Romney camp wrote big check to Red Cross

Mitt Romney hosts a "disaster relief event" in Ohio after superstorm Sandy. / Justin Sullivan

Weeks after the November elections, while failed presidential candidate Mitt Romney was winding down his campaign and largely withdrew from the public eye, his campaign quietly made a donation of nearly $90,000 to the Red Cross, FEC filings show.

The January 31 filings show the Romney campaign gave $89,585.18 to the Red Cross on November 30, as New York and New Jersey struggled to provide food and shelter to the thousands of people who had lost power, heat, and even their homes in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy.

Between the official Romney for President campaign committee and Romney Victory Inc., the joint RNC and Romney fund, the campaign had approximately $4 million remaining in cash on hand as of December 31, according to the committees' FEC filings. The campaign is likely still receiving and paying bills leftover from the election, however, any excess funds could eventually be donated to other political campaigns or could be held by Romney in the unlikely event he decides to run for office again. 

The Red Cross did not immediately respond to inquiries about whether or not the Romney campaign's donation was earmarked for Sandy relief aid. But in the days following the October storm, Romney struggled to find ways to stay in the headlines and was criticized by his detractors for staging photo ops aimed at touting his relief aid efforts.

[presclayiii]

Probably the only decent thing he does all year? just saying? And Hes keeping his name alive by your comments bad ones are best for him?....lol...mitt.

[excop1949]

HOW MUCH DID THE WINNER OF THE ELECTION DONATE TO THE RED CROSS?

[Scimajor]

Bottom ling. The Red Cross got $90k dollars and that's a good thing. Everything else is beside the point.

[PatriotFreedom]

I have read a lot of the comments here by people who opposed Romney. And I have to say I have found those comments to be the most foul, disgusting, slanderous, filth coming out of human brains that I have found anywhere.

Only in the mental disease that is liberalism is giving money to a charity a bad thing.

The truth is that Romney has led an honest, exemplary life, that has put him in the public eye. As a result, a lot of lies were spread about Romney that a lot of you people here believed.

And believing a lie is the saddest part of all. You will not prosper for it. You will instead inherit suffering, poverty and shame.

[cubscout09]

Exemplary? A deceased former classmate and a vanished family pet might say differently.

[JimmyKick]

Didn't this elitist pile of doo stiff his campaign workers?

[greco99-2009]

Here's a breakdown of some of the biggest tax cuts Romney passed as governor:

Exempted wealthy Bay Staters from paying taxes on the state's capital gains tax increase. Of the $275 million tax refund, $78 million went to just 278 wealthy individuals.

Offered Bristol-Myers Squibb more than $60 million in spending and incentives to build a facility in Massachusetts by letting the company claim a refund for 5% of its investment.

Gave major tax breaks to Hollywood production companies in order to "attract major films" to Massachusetts—a package that "provide[d] up to $7 million in tax credits for a single production."

Many of the tax cuts Romney touts on the campaign trail were merely extensions of previous tax breaks created by previous administrations. One was more than 30 years old. Romney even decided to later veto one of the tax credits he created—the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit—because he said "he considered it wasteful spending." But that's never stopped Romney from including it as one of his 19 tax cuts.

[greco99-2009]

In order to pay for these tax cuts, some of which favored the state's most fortunate, Romney increased taxes and fees by $750 million a year. Romney raised or created more than 1,000 taxes and fees, which fell primarily on the middle class. Here's but a small sample of Gov. Romney's fee-for-all:

Created a $15 fee requiring the blind to get an identification card proving they were blind.

Increased licensing fees on nurses, barbers, plumbers, electricians, social workers, and EMTs.

Increased the fee required to get a driver's license.

Raised a gas tax by 400% on Massachusetts' motorists, who were already paying a 21-cent-per-gallon state tax on gasoline.

Doubled the fees and taxes required to receive a test for lead-poisoning.

Tripled the fee for a mammography x-ray machine licenses from $100 to $300.

Increased the fee for a motor vehicle repair shop license from $100-a-year to $450 for a three-year license.

Increased the fee for filling and registering a mortgage from $20 to $150.

Doubled a state fee on milk dealers.

[greco99-2009]

So look closely, in order to give tax breaks to the wealthiest 278 families in Massachusetts -- Mitt Romney raised fees on ordinary people and specifically singled out blind people.

Mitt Romney effectively raised taxes on the blind by charging them a fee for their ID cards.

What a complete jerk.

[democracy8]

Odd amount. Makes it appear to be some sort of "payback".

[greco99-2009]

Mitt's Red Cross donation is less than the tax break he took for his dancing horse.

If you think Mitt really cares about people hit by Sandy you are pretty out of touch. The probability that Mitt will help actual people (other than family or clan) is pretty much zero.

[coyotee62]

At the same time the cheap skate dumped his campaign workers the next day with no way for some of them to get home! He cancelled their campaign credit cards and didn't pay them their ages at first. He likes firing people so much! He now knows what its like to be fired by the American people.

[democracy8]

+1

[presclayiii]

+2

[judymar14]

This man can do no good, no matter what he does. If not for every host on 99% of tv programs degrading him, he would have won by a landslide. Show-business is what kept Obama in office. Says a lot for our country!

[catmomtx]

Oh for goodness sakes!! People have been whining about President Obama from day one. They have been insulting him and the First Lady. Elected Republican officials have sent racist e-mails about the President and his wife. Republicans and those on the right have criticized everything the President has ever said or done in his life. You all refuse to acknowledge any of his accomplishments. This morning listening to right wong radio they were already whining about the President's upcoming interview at the Super Bowl. So spare me all of your righteous indignation.

Romney lost because he ran a poor campaign. He lied about the President and everyone knew. Romney lost because he lied to himself and the American people and we all know. Romney lost because all he was willing to offer was vote for me, I'm not Obama.

[gfromchicago]

What kept Obama in office is the fact that he is a better man.

[logictoo]

If Mitt Romney ran for President again I would vote for him again. Now let the name calling begin. Please do not use any language that you would not use in the company of your Mother.

[catmomtx]

Well after four plus years of listening to people like you disparage our duly elected President and his wife, I thought that was the new way to treat people who just want to serve their country.

You people have a lot of nerve coming on here whining about how someone is being treated when we have witnessed four years and counting of total and complete disrespect for our duly elected President and his wife. please spare us!!!

[JimmyKick]

You probably belong to his cult.

[nickrhodes666]

Who FRICKEN cares!...Move forward already and forget this mistake of the past!

[luadda22]

We keep trying to, but it seems like the White House keeps having new briefings eveyday.