Secret anti-Trump donor revealed - Marlene Ricketts, the owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team

[HAPPY2BME]

A single billionaire provided the lion's share of the money to the main Republican super-PAC set up to destroy Donald Trump.

Marlene Ricketts, the matriarch of the Ricketts family that owns the Chicago Cubs baseball team, contributed $3 million to the anti-Trump super-PAC "Our Principles PAC," which is being run by former Mitt Romney adviser Katie Packer.

The super-PAC has spent more than $4 million running attack ads against the GOP front-runner in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. It is the only serious anti-Trump group to date, in a campaign cycle where Republicans have been reluctant to take on their front-runner.

Until now, the identities of the donors funding Our Principles PAC had been kept secret, fueling the rumor mill in Washington. But the Federal Election Commission reveals that almost all the money came from Ricketts. The donor's identity was first reported by The New York Times.

Ricketts' family had previously given $5 million to a super-PAC supporting the failed presidential bid of Scott Walker. The family is yet to swing its full weight behind another presidential candidate, but clearly likes both Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio. In June last year, Marlene Ricketts gave $10,000 to super-PACs supporting Rubio and Cruz.

Besides a token $250 donation, the only other donor to the anti-Trump super-PAC in January was Illinois businessman Richard Uihlein, who gave just $7,500.

Uihlein had previously given $2.5 million to Walker's super-PAC, but after the Wisconsin governor quit the race he shifted to the Cruz camp and recently gave $1 million to a pro-Cruz super-PAC.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/secret-anti-trump-donor-revealed/ar-BBpLdJb?form=PRHPTP

[HAPPY2BME]

Meet the woman funding the effort to stop Trump

Keen observers of the political landscape may have discerned this bit of information: The Republican establishment sort of hates its presidential front-runner Donald Trump. But very few of the party's moneyed elite have had the gumption to openly fund a mission to destroy the billionaire's chances of winning the nomination.

Until now.

New campaign-finance reports show that Marlene Ricketts, the wife of billionaire T.D. Ameritrade founder J. Joe Ricketts, contributed $3 million to Our Principles PAC, a super PAC that blistered Trump with negative ads, voter guides and mailers ahead of the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries. Katie Packer, who helped manage Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign, runs the group.

Virtually all the money the committee raised in January came from Ricketts, whose family owns the Chicago Cubs.

The Ricketts family backed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's short-lived presidential bid. Marlene Ricketts, however, also spread smaller amounts to other contenders, giving $10,000 each last year to super PACs that backed Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former Florida governor Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

Ricketts lives in Nebraska. Her son, Pete, is the state's governor.

Our Principles PAC has spent more than $3.5 million on its anti-Trump efforts so far.

On Sunday, Packer said there are no plans to retreat — despite Trump's win Saturday night in South Carolina. She said the group is identifying targets in the March 1 super Tuesday states "in which to launch aggressive efforts."

"We will continue to shine a bright light on Trump's liberal statements and inconsistencies," Packer said in an email.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/02/21/donald-trump-super-pac-marlene-ricketts/80698232/

[HAPPY2BME]

Marlene Ricketts, Chicago Cubs VIP, ID'd as Anti-Trump PACer

Our Principles PAC was founded by Katie Packer, the former deputy campaign manager for Mitt Romney's failed 2012 presidential campaign.

Marlene Ricketts, matriarch of the family that owns the Chicago Cubs, was revealed as the secret anti-Trump donor who helped fund the super Our Principles PAC, reported The Hill.

Our Principles PAC has run anti-Trump ads in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina totaling more than $4 million, said The Hill. Ricketts contributed $3 million to the super PAC, according to the Federal Election Commission.

The Ricketts family initially backed the short-lived presidential campaign of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, earlier giving $5 million to a super PAC supporting his presidential bid, said The Hill.

"With our nation's progress stalled by politicians who refuse to lead, Americans are rightly frustrated," said a statement on the super PAC's website. "Our Principles PAC was formed to educate and engage American voters about the men and women who seek our vote, and about the challenging issues they will confront should they get elected."

