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From: Cliff on 8 Aug 2010 07:02

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20100805/el_yblog_upshot/a-citizens-guide-to-the-shadow-gop
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While a few of the groups are registered as so-called 527 organizations under
federal tax code, most are registered as 501-c4 nonprofit groups. That
designation means they don't have to disclose either their donors or where
they're spending all of that money. Unlike contributions to political candidates
and parties, individual donations to such groups� aren't capped or regulated.
And that makes them very attractive to big-money donors trying to affect the
outcome of an election.

The rise of the so-called shadow GOP comes amid serious drama at the Republican
National Committee. Party chairman Michael Steele has drawn harsh criticism
from party leaders for what they characterize as over-the-top spending alongside
lackluster fundraising. Some of the party's biggest donors have since rerouted
their checks to other party committees and to groups within the Rove-Gillespie
GOP network. But Collegio insists this cluster of organizations isn't trying to
usurp the RNC.

"Nearly all of our donors have already maxed out in contributions to the party,"
he says.

Here's a quick guide to the groups, the interests behind them, and how much
money they are planning to raise ahead of November:

American Crossroads: Founded in March by Rove and Gillespie to counter ad
spending from liberal outfits like MoveOn.org and labor unions, this 527 group
says it plans to raise and spend upwards of $50 million before November. So far,
the group is focusing on 11 key Senate races, including Nevada, where the group
has run two ads attacking Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. But Collegio says
American Crossroads will begin targeting House races closer to Election Day.
According to Internal Revenue Service records, the group has raised roughly $8.5
million so far � including $1 million from Dallas energy executive Trevor
Rees-Jones.

Crossroads GPS: A spinoff of American Crossroads, this 501-c4 group can keep its
donor list private � a major selling point for individuals and corporations who
want to anonymously influence elections. While it won't run ads, the group is
picking up some of the pricey administrative tasks that the RNC has usually
taken on, including building a database that allows them to microtarget voters
in certain congressional districts with outreach specific to their interests.

American Action Network: Modeled in part after the liberal Center for American
Progress, this 501-c4 group is headed up by former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman
and managed day-to-day by Rob Collins, a former top aide to House Minority Whip
Eric Cantor. Together with its sister group, the American Action Forum (see
below), the outfit plans to be something of a GOP think tank, helping to craft
the Republican message. But this side of the operation will focus more on
advocating candidates than on policy development. A GOP source tells The Upshot
the group is looking to spend as much as $25 million to influence the midterms.
Already, the group has launched an ad against Charlie Crist, who quit the GOP to
run as an independent in Florida's Senate race. The group has just launched a
$450,000 campaign trashing Democrat Paul Hodes in New Hampshire's Senate race.

American Action Forum: An offshoot of the American Action Network, this group
will focus more on formulating policy and helping GOP candidates deliver their
message than on running ads attacking specific candidates. Fronted by Doug
Holtz-Eakin, a former economic adviser to John McCain's presidential campaign,
AAF lists Coleman and former governors Jeb Bush and Tom Ridge as board members.

Resurgent Republic: Founded by Gillespie and several GOP pollsters last fall,
this group aims to be the Republican equivalent of Democracy Corps, a polling
and research group founded by Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg and former
Clinton operative James Carville. The nonprofit group will try to improve GOP
messaging through polling and research groups and will work directly with other
Republican groups in the network.

Republican State Leadership Committee: This 527 group plans to spend at least
$40 million to influence state elections, including gubernatorial races, ahead
of next year's planned redistricting debate. While Gillespie is the chairman,
other advisers on board include former Rep. Tom Reynolds, who used to chair the
House GOP campaign committee, and former RNC chair Mike Duncan (who is also
working for American Crossroads).
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