Bob CollinsComedian Stephen Colbert’s intended abuse of the campaign finance system to show its absurd flaws is, perhaps, one of the most brilliant pieces of journalism on the subject, partly because it could only be properly exposed via comedy.
Colbert, creator of the Super PAC, Americans for a Better Tomorrow Tomorrow, has been exposing “super PACS,” which are allowed to raise unlimited amounts from unions, corporations, and individuals, and then pour the money into campaigns.
Colbert’s report filing is the sort of thing that can make the usually useless Federal Elections Commission disclosure database for the PAC required reading.
Take today’s supplemental disclosure report memo, for example:
January 31, 2012
Federal Election Commission
999 E Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20463
Re: Supplemental Memo To Disclosure Report
Dear Sirs and Sirettes,
Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow (ABTT) would like it entered into the record that as of January 30th, 2012, the sum total of our donations was $1,023,121.24.
Stephen Colbert, President of ABTT, has asked that I quote him as saying, ”Yeah! How you like me now, F.E.C? I’m rolling seven digits deep! I got 99 problems but a non-connected independent-expenditure only committee ain’t one!”
I would like it noted for the record that I advised Mr. Colbert against including that quote.
Sincerely,
Shauna Polk
Treasurer
Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Inc.
But Colbert’s PAC hasn’t produced an “ad” for the Florida primary, his last one coming just before South Carolina:
That ad cost $24,500, according to FEC documents, bringing the total PAC contributions to about $90,000.
