The Center for Public Integrity

Ranking: 16

Total contributions to super PACs: $5.5 million*

• $2 million to American Crossroads (pro-Republican)
• $1 million to Restore Our Future (pro-Mitt Romney)
• $920,000 to Prosperity First (pro-Republican)
• $615,000 to Club for Growth Action (pro-conservative), including $15,000 daughter from Rebekah Mercer
• $439,000 to Republican Super PAC (pro-Republican)
• $250,000 to Freedom PAC (pro-Connie Mack; pro-Allen West)
• $200,000 to National Horizon (pro-Republican)
• $50,000 to Coalition for American Values PAC (pro-Republican), all of which is from Rebekah Mercer

Federal hard money and 527 contributions:

• $30,800 to Republican National Committee (2012)
• $30,400 to National Republican Senatorial Committee
• $25,000 to Club for Growth PAC (2007-2011)
• $20,000 to Republican Leadership Committee (2011)
• $10,000 to Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.)
• $7,200 to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)
• $5,000 to Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.)
• $4,800 to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)
• $1,700 to former Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd’s presidential campaign in 2007

State contributions:

Ranking: 14

Total contributions to super PACs: $6.1 million*

• $6 million to American Crossroads (pro-Republican), including $2.5 million from TRT Holdings
• $100,000 to Restore Our Future (pro-Mitt Romney)
• $35,000 to Texas Conservatives Fund (pro-David Dewhurst)

Federal hard money and 527 contributions:

• $95,000 to the Republican National Committee

Notable state-level contributions:

• $113,000 to Texas judges and politicians (2012)
• $103,000 to former Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas (2010)
• $129,000 to Republican Texas Gov. Rick Perry (2010)
• $100,000 to Greg Abbott, Texas attorney general (2002)

Corporate name: TRT Holdings, Inc.

Corporate subsidiaries: Gold’s Gym, Tana Exploration Co. and Omni Hotels and Resorts

Robert Rowling, the president, chairman and CEO of corporate conglomerate TRT Holdings, reached super donor status in August 2012 thanks to two $1 million contributions to the conservative super PAC American Crossroads, co-founded by fellow Texan Karl Rove. He ultimately gave $6 million to the conservative juggernaut.

Rowling made his fortune when he sold his father’s company, Tana Oil and Gas, to Texaco for $476.5 million in 1989. The proceeds of that sale were used to create and develop TRT Holdings, which now owns the Omni hotel chain, Gold’s Gym and Tana Exploration Co.

Ranking: 21

Total contributions to super PACs: $4.4 million*

• $1 million to Priorities USA Action (pro-Barack Obama)
• $850,000 to Rethink PAC (pro-Elizabeth Warren)
• $668,500 to House Majority PAC (pro-Democratic)
• $550,000 to Service Employees International Union PEA - Federal (pro-Democratic)
• $381,500 to Working for Us PAC (pro-Democratic)
• $350,000 to Majority PAC (pro-Democratic)
• $200,000 to American Bridge 21st Century (pro-Democratic)
• $143,000 to America Votes Action Fund (pro-Democratic)
• $100,000 to Patriot Majority PAC (pro-Democratic)
• $92,370 to Workers’ Voice (pro-Democratic), formerly known as AFL-CIO Workers’ Voices PAC
• $25,000 to Saving Florida's Future (pro-Bill Nelson)
• $20,000 to Vote Your Values PAC (pro-Barack Obama)
• $15,000 to South Floridians for Effective Leadership (pro-Kristin Jacobs)
• $10,000 to Protecting America's Retirees (union-aligned)
• $8,650 to Connecticut's Future PAC, Inc. (pro-Chris Murphy)

Total contributions to super PACs: $3.4 million*

• $1.75 million to American Crossroads (pro-Republican), all of which is from either Crow Holdings or HRC Family Branch Partnership
• $1.3 million to Restore Our Future (pro-Mitt Romney), including $650,000 from Crow Holdings and $500,000 from brother Trammell Crow
• $250,000 to FreedomWorks for America (pro-conservative), all of which is from Crow Holdings
• $50,000 to Texas Conservatives Fund (pro-David Dewhurst), all of which is from Crow Holdings
• $35,000 to the Campaign for Primary Accountability (anti-incumbent), all of which is from Crow Holdings
• $25,000 to American Unity PAC (pro-Republican), all of which is from Trammell Crow
• $20,000 to Freedom PAC (pro-Connie Mack; pro-Allen West), all of which is from HRC Family Branch Partnership
• $10,000 to JAN PAC (pro-Republican), all of which is from Crow Holdings

Federal hard and soft money and 527 contributions:

• $50,000 to the Republican National Committee
• $20,000 to the Republican National Congressional Committee
• $5,000 to former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty
• $5,000 to GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney

State-level contributions:

• $50,000 to Texas Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas
• $25,000 to Republican Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott
• $25,000 to Kelly Hancock, Republican candidate for Texas Senate in District 9

