That's what I thought. You don't know that whatever they do on behalf of their organizations is completely pro bono. They are only reimbursed their expenses.
"Expenses" is a very, very big category. I was a chief financial officer of a professional engineering firm. We billed our clients "expenses."
CPA firms love to take their clients out to lunch, because they pay the restaurant, then add a markup (typically 15-30%) for "expenses" before billing it back to the client firm.
Frugal client companies TURN DOWN offers from the CPAs to take them to lunch.
Sal Russo heads Tea Party Express, from the entities mailing address in Sacramento, and probably a lot of time from his home in Orange County.
I googled Russo, and found a lot of articles from the left, who point out the fact he is ripping off right-wingers, who apparently prefer to reside in their ignorant and naïve bliss. He was a player in the O'Donnell fiasco, btw.
He was active in the just completed 2014 elections. He goes back to Reagan days.
It seems that the naïve grass roots far right Tea Party don't mind being played. When it is pointed out, they are in denial and want more proof.
Do your own research. It is one thing to be amateur, grass roots, but another to prefer ignorance.
Everything I state about Russo applies to Dick MOrris, Karl Rove, Mary Bethy whatever, and the rest.