A new study by the Sunlight Foundation, a bipartisan reporting group, concluded on Friday that Bain Capital has been Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s largest campaign contributor throughout his political career.
Bain Capital, the private equity firm that Romney once served as CEO of, has reportedly given over $2.7 million to the former governor.
Romney, the GOP frontrunner, has touted his experience with Bain Capital throughout the campaign, but the firm’s ethics have come under scrutiny as of late.
Romney’s opponent, Gov. Rick Perry referred to Bain as “vulture capitalists,” while fellow GOP nominee and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has also taken issue with Romney’s record with the Boston-based financial company. Both men, however, have since backed down from their initial claims.
In total, Bain has contributed to Romney’s various state and federal campaigns, as well as his super PAC named Restore Our Future. The Bain payments consist of current and former executives and family members.
The $2.7 million figure does not include the more than $200,000 that employees and family members from Staples and Pizza Hut have also contributed to Romney; both of which are Bain companies.
Romney has also received pseudo-Bain donations through shell companies run by former Bain employees like Ed Conrad, former managing director at Bain, who donated $1 million via W. Spann LLC.
These donations do not include any money raised by pro-Romney super PACs, which has spent $7 million on advertising thus far on Romney’s 2012 campaign. By comparison, Romney’s own campaign has spent an estimated $5.5 million in ad money.
Sunlight gathered the data by analyzing data from the Center for Responsive Politics and campaign finance information from the National Institute for Money in Politics.
Here is a full list of Romney’s top 10 corporate campaign donors:
1. Bain Capital founders, employees and family members: $2,726,500
2. Marriott Family, Marriott International, Host Hotels and Resorts and predecessor companies: $1,476,637
3. Steven J. Lund Jr. and Nu Skin Enterprises: $1,174,801
4. John A. Paulson and Paulson & Co.: $1,025,300
5. F8 LLC: $1,000,000
6. Goldman Sachs: $899,676
7. The Villages: $790,950
8. James S. Davis and New Balance Athletic Shoe: $555,550
9. Bob Perry and Perry Homes: $520,250
10. Louis Bacon Moore, Moore Capitol Management: $500,000
Sources: Sunlight Foundation; MSNBC
Photo: Charles Dharapak / AP
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