Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Jonathan Lee ($144,500) - Jackson, Miss.
Lee cut a check for $140,000 to his own PAC "Friends of Jonathan Lee" on March 29, a day after his campaign paid that same amount out to LUC Media out of Marietta, Ga.
Carol Biedenharn ($15,000) - Jackson, Miss.
Biedenharn is a 1974 graduate of Louisiana State University's Laboratory School and mother of four. She serves on the board of the Mississippi Children's Services, and has not made any other political contributions that we can find.
William & Lillian Cooley ($15,000) - Jackson, Miss.
The Cooleys go way back with Lee's family, and have known him almost all his life. Bill Cooley is a businessman, retired professor at Jackson State, prominent Democrat and a mentor for Lee. The Cooleys have not given to any other political campaign since 2011, but the Cooley family did collectively give $3,000 to the Jackson 20/20 PAC, which paid Lee's campaign team $17,600 in 2011.
Gloria M. Walker ($5,000) - Jackson, Miss.
Walker married Bill Walker, the original owner of every Bill's Dollar Store, in 1965. She has given $30,000 to the Republican National Committee and $15,000 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee since 2011, and in 2012 gave the Mitt Romney presidential campaign $5,000.
Robbie W. Hughes ($3,000) - Jackson, Miss.
Hughes, of Hughes South Corporation and Hughes Oil, contributed $30,725 to the Republican National Committee in June 2012, and gave Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker $1,000 last year.
Leland Speed ($2,500) - Jackson, Miss.
Speed is well-known around Jackson as a prominent Republican businessman. He gave the Mitt Romney presidential campaign $3,500 in 2011 and 2012, the Republican Party of Mississippi $5,000 on Dec. 31, 2012, and Republican National Committee $2,000. He also gave $2,000 to Frank Bluntson, who has now endorsed Lee.
Betsy Creekmore ($2,500) - Jackson, Miss.
Betsy Creekmore, whose occupation is listed as a homemaker, gave $5,000 to Miss. Senator Roger Wicker and $2,400 to Miss. Senator Thad Cochran. She also gave Mitt Romney $500, the Republican National Committee $900 and the Republican Party of Mississippi $300 in 2011 and 2012. Her husband Wade Creekmore is President and Director of Telepax, Inc. He gave $2,400 to Cochran, $2,000 to Texas Governor Rick Perry and $1,000 to Gregg Harper in 2011.
Joe N. Tatum ($2,000) - Raymond, Miss.
Tatum is a shareholder in the firm of Tatum and Wade, PLLC. The Jackson State University grad received his law degree from Mississippi College. We cannot find any other political donations for Tatum.
Ergon State PAC ($2,000) - Jackson, Miss.
The political action committee for one of Mississippi's biggest companies has given to both Democrats, like Bennie Thompson, and Republicans, such as Roger Wicker, in the past year.
Randy James ($1,500) - Jackson, Miss.
James, of Pruitt Oil, has donated money to Mississippi Rep. Gregg Harper, and supported the controversial Better Jackson PAC in 2009, which funded campaign mailers for Marshand Crisler.
Some donors above have also contributed to the Jackson 20/20 PAC, which also supports Lee and gave money to his campaign staff in 2012.
Also see: Jonathan Lee Backers Gave More Than $1.2 Million to Republicans.