Gov. Andy Beshear (Kentucky Lantern photo by Liam Niemeyer)
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Andy Beshear’s super PAC reported another $824,800 in contributions on Friday bringing the total it raised in the first six months of this year to $1,443,000.
The largest of the contributions by far was $225,000 from Andrew Nathan Schwartzberg, a real estate developer based in Maryland who focuses on affordable housing projects.
Beshear created his super PAC, called In This Together PAC, soon after winning re-election in 2023. Beshear is prevented by the Kentucky Constitution from seeking a third term as governor, and the super PAC is a mechanism that allows him to raise money to promote political candidates and issues in Kentucky and across the country while he considers a possible candidacy for president in 2028.
The report filed on Friday with the Internal Revenue Service shows the super PAC gave significant support in the past six months to candidates in other states. It spent $143,568 in March for direct mail supporting Susan Crawford’s successful campaign for the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Crawford was the candidate favored by Democrats in that hotly-contested race that determined control of the Wisconsin high court. Also in March, In This Together donated $25,000 to Copper State Values, a PAC that supports Democrat Katie Hobbs, the governor of Arizona.
In This Together is a hybrid super PAC that can accept contributions of unlimited amounts and accept contributions from corporations. It discloses some of its financial activity to the Federal Election Commission and the rest to the Internal Revenue Service.
Early last week, In This Together filed its report with the FEC covering the first half of this year – a disclosure reported by Kentucky Lantern and other news outlets. On Friday it filed its report covering the same period with the IRS allowing a comprehensive look at its activity over the period.
The reports combined show roughly $1,443,000 in contributions, and $558,400 in spending between Jan. 1 and June 30.
The total reflects a slight increase in the pace of contributions over last year when In This Together reported raising $2.56 million over 12 months.
The vast percentage of the money taken in by In This Together so far this year came in big contributions from a small number of people, and several of the largest donors are real estate developers.
Here is a list of its largest donors during the period as listed in the report filed Friday.
Andrew Nathan Schwartzberg, Rockville, Maryland, $225,000. Schwartzberg is president of Preservation Services LLC, a national real estate development business focusing on affordable housing. The report lists his address in Maryland. Last year he gave $250,000 to In This Together. The total of $475,000 makes him the largest donor ever to In This Together.
Maegan Ford Nicholson, $100,000. The report lists a Dallas, Texas, address and does not list an occupation. But Nicholson is listed with a Versailles address, and identified as an executive with Diamond A Farm, in a contribution she made to Beshear’s 2023 re-election campaign.
Christopher Dischinger, Louisville, developer, LGD Inc., $50,000.
Christian Larsen, San Francisco, executive chairman of Ripple Inc., $50,000.
John and Marcia Goldman, Atherton, California, not employed, $50,000.
Tracy W. Farmer, Naples, Florida, self-employed, $25,000. Though the report lists a Naples address, Farmer is a longtime businessman and horseman from central Kentucky and past donor to campaigns of Andy Beshear and Beshear’s father, former Gov. Steve Beshear.
James Gray, Lexington, secretary of Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, $25,000.
Morgan Chu, Los Angeles, lawyer with Irell Manella LLP, $25,000.
Peter Morton, West Hollywood, California, not employed, $25,000.
CoreCivic of Tennessee LLC, Brentwood, Tennessee, private prison contractor, $20,000.
Greg A. Fischer, Covington, chairman of Fischer Homes, $20,000.
Jonathan Blue, Louisville, chairman, managing director, Blue Equity LLC, $20,000.
George B. Lassiter, Lexington, no occupation listed, $15,000.
Mary E. Niehaus, Falcon Heights, Minnesota, consultant for HeathTech Solutions, $15,000.
Edward Brockman, Louisville, physician for John Kenyon Eye Center and Beshear appointee to University of Kentucky Board of Trustees, $15,000.
Shannon Hunt-Scott, Los Gatos, California, president of The Scott Foundation, $15,000.
Ronald Abramson, Washington, DC, attorney for Buchanan Ingersoll Rooney, $15,000.
Ronald Sheffer, Louisville, attorney, $10,000.
John Moore, Louisville, consultant for Seniorverse, $10,000.
Jack Porter, Taylorsville, realtor for All-County Realty, $10,000.
Michael Davis, Mount Washington, retired, $10,000.
Scott Hagan, Louisville owner of Hagan Properties, $10,000.
Mark Heising, Atherton, California, no occupation listed, $10,000.
Judith Hanekamp, Masonic Home, not employed, $10,000.
Lisa Garber, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, self employed accountant, $10,000.