We have a new biography of Sheldon Adelson, the casino tycoon who donated more than $100 million to Republican candidates in 2012.
Some reports say he donated as much as $150 million, and all the candidates he backed lost at the polls, except for Nevada’s incumbent Republican senator, Dean Heller, who squeezed out a win.
Sheldon Adelson has only reported spending $54 million on political races in 2012 — but he donated to political action committees that don’t have to report who the donors are, according to Peter H. Stone of the Huffington Post.
Stone’s investigation led to the $150 million figure, now widely reported. Of course, it’s been pointed out that such a sum still only amounts to a wee bit of Adelson’s fortune, which has lately been reported as more than $20 billion.
In fact, he only gave $20 million to the campaign of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Adelson and his wife gave $15 million to the failed campaign of Newt Gingrich. To me that doesn’t sound like Sheldon Adelson actually spent “whatever it takes” to defeat President Barack Obama (that’s what Adelson said he would do).
Only $45 million on the presidency? That’s pea-nuts compared to a $20 billion fortune. That’s like telling your wife, “Sweetcheeks, I’ll do whatever it takes to get you that nice vacation in Italy,” only to give her $11 and a “go have you some fun!”
How did a poor boy from Dorchester end up a billionaire? Find out in the Who2 biography of Sheldon Adelson.