Our Principles PAC was founded by Katie Packer, the former deputy campaign manager for Mitt Romney's failed 2012 presidential campaign, reported Politico in January. It started its assault on Trump with negative mailers and radio ads against the Republican frontrunner in Iowa last month.

"Our Principles PAC has focused on conservative principles and ensuring that voters have the necessary information to make a wise decision on Election Day," Packer said then, noted Politico.

Marlene Ricketts is wife of billionaire J. Joe Ricketts, the cofounder of T.D. Ameritrade, noted Chicago magazine. The Ricketts family purchased a 95 percent interest in the Chicago Cubs and Wrigley Field in 2009.

Packer told The Hill in January that she disapproved of Right to Rise, the pro-Jeb Bush super PAC, for its focus on his Florida rival Marco Rubio instead of Trump. Bush dropped out of the race after the Republican South Carolina primary this past weekend.

Packer said while she was not a fan of Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, she was more worried about Trump.

"I think they are both very weak candidates for our party," Packer told The Hill. "But the problem with Donald Trump is I think he's downright dangerous and he would basically destroy the Republican Party. If you nominate a guy who abandons all the views we have advocated for the last few decades, then we don't have a party."

http://www.newsmax.com/TheWire/marlene-ricketts-chicago-cubs-owner-anti-trump/2016/02/22/id/715463/

[HAPPY2BME]

money

[ABX]

She is an icon. Good to see she is still standing on principles.

[Bigun]

She is an icon. Good to see she is still standing on principles.

I guess I might as well come out of the closet as well!  I am an anti Trump donor! 

Can't tell you how much better I feel now!

[HAPPY2BME]

She is an icon. Good to see she is still standing on principles.

===================================

She knows how to pick the best every time.  Mitt Romney can attest to that.

[HAPPY2BME]

I guess I might as well come out of the closet as well!  I am an anti Trump donor! 

Ca't tell you how much better I feel now!

================================

Meet the Billionaire Ricketts Family: Dad Plans Anti-Obama Attack While Gay Daughter Fundraises For Prez

Suggestion or not, the Times story highlights just how divided the Ricketts family is in terms of politics. While Joe works to defeat Obama, his only daughter has been raising funds for his re-election.

Laura Ricketts is one of President Obama’s bundlers, or super-fundraisers, tapping her network of wealthy, influential friends, colleagues and peers to raise an unlimited amount for his 2012 campaign. So far, the openly gay lawyer and mother has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the cause. She is one of 27 high-profile gay and lesbian ‘bundlers’ for Obama, according to investigative work by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Laura is a well-known figure in her adopted hometown of Chicago, both for being the first openly lesbian owner of a major sports franchise and for her work in pushing for marriage equality. She was, until recently, a board member at Lambda Legal, the group responsible for filing the initial suit that resulted in Iowa’s same-sex marriage win.

Laura told the Chicago Tribune in 2010 that after George W. Bush’s election in 2004, she knew she needed to fight for equal rights: “People were talking about trying to change the Constitution to discriminate against me. I just felt like I had to get more involved.”

Since then, she’s been outspoken in the need to pursue marriage equality nationwide. In fact, when she introduced the President at a Washington, D.C. fundraiser in February, she said the event was being held “to show the president that the LGBT community stands strongly behind his re-election.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/clareoconnor/2012/05/17/meet-the-billionaire-ricketts-family-dad-plans-anti-obama-attack-while-gay-daughter-fundraises-for-prez/#71b57d516851

[NavyCanDo]

Good for her.   If I had her kind of money, somebody would be writing a story about me donating millions to an anti-Trump Super Pac as well. He must be stopped, and I have faith he will be.

[ABX]

I guess I might as well come out of the closet as well!  I am an anti Trump donor! 

Ca't tell you how much better I feel now!

They are the ones putting out the really good ads reminding everyone of Trump's sordid history on the issues and how he'll say anything to anyone.  I think I'll throw some scratch their way as well.
http://ourprinciplespac.com/

[Longiron]

Now that she is out of the closet it will make TRUMP stronger. And if the CUBBIES don't win it will hit them where it hurts. Great to know the competition but this will be no surprise to TRUMP!.

