Rely on Your Beliefs Fund explained

The Rely on Your Beliefs Fund (ROYB Fund) is an American Political Action Committee associated with Rep. Roy Blunt. Since its inception, the fund has collected and spent more than $1.8 million.

On May 23, 2002, the ROYB Fund was forced to enter into a consent decree with the Missouri Ethics Commission for failing to comply with Missouri law by not filing a statement of organization and required reports in a timely fashion. http://www.firedupamerica.com/system/files?file=blunt_consent_decree.pdf

People

• Roy Blunt – honorary chairman. https://archive.today/20130104142822/http://www.riverfronttimes.com/Issues/2001-10-03/news/feature2.html
• Jim Ellis – founding staffer https://web.archive.org/web/20070701113247/http://www.firedupamerica.com/jimellis

Notable contributors

• AbbVie^[1]
• Altria (one of the top corporate contributors in 2001-02 according to http://www.politicalaccountability.net/Corporate%20Profile%20-%20Altria.pdf; Blunt's current wife was previously a lobbyist for the company)
• American Airlines^[2]
• American Beverage Association^[3]
• American Crystal Sugar Company
• American Dental Association^[4]
• Amgen https://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgave.php?cmte=C00344648&cycle=2020
• Anheuser-Busch^[5]
• Anthem Insurance^[6]
• AT&T^[7]
• Enron https://web.archive.org/web/20060210125045/http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/com_rcvd/C00344648/
• Facebook^[8]
• Koch Industries^[9]
• Merck^[10]
• Microsoft PAC https://web.archive.org/web/20041011190333/http://redmondmag.com/features/article.asp?EditorialsID=440
• National Association of Broadcasters^[11]
• Pfizer^[12]
• Travellers ^[13]
• Time-Warner^[14]
• T-Mobile^[15]
• Waste Management^[16]
• Walmart^[17]
• In March 2002, the Tigua tribe began making political contributions on request of Jack Abramoff in hopes of getting a casino approved. http://www.texasobserver.org/showArticle.asp?ArticleID=1830

Payees

• J.W. Ellis Co. (roughly $88,000 in consulting fees) https://web.archive.org/web/20060207040903/http://www.citizensforethics.org/press/newsrelease.php?view=84

References

• fund's site
• Pro Publica's page on the fund
• Federal Election Commission documents
• Open Secrets page on the fund
• Washington Post article

Notes and References

1. Web site: Rely on Your Beliefs PAC Donors • OpenSecrets.
2. Web site: FEC Disclosure Report Search Results.
3. Web site: FEC Disclosure Report Search Results.
4. Web site: FEC Disclosure Report Search Results.
5. Web site: FEC Disclosure Report Search Results.
6. Web site: FEC Disclosure Report Search Results.
7. Web site: Rely on Your Beliefs PAC Donors • OpenSecrets.
8. Web site: Rely on Your Beliefs PAC Donors • OpenSecrets.
9. Web site: Rely on Your Beliefs PAC Donors • OpenSecrets.
10. Web site: Rely on Your Beliefs PAC Donors • OpenSecrets.
11. Web site: Rely on Your Beliefs PAC Donors • OpenSecrets.
12. Web site: Rely on Your Beliefs PAC Donors • OpenSecrets.
13. Web site: FEC Disclosure Report Search Results.
14. Web site: FEC Disclosure Report Search Results.
15. Web site: Rely on Your Beliefs PAC Donors • OpenSecrets.
16. Web site: FEC Disclosure Report Search Results.
17. Web site: FEC Disclosure Report Search Results.