-- Leading the way is Russell Jeffrey of Rhode Island and his wife, Carey Russell, kicking in a total of $10K. He's a hedge-fund manager who started out trading mortgage-backed securities at Prudential and went on to start a fund of his own. His strategy of "buying discounted mortgage paper and trading related derivatives and bonds" made him 100 million smackers in 2011, according to Forbes. Other people's foreclosures were very good to him, in other words. (Our own Gov. Evil was so impressed he asked Jeffrey to move to Florida, pretty please.)
-- Lawrence F. DeGeorge, of Jupiter Island and the very swankest of Palm Beach society circles, favored West with $5K. Born into wealth -- a job creator even as an infant! -- and an investor in numerous telecommunications enterprises, "Larry," as his friends know him, has fallen out with his brother Peter over the division of their inheritance. Peter has hired legal eagle Roy Black to remove Larry as co-trustee of Daddy's estimated $200 million estate; Black's firm has trumpeted their claims to the world. Into each life, some rain must fall.
-- Out of Boca Raton comes Stanley Haar, who also sent $5K West's way. Haar grew rich trading futures in the international commodities markets, no doubt to the benefit of farmers throughout the developing world and consumers everywhere. A leading figure in South Florida's Likudnik circles, Haar put up $83K last year to help fund the American Principles superPAC's effort to fan the flames of anti-Obama paranoia. (Notice how much we look like Greece since RoboRom went down in flames? Rioting in the streets, etc.?)
-- Further down the line (though higher -- about as high as you can get -- up the goyische social ladder) is William Matthews of Palm Beach, who started West's PAC's ball rolling last April when he graced it with $3K. Matthews made his money the old-fashioned way, having the grit and gumption to get himself adopted by Jean Flagler Matthews, who earned her money by being the granddaughter of Henry Flagler, the robber baron who founded Palm Beach. And if Standard Oil's money ain't clean, well then, whose is?
-- Heartland America is in West's new house, courtesy of $2,500 from one Matt Palumbo of Ohio. Palumbo's a principle in the Omada Group, a nexus of Christianist superpatriot activity where, among other good deeds, he's shilled for the movie Perfect Valor. The film, in case you missed it, is all about the glories of the Battle of Fallujah and is sometimes also known as Never Mind the White Phosphorous, Here's the Marines. (Semper Fi and all that, but word to West's handlers: Palumbo won't win fans in these parts for this.)
-- Closer to home, kicking in four figures each, were Fort Lauderdale's George Cable ($2K) and husband-and-wife Kenneth and Malinka Jackson ($2,500), and Miami Shores' George Levasser. If your homies don't have your back, fuggeddaboutit.
There are others on West's list of contributors, none of them in for less than $500 each. Next time you hear some White Citizen's Council Tea Party loon sound off about Col. Crazy's common touch and how he represents the average citizen, remember who's footing his bills.
Fire Ant -- an invasive species, tinged bright red, with an annoying, sometimes-fatal bite -- covers Palm Beach County. Got feedback or a tip? Contact [email protected].
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