Paul Singer's American Unity PAC Makes Final Endorsements to Pro-Gay Marriage Candidates

Republican hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer's Super PAC American Unity PAC has made its final round of House endorsements, Politico reports:

American Unity PAC has announced its final round of congressional races targeted for independent expenditures, and eight candidates are slated to benefit from at least $2.25 million in outside investments. American Unity PAC previously announced its involvement in the reelection races of pro-freedom Republican Representatives Mary Bono Mack (R-CA), Judy Biggert (R-IL) and Richard Hanna (R-NY), as well as the race of House challenger Richard Tisei (R-MA). Today American Unity PAC identified Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Nan Hayworth (R-NY), House challenger Andrew Roraback (R-CT) and Senate challenger Linda McMahon (R-CT) as additional priorities.

More info HERE, along with the ads it is airing here.

$550K Added to Fight for Marriage Equality in Maryland by Republican Billionaire Paul Singer and HRC

Money is pouring in to the Maryland campaign for marriage equality.

They report:

Republican Paul Singer today gave $250,000 to Marylanders for Marriage Equality, the lead group working to pass marriage equality in Maryland. Singer runs the firm Elliot Management in New York City and has given more than $10 million to marriage equality efforts across the country.

“Paul’s leadership on marriage equality continues to amaze and sets an example for other fair-minded members of the Republican Party,” said Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, a founder of Marylanders for Marriage Equality. “His investment in the equality and dignity of Marylanders reflects the growing bipartisan support to get Question 6 over the finish line in these critical final weeks.”

And HRC has added to its pledges as well:

This latest contribution includes $150,000 to Marylanders for Marriage Equality and another $150,000 to the NAACP Maryland Marriage PAC as part of the $1 million the organization gave to the four statewide marriage campaigns. HRC has given $1.53 million in cash and in-kind donations to the pro-Question 6 campaign — and a total of $7.3 million to efforts to defend same-sex marriage laws at the ballot in Maryland, Maine and Washington and defeat a proposed state constitutional amendment in Minnesota that would define marriage as between a man and a woman on Election Day.

Paul Singer's Pro-Gay Super PAC Betting On GOP Trio

Paul Singer, the Republican hedge fund manager who uses his billions to fight for marriage equality in New York, Maine and elsewhere, quietly joined the super PAC club earlier this summer by using $1 million to start the American Unity PAC. Now that group is spreading some donations among Republicans that may be willing to back same-sex marriage.

Politico reports American Unity PAC will back three Republican candidates in the 2012 election: Reps. Mary Bono Mack of California, New York's Richard Hanna and Judy Biggert of Illinois, none of whom are vocal equality advocates.

From Politico:

A source familiar with the effort said that the group’s aim is to ensure “a counterbalance on the right,” adding that for “the long-term success of the [Republican] party, it must be able to reach gay and lesbian Americans and “the millions of Americans who are related to them.”

The PAC initially decided to enter these three races, the source said, because the incumbents are rank-and-file Republicans with a mixture of economic and tax records the group considers strong, but who also have been solid on specific gay rights issues.
…
Hanna is a member of the LGBT Equality Caucus, was a co-sponser of the gay rights bill ENDA, and opposed all four Defense of Marriage Act amendments.

Biggert supported ENDA as well, backed hate crimes legislation and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, and opposed three of four DOMA amendments. And Bono Mack favored the DADT repeal, supported hate crimes legislation and also opposed three of four DOMA amendments.

In addition to Singer's money, American Unity PAC has received about $1.6 million in donations, including Cliff Asness and Dan Loeb, both of whom collaborated with Singer on his work in the Empire State's gay marriage fight.

Billionaire GOP Donor Paul Singer Donates $150,000 to Maine Marriage Equality Efforts

Maine's Press Herald makes note of a large donation to Maine marriage equality efforts:

Singer's $150,000 donation to the Freedom to Marry PAC was noted in Monday's story about Republican politicians who have decided to join the effort to legalize same-sex effort in Maine. However, the billionaire hedge fund manager's involvement in the Maine effort is noteworthy for a few reasons.

Singer is perhaps best known for his support of Republican candidates. A recent New York Times story noted that Singer, who runs the firm Elliott Management in New York City, raised $5 million dollars for presidential hopeful Mitt Romney during a single fundraiser.

But Singer, whose son and son-in-law are gay, is also known for supporting same-sex marriage efforts in other states and he has spent close to $10 million to advance the cause. Singer has given $1 million to the American Unity PAC, a new super PAC designed to encourage Republican candidates to support same-sex marriage. Campaign finance laws also shields the identities of donors to the PAC.

Earlier today, I noted the formation of Republicans United for Marriage, a new GOP group consisting of 20 Maine lawmakers who support marriage equality.

Thomas Roberts Discusses Republican Support for Marriage Equality with GOProud's Jimmy LaSalvia: VIDEO

Thomas Roberts had GOProud's Jimmy LaSalvia on today to discuss the marriage equality SuperPAC recently announced by Paul Singer, as well as romney's refusal to embrace it.

Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...

Top Republican Fundraiser Starts Marriage Equality Super PAC

Paul E. Singer, billionaire and massively influential Republican donor and fund-raiser, has committed $1 milion to creating a pro-marriage equality "super PAC."

From the New York Times's Frank Bruni:

Named American Unity PAC, its sole mission will be to encourage Republican candidates to support same-sex marriage, in part by helping them to feel financially shielded from any blowback from
well-funded groups that oppose it.

In an interview on Tuesday, [Singer] told me that he’s confident that in Congressional races, which would most likely be the super PAC’s initial focus, there are more than a few Republicans “who could be on the verge of support” or are “harboring and hiding their views.”

“And this kind of effort could be catalytic in generating some more movement,” he said.

As Andy previously reported, Singer is straight, but has a married gay son. Singer has contributed massive sums to pro-equality efforts before -- he was instrumental in bringing Republican support to the cause of marriage equality in New York -- but he's also contributed to the campaigns of anti-gay political candidates. He's a big Mitt Romney fan, and last month hosted a Romney fundraiser which brought the candidate $5 million.