In 2004, Democratic-aligned outside groups spent $185 million—more than twice what the Republican outside groups spent—in a failed effort to defeat George W. Bush’s reelection. Of this, $85 million came from just fourteen Democratic donors. Leading the pack was the New York hedge fund magnate George Soros, an opponent of the U.S. invasion of Iraq who regarded President Bush as such a scourge that he vowed he would spend his entire $7 billion fortune to defeat him, if the result could be guaranteed. With the help of Democratic operatives, Soros funneled more than $27 million into the outside
...more
