Michele Bachmann's biggest donors

By Mike Mullen Fri., Jul. 29 2011 at 9:09 AM

Bachmann got lots of small contributions, and a handful of big ones.

As of June 30, Michele Bachmann's campaign warchest had about $3.7 million in it, $2 million of which she rolled over from her own political action committee. That still means Bachmann for President raised about $1.7 million in a red-hot two weeks in June.

As has been the case for the last two years, most of the money -- this time, about $1.1 million -- comes from a huge number of small donations. Small amounts leave the donors' identities hidden, as donations under $200 don't have to be listed for the Federal Election Commission.

But that still leaves $564,804 from 1,042 donors as evidence that yes, some real people are paying for Michele Bachmann to run for president. So who are they?

In her July quarterly report, six donors had already maxed-out their legal donations to Bachmann for President with $5,000. Here's who they are and, in one case, why they gave.

Cary Katz
Las Vegas, NV
C.E.O., College Loan Corporation

Jacqueline Katz
Las Vegas, NV
Homemaker

As a couple, the Katz's wham-bang max-out donations on June 28 brought in a quick, easy $10,000 to Bachmann for President. Cary runs the College Loan Corporation, one of the nation's largest private originators of student loans. Cary and Jacqueline Katz are prolific donors to Republican candidates, and Cary has also given several thousand dollars to Bachmann's and Sarah Palin's political action committees.

Katz has a pretty lucrative side gig as a successful professional poker player. So far this year, he's won over $100,000 on the professional circuit. Katz also runs a small nonprofit lobbying group called "Stop Child Predators." Jacqueline Katz is listed on the board of directors at Stop Child Predators.

Clifford Heinz
Newport Beach, CA
Retired

An heir to the H.J. Heinz ketchup fortune, Heinz is on the conservative branch of the Heinz family tree. The liberal side produced Teresa Heinz Kerry, the filthy rich wife of Sen. John Kerry. That's got to be hard for Clifford, who once bankrolled a failed Senate campaign for Lt. Col. Oliver North, the right-wing fall guy for Iran-Contra.

Famously reclusive, Clifford Heinz prefers to let his money do the talking. But a 2004 Los Angeles Times profile revealed one gem: When the Dalai Lama got the phone call telling him he'd won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, he was staying at Clifford Heinz's house. If anyone's trying to make a backdoor money connection between Michele Bachmann and the Dalai Lama, there it is.

On page 2, meet a comfortable local couple, and a rookie donor who was the only person willing to explain to City Pages why he gave money to her campaign.

Tags:

Arnold Felix, Bachmann for President, Barbara Larson, campaign contrubutions, Cary Katz, Federal Election Commission, Jacqueline Katz, Kenneth Larson, Michele Bachmann

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madmarauder20032004

Glad to know Slumberland is run by a good person. I'm going there next time I need a mattress.

NotABachmanFan

I work for Slumberland and have had 1:1 conversations with Ken and Barb Larson. Very genuine, caring people. You probably won't meet a more down to earth person that is as "loaded" as Ken Larson. I'm proud to say I work for them, though I don't share most of their religious or political views. FYI, I'm an Independent and an atheist.

madmarauder20032004

Love when you lib-tards try to slam a Republican on who is contributing to them, only to find out the majority of their donations are of the small variety - so in otherwords the common hard-working taxpaying Americans are the ones donating the majority of money to Michelle. You lib-tards still try to find a way to get your panties in a bunch though, by digging up a couple of CEO's or rich folks. Nevermind that Barrack Hussein received close to $800 million in donations for the last Pres election, the far majority from the corrupt Wall Streeters Goldman Sachs, the uber-corrupt SEIU/ACORN, the uber-corrupt rich in Hollywood who pay close to zero in taxes. Yeah, no hypocrisy on the lib-tard side..nah..nothing to look at there.

Bootsy

Bachmann served the IRS, she is completely beholden to the Israeli Lobby and she and her husband accept tax subsidies for "farming" and his counseling business. 'Nuff said...........

madmarauder20032004

and the dirt on the bottom of Michelles' shoes has more legitimacy than you

The Kingfish

What's up with using postal abbreviations? The states should be written Nev., Calif., Fla., et cetera.

Nate Brennan

Wow, someone has their head stuck up Associated Press' ass. There is no "should be written." A company/publication can do it however they want. Unless they're like "Las Vegas, NDA." That shit would be confusing. But breaking balls over MN, CA, etc. is just stupid.

Mn Voter

Teresa Heinz was married to Senator Heinz (a republican). When he died, Senator Kerry divorced his then current rich wife to marry the now filthy rich Teresa heinz who was not born a Heinz. Heinz is full of fructose - choose the healthier Hunts.

As far as boycott's I've not bought one thing from Target since Mark Dayton was elected. Their cheap chinese products are over priced.

green23

Yeah, and you also said months ago that you were moving out of the State because of the high taxes. And let's not forget you said you voted for Dayton, donated money to Bachmann, are unemployed with a doctorate, and have stockpiled guns for the coming war against Sharia law.

In short, you talk a lot of crap and assume multiple online personalities to keep people from connecting the dots.

hypocriteouter

Slumberland here I come!! To Rick Ash: being filthy rich is a bad thing..unless you're name is Geoarge Soros, or if you're a liberal actor or musician with several homes in cities that most of us cannot afford!!

Manitoulin

I say it's the MILF factor for Arnold.

Whoknows

Can I donate a negative amount of money to her so that Michelle has to then pay me?

galamaria

Thank GOD (heehee) I've never purchased anything from Slumberland. I'd heard about Lake Elmo Inn years ago (though I never needed a reason to stay away from that crappy food). Thanks for this reportage!

moremetoo

Corporations and the rich have always run the show, and (sigh) probably always will. The least we can do is continue to push for campaign finance laws that require disclosure of donations. MBach would probably repeal all of these laws as her first Presidential action, because she is a bad person. She is also a religious nut who will have Pat Robertson as her running mate.

madmarauder20032004

yeah, she's a "bad person"...in contrast to Hussein Obama who has led this country into such a prosperous one that there is honey flowing from every river and we don't have to pay mortgages, bills, etc and we all have good jobs....well, ok, guess Hussein really didn't work out.

metoo

You lie down with dogs and you wake up with....fewer furniture customers...As for Arnold Felix, he just has the hots for Bachmann.

Roe Pressley

MN's biggest corporate donors: The Lake Elmo Inn, Fairview Hospitals, Pawn America

Rick Ash

Strange slant here. Describing Teresa Heinz as "Filthy rich" . You make her kind of rich sound like a bad thing. Describing Oli North as a fall guy for Iran Contra. First, Oli North wasn't a General. ( It's Lieutenant North ) He was running an illegal ,off the books, revolution against a foreign government. Of course President Ron Regan knew the plan but people don't throw presidents under the bus. (Except Clinton)

One Eyed Jacks

Lieutenant Colonel North actually.

Iran-Contra illegal? Probably, but it was a reaction the restrictions put up the our intelligence services by the Church Commission in the mid-1970's. This commission created so many restrictions just going to the toilet could have been considered illegal.