Mitt Romney, the frontrunner in the GOP presidential primary, has released the names of his top money men — six lobbyists who have helped him raise a combined half a million dollars or $517,450 to be exact.
The sum is only a fraction of the $18 million Romney raked in during the April-to-June fundraising period, which outgunned his closest Republican rival so far, Tim Pawlenty, by a 9-to-1 margin. The list of six names provides a little sunlight about his political allies.
Here are the names and their totals:
Wayne Berman, a top Bush financier who also donated generously late in Sen. John McCain’s (R-AZ) campaign in 2008. $101,600.
Patrick J. Durkin, Sr., managing director of Barclay’s Capital, who also serves on the board of directors for the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. $167,800.
Martin Fiorentino, Jr., president of the Florida-based Fiorentino Group and a former lobbyists for CSX. $102,900.
Drew Maloney, the CEO of Ogilvy Government Relations and a former chief of staff to then-Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-TX). $56,750.
David Beightol, a managing principal at Dutko Wordwide, a major GOP lobbying and consulting firm with offices just one block away from the Republican National Committee in D.C.. Dutko is run by Ron Kaufman, a longtime Massachusetts Republican who worked in the first Bush administration. $54,200.
Judi Rhines, co-founder of the New Hampshire-based Rath Group. The Rath Group is run by longtime New Hampshire republican Tom Rath, a senior adviser of Romney’s 2008 campaign. $34,200.
President Obama’s campaign had called on Romney to release the names of of his top lobbyist-financiers after he voluntarily offered up his own list of top-dollar donors earlier Friday. Obama, with his $86 million haul in the second quarter, far exceeded Romney or any other candidate. Obama does not accept donations from lobbyists, but his bundlers too were prolific, directing nearly $35 to the Obama Victory Fund, personally maxing out their contributions and convincing others to do the same.
The list of 244 donors is heavy on lawyers, Wall Street financiers and Hollywood heavyweights, including former New Jersey Gov. and Goldman Sachs CEO Jon Corzine and Comcast executive David L. Cohen, both of whom were responsible for raising more than $500,000 each.
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