Adelson Gives $5 Million To Back Republicans

By JTA April 17, 2012

Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, a major giver to the Newt Gingrich presidential bid, has donated $5 million to a Super PAC supporting Republican candidates.

Adelson, and his wife Miriam, made the donation in February to the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC connected to House Speaker John Boehner (R – Ohio) and other Republican leaders which supports establishment Republican candidates, Politico reported citing a newly filed campaign finance report.

Adelson also reportedly is hosting a fundraiser next Friday at one of his Las Vegas hotels for a Boehner umbrella group that works closely with the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee, according to Politico.

The donation is a positive sign for Mitt Romney, Politico reports, because the campaign of the man poised to take the Republican presidential nomination is hoping to attract wealthy donors to other GOP candidates to help him take on President Obama in the general election.

The Adelsons donated more than $16 million to Winning Our Future, an independent committee, or Super PAC, that is run by former Gingrich associates in support of the candidate. Gingrich has not dropped out of the race.

Adelson is worth more than $21 billion, according to Forbes magazine. He is a major giver to Birthright Israel, which provides free 10-day trips to Israel for Jews aged 18 to 26.

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