O'Brien's shadow caucus funded by out-of-state corporate interests -- and presidential wannabes
Former House Speaker Bill O'Brien, who is leading the caucus of dissident Republicans who have rejected the leadership team appointed by Speaker Shawn Jasper, still plans to open an office across the street from the State House.
Last month, O'Brien told the Concord Monitor that the group’s activities will be funded by the House Republican Victory PAC. We won’t have a clear picture of the group’s post-election fundraising activities until May, but a look at the group’s most recent campaign reports indicates the committee has been funded by a handful of out-of-state special interest groups – and potential presidential contenders.
O'Brien, and Rep. Stephen Stepanek (R-Milford) took control of the committee around the time of the last year’s primary election in September, 2014. The committee had previously been managed by Reps. Carol McGuire (R-Epsom) and Pamela Tucker (R-Greenland), O'Brien’s colleagues in the House Republican Alliance.
Under the leadership of McGuire and Tucker, the House Republican Victory PAC raised approximately $10,800 and had a balance of $6600 heading into the general election. After O'Brien and Stepanek took over the committee, they raised nearly $15,000 for the general election. Most of those contributions, $13,000, were from out-of-state interests.
The corporate contributions came from big tobacco (Altria Client Services, previously known as Philip Morris Companies, $5000). big pharma (Pfizer, $500), big-box retail (Walmart, $1000), payday lending (Select Management Resources, $500) and the firearms industry (the National Rifle Association kicked in $1000). In addition, the leadership PACs of former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Ted Cruz each contributed $2500.
The committee disbursed funds to 36 conservative House candidates and ended the election cycle with nearly $6700 in the bank, which O'Brien intends to use to fund his shadow caucus.
Heading into the presidential primary season, O'Brien has bigger plans for his committee. John DiStaso reported O'Brien has asked potential Republican presidential candidates for outsized contributions – “$50,000 from one potential campaign and $25,000 from another” – for the privilege of appearing before the dissident lawmakers.
O'Brien insists there is no “pay to play” requirement. “We are in no position to compel the campaigns to do anything,” he told DiStaso. “But I’m sure each campaign will want to help us.”