Corporate name: Crow Family Holdings, LLC

Ranking: 23

Total contributions to super PACs: $4.2 million*

• $1.75 million to American Crossroads (pro-Republican)
• $1.1 million to Club for Growth Action (pro-conservative)
• $1 million to Restore Our Future  (pro-Mitt Romney)
• $250,000 to Congressional Leadership Fund (pro-Republican)
• $100,000 to Freedom PAC (pro-Connie Mack, pro-Allen West)

Notable federal hard and soft money and 527 contributions:

• $30,800 to the Republican National Committee
• $30,400 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee
• $25,000 to the National Republican Congressional Committee
• $5,000 to former 2012 presidential candidate Rick Perry

Notable state-level contributions:

• $100,000 to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker during the recall election
• $50,000 to the Indiana gubernatorial campaign of Republican Rep. Mike Pence

Corporate name: J.W. Childs Associates

Corporate subsidiaries: None found

Total spent on lobbying (2007-2012): None found

Biography:

John Childs, 70, is CEO and board chairman of J.W. Childs Associates, a private equity firm based in Boston. He spends much of his time in Florida, where he has a home in Vero Beach.

Ranking: 19

Total contribution to super PACs: $4.8 million*

• $4 million to Restore Our Future (pro-Mitt Romney)
• $550,000 to the America 360 Committee (pro-Scott Brown)
• $100,000 to Freedom PAC (pro-Connie Mack; pro-Allen West)
• $100,000 to Treasure Coast Jobs Coalition (pro-Allen West)

Notable federal hard and soft money and 527 contributions:

• $30,000 to the Democratic National Committee (1992-2002)
• $50,400 to the Republican National Committee (2004-2008)
• $80,000 to the Kansas Democratic Party

Corporate name: Oxbow Carbon LLC

Corporate subsidiaries: Huron Carbon LLC

Total spent on federal lobbying (2007-2012): $2.9 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics

Lobbying issues: Oil and gas, energy emissions

Biography:

William is the billionaire brother of Charles and David Koch and one the four sons of Fred Koch, founder of Koch Industries. Unlike his conservative-leaning brothers, Koch has given money to candidates on both sides of the aisle, supporting politicians who back his energy interests.

His cash has helped fund the campaigns of Democrats such as the late Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, former Vice President Al Gore and former Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as Republican Sens. Marco Rubio of Florida and John McCain of Arizona and House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio.

Ranking: 4

Total contributions to super PACs: $14.1 million*

• $4.5 million to Priorities USA Action (pro-Barack Obama)
• $4.3 million to Majority PAC (pro-Democratic)
• $4.25 million  to House Majority PAC (pro-Democratic)
• $750,000 to Women Vote! (pro-Democratic)
• $200,000 to America Votes Action Fund (pro-Democratic)
• $50,000 to LPAC (pro-lesbian)

Notable federal hard money, soft money and 527 contributions**:

• Nearly $6.5 million to 527 committees since 2004 including:
  • $1.6 million to Americans Coming Together
  • $1.3 million to EMILY’s List
  • $1.1 million to America Votes
  • $660,000 to the Democratic Governors Association
  • $50,000 to the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund
• More than $7 million in soft money contributions to Democratic Party organizations between 1997 and 2004
• Hard money contributions include $66,600 to the Obama Victory Fund since 2011, the maximum contribution to President Barack Obama’s campaign ($5,000) and the Democratic National Committee ($61,600)

Corporate name: Newsweb Corp.

Total spent on federal lobbying (2007-2012): None found

Lobbying issues: N/A

Biography:

Chicago media mogul Fred Eychaner may hold the distinction of being the first super PAC donor.

Ranking: 20

Total contributions to super PACs: $4.7 million*

• $2.6 million to Endorse Liberty (pro-Ron Paul)
• $2 million to Club for Growth Action (pro-conservative)
• $135,000 to Revolution PAC (pro-Ron Paul)

Notable federal hard money and 527 contributions:

Total contributions to super PACs: $2.8 million*

• $2.8 million to Cooperative of American Physicians IE Committee

Corporate subsidiaries: Cooperative of American Physicians Insurance Services, Inc.

Total spent on federal lobbying (2007-2011): $270,000

Lobbying issues: Limiting medical malpractice lawsuits.

Background:

The Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc. made $2.8 million in contributions during the 2012 election cycle, once enough to rank it among the top donors to super PACs. All of its money went to its affiliated Cooperative of American Physicians IE Committee.

The Cooperative of American Physicians, Inc., is owned and governed by California doctors. Members qualify to buy medical malpractice insurance through the Mutual Protection Trust, which provides coverage to 12,000 doctors, according to the company. CAP, as it is commonly known, supports medical liability reform; that is, it advocates for legislation that makes it more difficult for patients to bring medical malpractice suits.

CAP has long been politically active, and has both state and federal political action committees.

Following the Citizens United U.S. Supreme Court decision, the corporation created its well-funded super PAC, which spent roughly $1.5 million on independent expenditures this election cycle.

In 2011, the group supported California Democrat Janice Hahn, who won a special election in California's 36th Congressional District.