USA Today:

Even after leaving office, former Republican Senate leaders Rick Santorum and Bill Frist continue to raise and spend big money, but little of it has gone to GOP candidates, campaign finance records show.

Although Frist retired and Santorum lost re-election in 2006, both have political action committees, known as leadership PACs, that have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars this campaign cycle.

Santorum's committee, America's Foundation, brought in nearly $800,000 from January 2007 to March 31, campaign finance reports show. The committee donated $19,500, or 2.4%, to candidates. ...

What's Santorum doing with the other $780,500?

The PAC's second largest expense — $150,218 — was for management fees, many of that paid to former campaign staffers. Of that, $113,320 went to Capitol Resource Group, which is headed by Rob Bickhart, who is also executive director of America's Foundation and once served as Santorum's fundraising chairman during his re-election campaign. An additional $20,000 went to Mark Rodgers, who was Santorum's chief of staff. The PAC's staff, Davis said, had many responsibilities, including managing Santorum's media requests, developing and maintaining a website, and overseeing fundraising. Davis, a former Santorum Senate staffer, has been paid $20,217 through March 31. [...]

Paul Chang, 60, wasn't happy with the small percentage of PAC donations to candidates. Chang, a retiree from Woodruff, S.C., said he wished he had known before he made $250 in donations....

Posted by Laura at June 27, 2008 10:02 AM