ICYMI: It was reported today that the Deputy Attorney General and the Secretary of Transportation appear to have been coordinating with the McConnell-aligned Super PAC, Senate Leadership Fund. (1)
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The Secretary of Transportation is married to Mitch McConnell, who’s prohibited by law from coordinating with Senate Leadership Fund. Elaine Chao, however, is not, although any coordination on her husband’s behalf would seem to contravene the FEC Act’s intent. (2) 
The report specifically cites meetings between Elaine Chao, her then-deputy (now DAG) Jeffrey Rosen, and Steven Law, who chairs Senate Leadership Fund and the dark money 501(c)(4), One Nation, which feeds millions of dollars to Senate Leadership Fund. (3)
While campaigning for McConnell, Chao referred to the Violence Against Women Act and said that he has “always supported its purpose.” He refuses to bring #VAWA reauthorization to the floor, and the NRA—which opposes the Act—received $500,000 from Law. (4)
Senate Leadership Fund’s treasurer, Caleb Crosby is also One Nation’s treasurer, and he was the treasurer of Kentuckians for Strong Leadership, from which all 2014 expenditures were made in opposition to McConnell’s Senate campaign opponent. (5)
In 2014, Elaine Chao’s sister Christine contributed $400,000 to Kentuckians for Strong Leadership. Christine Chao is married to James O. “Jos” Shaver, who managed the Caymans-registered hedge fund from which Chao claimed to have divested $500K-$1M before her confirmation. (6)
Chao’s brother in law recently ramped up his fund’s holdings in Vulcan Materials—while Chao held stock in the corporation—and increased LNG holdings by tens of millions of dollars just before Chao was tasked with rolling back LNG safety regulations. (7)
Trump and Wilbur Ross each contributed $10,000 to KFSL on the same date. Kelly Knight Craft contributed $100,000. Trump either felt that Craft was the absolute best choice for UN Ambassador, or there may have been some “coordination” involved. (8)
Back to Elaine Chao and Senate Leadership Fund:
On March 15, 2016, Philip Anschutz, who successfully lobbied George W. Bush for Neil Gorsuch’s Tenth Circuit appointment, made a $500,000 donation to Senate Leadership Fund. (9)
On March 15, 2016, Philip Anschutz, who successfully lobbied George W. Bush for Neil Gorsuch’s Tenth Circuit appointment, made a $500,000 donation to Senate Leadership Fund. (9)
npr.org/2016/03/16/470…
Anschutz’s $500,000 donation to Senate Leadership Fund came exactly one day before McConnell shut down Senate consideration for Merrick Garland or any potential Obama SCOTUS nominee. (10)
Anschutz’s $500,000 donation to Senate Leadership Fund came exactly one day before McConnell shut down Senate consideration for Merrick Garland or any potential Obama SCOTUS nominee. (10)
Senator Schumer acknowledged the deep connections between Philip Anschutz and Neil Gorsuch.
Given the impeccable timing of Anschutz’s donation to Senate Leadership Fund and McConnell’s announcement, was Gorsuch’s SCOTUS appointment coordinated? (11)
On December 15, 2017, Philip Anschutz contributed $250,000 to Senate Leadership Fund. (12)
The following month, Elaine Chao and Neil Gorsuch attended a private dinner at the home of Senate Committee on the Judiciary member, John Cornyn. (13)
Cornyn appears to be aware of Philip Anschutz’s role in the selection of Trump’s judicial nominees. Was Justice Kennedy’s retirement known to insiders in January 2018? (14)
dallasnews.com/opinion/commen…
The $millions from oligarch Len Blavatnik and from Stephen Schwarzman (Chao’s brother in law, Jim Breyer is on Blackstone’s board), and the hundreds of thousands from Anschutz all went through the hands of Steven Law, with whom Chao was meeting. (15)
The $millions from oligarch Len Blavatnik and from Stephen Schwarzman (Chao’s brother in law, Jim Breyer is on Blackstone’s board), and the hundreds of thousands from Anschutz all went through the hands of Steven Law, with whom Chao was meeting. (15)
Did Elaine Chao or any other individual serve as an information conduit between Mitch McConnell and Senate Leadership Fund, or otherwise coordinate regarding FECA contributions and nominations that required Senate confirmations? Any such coordination would be criminal. (End)
Footnote: Senate Leadership Fund and One Nation share an address with a law firm that specializes in FEC Act compliance and in keeping dark money dark. One partner in the firm represented George W. Bush during the Florida recount, as did Steven Law.
politico.com/story/2019/06/…
Given what we know of Chao’s appointment of her husband’s political operative/campaign donor to coordinate DOT grants for projects serving her husband’s voters, is it difficult to believe that Chao may have coordinated with a PAC to her husband’s benefit?
Given what we know of Chao’s appointment of her husband’s political operative/campaign donor to coordinate DOT grants for projects serving her husband’s voters, is it difficult to believe that Chao may have coordinated with a PAC to her husband’s benefit?
