CHICAGO – Like or lump the Chicago Cubs, there's a lot for conservatives to like about how the family that own the Cubs invests a sizable portion of their substantial wealth into conservative political efforts – although some complain that their investments are more for incumbent Republicans than conservative ones.
During the National League playoffs – which the Cubs eventually won – a group called Future45 ran these anti-Clinton ads:
Opensecrets.org reports about Future45:
Republican fundraising heavyweights Sheldon and Miriam Adelson, whose large checks to outside groups have buoyed GOP campaigns for years, gave $10 million to Future45 — controlled by the ultra-wealthy Republican donors Todd and Joe Ricketts — in the third quarter, good for most of the $12.3 million the organization received.
The PAC sits on $9.9 million in cash to spend down the stretch. So far, Future45 has spent just over $3.3 million on anti-Clinton independent expenditures; it hasn’t been involved in any House or Senate contests.
The Ricketts' family patriarch Joe Ricketts founded TD Ameritrade. He and his wife Marlene live in Nebraska, where their son Peter is governor. While all four of the Ricketts' children are listed as Cubs' owners, their sons Todd and Tom are actively involved with the team.
The older Ricketts were enthusiastic supporters of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker. The following is a partial listing posted on Open Secrets of the Ricketts' donations to Republican-related SuperPacs over the past three years. They donated $1 M to a SuperPac that opposed Donald Trump and are now investing in the ad opposing Clinton.
The Ricketts' only daughter Laura is active in supporting Liberal political candidates and groups.
