Seen those TV ads yet that laud Sen. Susan Collins as a bipartisan mediator? Ever wonder who 2020 PAC represents?

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, “1820 PAC” is a single-focus PAC created solely to support of Susan Collins’ re-election bid in 2020. However, not one penny of their funding comes from New England, much less even from Maine. Why?

Of the $776,000 that’s supported this PAC, a whopping $500,000 came from Stephen Schwarzman of New York City, chairman and CEO of The Blackstone Group. That’s a private equity firm he established in 1985 with Pete Peterson, former chairman and CEO of Lehman Brothers, which went bankrupt in the 2008 recession. Schwarzman’s personal wealth, however, is estimated by Forbes at over $17 billion.

Another $100,000 was contributed by Howard Leach of Palm Beach, Florida, a retired California food producer; Robert Burt of Northfield, Illinois, a former board member for pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, gave the same. Contributing $25,000 each were C. V. Starr of New York City, Artisan Home Entertainment of Santa Monica, California, and Crow Holdings Pool of Dallas, Texas.

C.V. Starr & Co. is a broad insurance company headed up by Maurice Greenberg, former chairman and CEO of AIG, and a major shareholder in that company. Artisan Home Entertainment is a subsidiary of Lionsgate, a major movie producer. Crow Holdings Pool is a privately-owned real estate investment and development firm in Dallas, Texas. The remainder of their funding came from Scott Reed of Dallas, Texas, of another investment firm.

Why are these non-Mainers, especially Schwarzman, so committed to helping Susan Collins in her reelection bid? One can understand the Republican National Committee supporting her, but what do these outside individuals expect to get from Susan Collins?

 

Robert Nelson

Clinton

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