Ready for Hillary Spends $1 Million on Online Advertising
The super PAC Ready for Hillary is spending heavily on online advertising to reach out and sign up volunteers and donors.
Ready for Hillary, a Democratic-oriented super PAC, that is encouraging a 2016 presidential run by former Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has reported receipts of $2,758,553 and disbursements of $2,794,226 during the last six months of 2013, leaving $748,968 cash on hand at the end of the year. As a super PAC, it cannot give directly to federal candidates but it may make independent expenditures for and against federal candidates.
The PAC raised $815,989 from donors giving $200 or less, and took in $1,933,517 from those giving more. The PAC itemized thirty-five donors each giving $25,000, the PAC’s self-imposed limit. Selected donors at that level included Lynne and Marc Benioff (CEO, Salesforce.com, CA); Thomas Lee (president, Thomas H. Lee Capital LLC, NY); George Soros and Robert Soros (Soros Fund Management, NY); John Tyson (Tyson Foods, AR); Alice Walton (chairman, Crystal Bridges, AR); among others.
Itemized donors in New York gave $582,880; California $534,044; Texas $255,307; Virginia $64,926; Arkansas $61,601; Florida $58,919; among other states.
The PAC spent $1,002,919 on online advertising, including $971,033 to Rising Tide Interactive LLC (DC) and $31,886 to Premiere Political. The PAC spent $356,115 on payroll and taxes, and $181,778 on printing. The also paid Rising Tide Interactive LLC $74,000 for online digital consulting.
Other vendors included KK Promotions/AiA Corp. $170,214 for printing; First Data $101,863 for credit card processing fees; 270 Strategies $75,493 for field consulting; Jafri Strategies LLC $63,071 for fundraising consulting; Bonner Group $62,695 for fundraising consulting; Felan Strategies LLC $48,000 for fundraising consulting; Sandler Reiff Young & Lamb $45,617 for legal services; NGP Van $40,410 for contribution processing; Pivot Group $40,289 for printing and materials; among others.