Sheldon Adelson, the Las Vegas casino billionaire, has just made a new and no doubt eye-popping contribution to the same pro-Gingrich super PAC that he and his wife gave a combined $10 million just a few weeks ago. (Money that funded a barrage of ads that almost certainly won South Carolina for Newt Gingrich.)A source that spoke to CNN called the contribution "sizeable" but wouldn't say just how much, although a $10 million figure was expected — Sheldon's recently told Forbes magazine, oh so humbly, that "I might give $10 million or $100 million to Gingrich." So is this part of some Super Tuesday Hail Mary he expects Gingrich to pull out, sweeping the southern states (Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma) and maybe even Ohio? Perhaps.
After Santorum's defensive show at Wednesday's debate, maybe Gingrich is prepping a third comeback. But a Wall Street Journal story several days ago reported that Sheldon is actually playing two angles, one of which is simply that he dislikes Santorum and wants to drown the former Pennsylvania Senator in whatever millions he finds lying around on the coffee table, down the back of his couch, you know, your average billionaire's loose change.
February 24th, 2012
06:52 PM ET
2 days ago Adelson makes new 'sizeable' contribution to pro-Gingrich super PAC
Washington (CNN) - Casino mogul and major Republican donor Sheldon Adelson made an expected new contribution this week to the super PAC supporting Newt Gingrich, Winning Our Future, CNN has learned.
One source familiar with Adelson's donation described it as "sizeable." Two sources said the Nevada businessman made the contribution recently.The sources would not speak on the record because Adelson wanted his contribution to be private.
CNN reported last week Adelson was expected to contribute as much as an additional $10 million to the super PAC. A great majority of the funding for Winning Our Future has come from Adelson and his extended family. Adelson, his wife and their extended family have donated $11 million to the organization.
The sources would not specify the exact amount of the donation.
A spokesman for Adelson could not be reached for comment.
A spokesman for Winning Our Future, Rick Tyler, refused to comment on whether Adelson made a new donation.
Thanks to the new influx of money, the organization will have far greater resources to help boost Gingrich in some of the primaries and caucuses voting on March 6th, Super Tuesday.
The organization is expected to disclose as early as Monday its plans for advertising in those states. Gingrich is campaigning hard in several of those contests in hopes to keeping his campaign alive.
You can follow Kevin Bohn on Twitter @KevinBohnCNN.
In the new edition of Forbes Magazine, the multi-billionaire defended himself against critics of his contributions.
“Those people are either jealous or professional critics,” Adelson said, adding “They like to trash other people. It’s unfair that I’ve been treated unfair—but it doesn’t stop me. I might give $10 million or $100 million to Gingrich.”
Adelson’s worth is estimated at $25 billion.
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