Conservative super PAC scores cash from entity tied to Arizona Cardinals

Introduction

Republican super PAC American Crossroads received a cash infusion last month from a mysterious limited liability company that lists its address as the Tempe, Ariz., training facility of the Arizona Cardinals football team, according to a Center for Public Integrity review of campaign finance records filed today.

On May 23, Cholla West LLC contributed $50,000 to American Crossroads, the super PAC co-founded by GOP strategists Karl Rove and Ed Gillespie, which, this year, has actively supported Republican candidates such as Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Dan Sullivan of Alaska.

What is Cholla West LLC, and who’s behind it? That’s not immediately clear.

There is no business registered with that name in Arizona, according to the Arizona Corporation Commission. But other business records show that a “Cholla West LLC” was incorporated in Delaware in October 2013. That filing lists a company that specializes in business incorporation and compliance issues as its registered agent.

The address American Crossroads listed for Cholla West LLC on its new filing with the Federal Election Commission, which shares the address of the Arizona Cardinals football team’s training facility, is also listed in business records as the address for other LLCs operated by members of the Bidwill family. The family’s patriarch, William V. Bidwill Sr., is the owner and chairman of the Cardinals.

Bidwill’s sons William and Michael also both serve as Cardinal executives. All three men have previously contributed to politicians — mostly Republicans — according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

None of the Bidwills could be reached for comment this evening. The Cardinals media relations office had no immediate comment.

American Crossroads spokesman Paul Lindsay confirmed that the address was “properly listed” but declined answer additional questions about who was behind the LLC.

For its part, the Cardinals became the first National Football League team to contribute to a super PAC in 2012, when they donated $5,000 to a group affiliated with Arizona Republican Gov. Jan Brewer.

Since January 2013, American Crossroads has raised more than $11 million, including nearly $1.7 million in May.

Last month, the super PAC’s top donor was hedge fund executive Paul Singer, who contributed $1 million.

A super PAC Singer co-founded called American Unity PAC also gave American Crossroads an additional $125,000.

American Crossroads ended May with $4.6 million cash on hand.