Super PAC aiding Chris Christie presidential bid raised nearly $6M from notable Republicans

A super PAC boosting former Gov. Chris Christie's presidential bid raised nearly $6 million in one month from notable donors, including $100,000 from Harlan Crow, a real estate magnate whose lavish trips and gifts to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas have come under scrutiny and raised questions about the high court's ethics.

The group, Tell It Like It Is —  a nod to Christie's 2016 presidential campaign slogan — was formed by longtime advisers of Christie in May, a week before he officially launched his 2024 run on June 6 at a New Hampshire town hall. Super PACs can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money from people and corporations, unlike more-regulated campaigns.

The group is led by Republican National Committee member Bill Palatucci, former New Jersey Attorney General and U.S. Sen. Jeffrey Chiesa, R-N.J., and former Rep. Susan Brooks, R-Ind.

Donors include Kushner, Scaramucci, Buckley

Other wealthy backers of the group include Murray Kushner, Jared Kushner's uncle, who donated $10,000 through KRE Property Management Co.; Richard Saker, CEO of Saker ShopRites, who pitched in $500,000; and Englewood Cliffs-based property management company The Kamson Corporation, which donated $250,000, according to the first major report filed to the Federal Election Commission on July 31, covering fundraising and spending between May 30 and June 30.

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Anthony Scaramucci, who served briefly as White House communications director under former President Donald Trump, gave $100,000 through Skybridge Capital II, and Republican megadonor Walter Buckley Jr. donated $500,000.

The super PAC's largest check, $1 million, came from SHBT LLC, a Denton, Texas-based limited liability company that formed last June and whose agent and manager are listed as Thomas McMurray, who runs a real estate development law firm.

'Are you a chicken or just a loser?'

Tell It Like It Is reported spending $427,000 during June on ads, emails and text messages. In mid-July, the group launched a 60-second digital and cable ad baiting Trump, asking him "Are you a chicken or just a loser?” The Hill reported.

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Meanwhile, Christie's campaign raised nearly $1.7 million and spent $66,000 between June 6 and June 30, according to FEC filings. Individuals can give up to $3,300 to campaigns during the primary, and hundreds of donors maxed out, including Murray Kushner, former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, former Christie chief counsel Thomas Scrivo and Scaramucci.

At this point, Christie lags far behind other contenders for the Republican nomination, with his polling average at 2.6% compared with Trump's commanding 53.4% and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' 15.6%, according to FiveThirtyEight.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Super PAC aiding Christie presidential bid raised nearly $6M