PAC profile: 9-9-9 Fund

Introduction

Type of organization: Super PAC

Supports: Herman Cain

Founded: Oct. 20, 2010

Website: americansforhermancain.com

Social media: Facebook page, Twitter profile

Principals:

• Scott Mackenzie (treasurer): “Strategic partner” with controversial D.C.-based direct-mail firm Base Connect, who has served as treasurer for several campaigns since 2006.
• Jordan Gehrke (campaign director): Former Base Connect employee and campaign director for 2010 U.S. Senate candidate Sharron Angle of Nevada.

Profile:

After spending more than $400,000 advocating for the selection of Herman Cain in the GOP presidential primary, the 9-9-9 Fund went silent after Cain dropped out of the race. The 9-9-9 Fund’s outlays for mailings, phone calls and airtime fell short in Iowa, where Cain brought up the rear.

Small donations largely fueled the fund, according to its year-end report with the Federal Election Commission. The group reported $617,600 in total contributions in 2011, with more than $490,000 of that total coming in the form of gifts of $200 or less.

In February, the group transfered $100,000 to the Cain Connection super PAC, which was formed by Cain two weeks after he ended his campaign.

See more data on 9-9-9 Fund at OpenSecrets.org.

Advertisements:

• An October ad made ill-timed jabs at Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, both candidates for the 2008 Republican nomination. It also called candidate Romney “the father of Obamacare” while playing up Cain’s D.C.-outsider status.

Last updated: Jan. 14, 2013