Anti-Trump Donor Revealed: Who Is The Person Funding the Anti-Trump Super PAC?
How far would you go to make sure a certain someone has no shot at becoming the next U.S. president? Not very many people would go to the extremes that this lady did. The anti-Trump donor has been revealed! Meet Marlene Ricketts!
Marlene Ricketts, the wife of J. Joe Ricketts, is the secret donor who recently put $3 million into the Anti-Trump Super PAC, which is being run by Katie Packer, the former adviser for Mitt Romney, reports USA Today.
The Hill reports that the Super PAC has spent over $4 million on ads to deter people from voting for the Republican front runner, Donald Trump. So far, the ads have targeted South Carolina, Iowa, and New Hampshire.
According to The Hill, Richard Uihlein, an Illinois businessman, recently donated $7,500 to the Anti-Trump Super PAC.
Marlene Ricketts and her husband, J. Joe Ricketts, are billionaires and own the Chicago Cubs. J. Joe Ricketts is also the founder of Ameritrade.
So what is involved with the Anti-Trump Super PAC? USA Today reveals that they send out voter guides, negative Trump ads, and mailers prior to the caucuses. CBS News also mentioned that the group has a website called TrumpQuestions.com.
So far, Trump has won the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries. However, the group felt that they had a shot at an opportunity in Iowa and South Carolina, as those states tended to favor more conservative candidates.
Packer told CBS News that voters in South Carolina are more conservative and want to do away with health care that is run by the government. They are more interested in taxes, appointing conservative judges, and defending the Second Amendment, which protects the right to bear arms.
A newspaper ad and voter guide in Iowa showed Trump’s non-conservative views on health care and abortion, taxes, immigration, and the Second Amendment.
The Hill revealed that the Anti-Trump Super PAC is using John McCain as their weapon. After Trump mocked McCain’s Vietnam war service, he offended many republicans.
“He was a war hero because he was captured … I like people who weren’t captured.”
When Trump shot down McCain, it was predicted that his remark would be the end for Trump. However, not only did he overcome it, his presidential poll standings rose.
McCain has many ties in New Hampshire, where he won the primary against George W. Bush in 2000 and again in the 2008 presidential race.
The Anti-Trump Super PAC believes their attack against Donald Trump during the Iowa caucus helped contribute to his second place finish, and they hoped to have similar results during the South Carolina primary.
Packer recently made a statement to IB Times regarding her thoughts on Trump and Ted Cruz.
“I think they are both very weak candidates for our party, 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.”
The Ricketts have owned the Chicago Cubs since 2009. They have been more than successful with their business, Ameritrade. They have donated to multiple presidential campaigns and were also responsible for attempting to discredit President Barack Obama in 2008, when they linked him to Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., who was known for racially-tinged sermons.
The Hill reports that the Anti-Trump Super PAC is the only serious Anti-Trump fundraising group at this time and is mostly funded by the Ricketts, themselves.
(Photo By Branden Camp/Getty Images)
