Pawlenty PAC discusses some, but not all, donations to candidates.
Gov. Pawlenty's federal political action committee gave donations to the three Republicans in Minnesota's congressional delegation, Reps. John Kline, Erik Paulsen and Michele Bachmann. In an e-mail to supporters, Pawlenty also said he gave to former Congressman Rob Portman, who also directed the Office of Management and Budget in 2006 and 2007. Here's a bit of the e-mail:
I've been humbled by the initial support for our efforts. Thanks to many generous contributions, Freedom First has already been able to help the campaigns of Representatives John Kline, Eric Paulsen, and Michele Bachmann, as well as former Congressman Rob Portman, who is fighting to retain a critical Senate seat for Republicans in Ohio. This support is just scratching the surface -- we plan to support many more candidates next year as we work to elect more Republican governors and retake control of Congress.
New Year's provides a unique opportunity to recharge and set goals for the year ahead. One of my primary goals for 2010 is to ensure that I do my part in restoring the principle of freedom in America. Freedom requires hard work, gratitude and accountability, and I'm committed to doing everything I can to advance these principles through Freedom First, and elect candidates who embody those principles.
Pawlenty didn't mention Doug Hoffman. Hoffman challenged the GOP backed Dede Scozzafava in a special election in NY-23. At the time, Pawlenty's PAC gave its first donation to Hoffman. Scozzafava dropped out of the race and backed Democrat Bill Owens, who eventually won it.
The full campaign finance reports are due on January 31st.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.