Bob Perry, megadonor behind 'swift boat' ads, dies

Bob Perry donated over $75 million dollars to political causes, including bankrolling the 'swift boat' attack ads against John Kerry in the 2004 presidential race.

By Paul J. Weber,?Associated Press / April 16, 2013

Houston homebuilder and GOP megadonor Bob Perry, seen here posing at one of his housing developments in 2002, died Saturday night April 14, 2013.

Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle / AP / File

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Once in a rare interview, the Texas tycoon who gave at least $75 million in political contributions over his lifetime argued that writing big checks didn't buy big influence.

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"It is my view that government is not owned by anyone, least of all wealthy contributors," Bob Perry told the Houston Chronicle, his hometown newspaper, in 2002.

Perry was remembered Monday by friends and foes alike for his prolific bankrolling that gave him both stature and notoriety. Republicans chiefly benefited from the wealthy Houston homebuilder, who became a titan of spending in modern American politics.

Perry died at age 80 Saturday night "peacefully in his sleep," said former Texas state Rep. Neal Jones, a close family friend. Public word of his death didn't spread until late the next day ? perhaps a final victory for Perry and his aversion to the spotlight. He rarely spoke to the press, skipped fancy fundraisers and was a mystery to even some of his benefactors.

That top was blown off that low profile in 2004 when Perry spent $4.4 million financing the famous 2004 Swift Boat Veterans campaign against Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, which remains among the most famous political television ads in history.

Critics sought to highlight the buying power Perry's largesse afforded ? particularly as the issue of campaign finance and the role of big money came before the U.S. Supreme Court in the 2000s and vaulted to new levels of public consciousness.

Perry's supporters saw him as a quiet champion of conservative causes who wasn't merely an ideologue.

"His astonishing success story as a businessman serves as an inspiration to anyone who ever dreamed of bigger things, and his selfless dedication to the people and causes he believed in serves as an inspiration to anyone who has ever felt the call to get involved," said Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is of no relation and has received reliable financial support from Bob Perry.

Bob Perry was a fixture of GOP fundraising in Texas ? and nationally ? dating back to former President George W. Bush's Texas gubernatorial races in the mid-1990s.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/-eWE2tM5h0Q/Bob-Perry-megadonor-behind-swift-boat-ads-dies

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