Jeffrey Katzenberg, J.J. Abrams Leading the Charge of Hollywood's Super PAC Spenders
That ruling has prompted a free-for-all mentality in fund-raising circles. Hollywood political insiders say reps of the super PACs have stepped up calls to arrange meetings and line up potential donors. Three of the Democrats' major entertainment industry givers already have been generous to Priorities USA, a super PAC run by former Obama White House aides Sean Sweeney and Bill Burton. Jeffrey Katzenberg has given $2 million to the committee that will support the president's re-election campaign, and J.J. Abrams and his wife, Katie McGrath, have contributed $100,000. Producer Steve Bing has donated $400,000 to the Democratic PACs American Bridge 21st Century and the Majority PAC. (The maximum donation one can give directly to a presidential campaign is $2,500 per election, plus $30,800 a year to a national party committee. Donors can also give $5,000 annually to any other political committees.)
