5,500 to Sen.
John Kerry (D-Mass.) including $2,000 during his 2004 presidential run
• $4,000 to former Senate Majority Leader
Tom Daschle (D-S.D.)
Trump's donations to various political action committees and 527 groups also demonstrate his bipartisan checkbook.
However, of the nearly $420,000 Trump has donated to committees, the largest recipient has been the
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee with $116,000 -- or more than one fourth of his total contributions to all party and political action committees.
You know what they say about corruption in politics; "Follow the money".
Mr. Trump plays both sides of the political fence. Which side is he REALLY on?
I think he's got his finger in the air waiting to see which way the winds of politics is blowing.
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