Swift Boat Donor Defends Mitch McConnell

Swift Boat Veterans founding donor Bob Perry is funding a new 527 organization, but this one is a lot less expensive.

The First Amendment Alliance is airing radio ads against Democrat Bruce Lunsford, who is in a tight race with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Perry, a Texas developer, gave $50,000 this month to the group. He's better known for giving $4.4 million in seed money to Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which helped to defeat John Kerry in 2004.

The Alliance is run by political consultant Anthony Holm, who doubles as Perry's spokesperson. Holm's consulting firm includes other connected Republicans, such as the daughter of Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). He told us in a phone interview that he has done work in the past for Vice President Dick Cheney. Holm serves as the Alliance's only director.

He said he didn't have time to share more information about the Alliance or its ads.

The group, which was formed last year, also received $75,000 from the holding company of Mischer Investments, another Texas real estate developer. The company was built by the late Walter Mischer Sr., a longtime Houston powerbroker. A third donor was Connecticut investor Jonathan Farber, who gave $20,000. Farber's private equity firm invests in the oil and gas industry.

This isn't Bob Perry's only project. Also this year, Perry gave $750,000 to the Republican Governors Association, $650,000 to the Club for Growth, and $100,000 to the College Republican National Committee. Overall, though, Perry didn't take to federal 527s like he did in 2004.

-- Will Evans

1:37 PM ET | 10-31-2008 | permalink

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