A SUPER PAC with close ties to Gov. Charlie Baker is continuing to raise money at a fairly rapid pace, easily replacing funds over the last two months that were spent last year to support a number of candidates in municipal elections.
The Massachusetts Majority PAC, which supports Republicans and Democrats, is a new fundraising mechanism for Baker now that he and the state Republican Party are at odds over how to raise money and the merits of President Trump. Baker and the PAC cannot coordinate their activities, but it’s clear the governor is supportive of the PAC. Some have suggested he’s trying to create a new political party.
The PAC earlier reported raising $920,000 and spending $267,429 on behalf of 15 mayoral and city council candidates between May and October last year. Eleven of those candidates were victorious.
A more recent year-end report filed with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance indicates the PAC raised another $267,750 in November and December, and spent none of the funds on candidates.
The biggest donors over the last two months were John Fish, the president and CEO of Suffolk Construction, who donated $50,000; Pamela Micozzi of Micozzi Management in Allston, who donated $30,000; and Amos and Barbara Hostetter, who each donated $25,000. Amos Hostetter is the chairman of Pilot House Associates and Barbara Hostetter is the chair of the Barr Foundation.
Big PAC donors previously identified included Granite Telecommunications CEO Robert Hale, who donated a total of $100,000; Wayfair cofounders Niraj Shah and Steven Conine, who each donated $50,000; auto dealer Daniel Quirk, who donated $50,000; and Ray Stata of Analog Devices, the founder of the Massachusetts High Technology Council, who donated $35,000.
Real estate industry officials were heavy givers over the latest two-month period, with Thomas Alperin and Brian Kavoogian of National Development donating a total of $17,000. Other big givers over the last two months included David Manfredi of Elkus Manfredi Architects, who donated $9,000, and Barry Sloane of Century Bank in Needham, who contributed $10,000. Brian Shortsleeve, a venture capitalist and gubernatorial appointee to the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control board, donated $5,000.
The year-end report indicated Nantucket Island Management LLC, which is affiliated with Stephen Karp of New England Development, made an in-kind donation of $9,303 for facility rental and catering in July.
The report indicates the PAC also paid $15,500 to TRO Consulting of Wenham, which lists Timothy O’Leary on its incorporation papers. O’Leary is the governor’s finance director. The PAC also paid $5,000 to Jim Barnett, a Washington-based political consultant.
