Luke Skywalker
Super Moderator
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Donald Trump addresses supporters celebrating his victory in the South Carolina Republican primary Saturday Feb. 20.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>(Photo: Richard Ellis, EPA)
Keen observers of the political landscape may have discerned this bit of information: The Republican establishment sort of hates<span style="color: Red;">*</span>its presidential front-runner Donald Trump. But very few of the party's<span style="color: Red;">*</span>moneyed elite have<span style="color: Red;">*</span>had the gumption to openly fund a mission to destroy the billionaire's chances of winning the nomination.
Until now.
New campaign-finance reports<span style="color: Red;">*</span>show that Marlene Ricketts, the wife of billionaire T.D. Ameritrade founder J. Joe Ricketts, contributed $3 million to Our Principles PAC, a super PAC that<span style="color: Red;">*</span>blistered Trump with negative ads, voter guides and mailers<span style="color: Red;">*</span>ahead of the Iowa caucuses and the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries. Katie Packer, who helped manage Mitt Romney's 2012 presidential campaign, runs the group.
Virtually all the money the<span style="color: Red;">*</span>committee<span style="color: Red;">*</span>raised in January came from Ricketts, whose family<span style="color: Red;">*</span>owns<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the Chicago Cubs.
USA TODAY
Super PAC trying to stop Donald Trump goes on attack in South Carolina
The Ricketts family backed Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's short-lived<span style="color: Red;">*</span>presidential bid. Marlene Ricketts, however, also spread smaller amounts to other contenders, giving $10,000 each last year to super PACs that backed Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, former Florida governor Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, South Carolina Sen.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Lindsey Graham, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Ricketts lives in Nebraska. Her son, Pete, is the state's governor.
Our Principles PAC has<span style="color: Red;">*</span>spent more than $3.5 million on its anti-Trump efforts so far.
On Sunday, Packer said there are no plans to retreat —<span style="color: Red;">*</span>despite Trump's win Saturday night<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in<span style="color: Red;">*</span>South Carolina. She said the group is identifying targets in the March 1 super Tuesday states "in which to launch aggressive efforts."
"We will continue to shine a bright light on Trump's liberal statements and inconsistencies," Packer said<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in an email.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>
Contributing: Christopher Schnaars
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