[mystery-ak]

Trump's reply

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump 24m24 minutes ago

I hear the Rickets family, who own the Chicago Cubs, are secretly spending $'s against me. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide!

[HAPPY2BME]

Trump's reply

I hear the Rickets family, who own the Chicago Cubs, are secretly spending $'s against me. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide!

===================================================

Should be interesting.

When the big money comes out, so do the big knives.

And the big rats.

[ABX]

Trump's reply

So typical NYC mob styled threats. Sounds like something Hillary Clinton wold say. Kind of a :wink wink: we have FBI files :wink wink:

Can you imagine what this guy would do if he had the IRS or FCC under him?

[ABX]

Trump's reply

I just saw the perfect response to this along the lines of my last post (leaving the name out as they aren't a public figure)

This guy wants to weaponize government against anyone who criticizes him. This makes him different from the Dems how?

[Bigun]

“Donald Trump has had no ‘road to Damascus’ conversion. He only wants to date the preacher’s daughter. Once he’s gotten in her ballot box, he’ll be back to his pro-abortion New York values self.”

http://theresurgent.com/i-will-not-vote-for-donald-trump-ever/

[Machiavelli]

Trump's reply

"Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump 24m24 minutes ago

I hear the Rickets family, who own the Chicago Cubs, are secretly spending $'s against me. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide!"

That sounds like a threat. How presidential.

[PzLdr]

If she's so 'principled', why did she do it all in secret?

[ABX]

If she's so 'principled', why did she do it all in secret?

'Secret' is just how the media describes it for dramatic purposes. The names of donors were released with filings as they have been filed with the FEC. A quick Google search shows she isn't shy about what she thinks (once you wade past this latest so-called revelation and Trump's threatening response to her.  For example, last September: http://nebraskaradionetwork.com/2015/09/18/gov-ricketts-has-a-beef-with-donald-tump/

[kevindavis007]

Funny the last time I checked there is a thing called Freedom of Speech.

[kevindavis007]

So typical NYC mob styled threats. Sounds like something Hillary Clinton wold say. Kind of a :wink wink: we have FBI files :wink wink:

Can you imagine what this guy would do if he had the IRS or FCC under him?

It's OK if our guy does it.. Don't you get it ;)

[kevindavis007]

@BenSasse 
Ben Sasse Retweeted Donald J. Trump
Yeah, we should definitely put @realDonaldTrump in charge of the FBI and the IRS.
#WhatWouldNixonDo

[R4 TrumPence]

"Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump 24m24 minutes ago

I hear the Rickets family, who own the Chicago Cubs, are secretly spending $'s against me. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide!"

That sounds like a threat. How presidential.

So it is OK for rich woman to give ol' Katie her money to find 15-20 year old info on TRUMP or take his words out of context, but he isn't supposed to say anything?

What if it was against any other candidate?  I would hope they wouldn't be too scared to respond in kind. Of course they could take a poll first to make sure the public would like it :nometalk:

Harry Reid lying abt Mitt comes to mind. What was it Mitt's team did?
Oh yeah, we are still waiting on that one.

[kevindavis007]

So it is OK for rich woman to give ol' Katie her money to find 15-20 year old info on TRUMP or take his words out of context, but he isn't supposed to say anything?

What if it was against any other candidate?  I would hope they wouldn't be too scared to respond in kind. Of course they could take a poll first to make sure the public would like it :nometalk:

Harry Reid lying abt Mitt comes to mind. What was it Mitt's team did?
Oh yeah, we are still waiting on that one.

So you are OK with a politician attacking a PRIVATE CITIZEN??

[jmyrlefuller]

So you are OK with a politician attacking a PRIVATE CITIZEN??

Indeed. This is not out of context at all. Such thuggery and threatening behavior is all too common for Trump and many of his allies. I posted an article about one of his allies making similar threats against a newspaper reporter earlier today.