PCE PAC Fueled with Amway and Walmart Money

Quotes From kutv.com: Utah PAC Fueled With Out Of State Funds

An infusion of out-of-state money is raising the profile and influence of the Utah political action committee Parents for Choice.

The money comes largely from large big-business political donors from out of Utah, including the Wal-Mart heirs and the founders of Amway, a multilevel marketing company.

In 2002, the grass roots group had just $10,000 for donations to candidates. But in 2004 the group got $255,000 in seed money from the Michigan-based All Children Matter, a group with ties to Betsy and Dick Devos, who is an Amway heir.

That was followed by a $75,000 contribution for Gov. Jon Huntsman from Patrick Byrne, of Overstock.com.

Now the PAC has several spinoffs and growing influence over education policy with lawmakers and the governor's office.

Parents for Choice refuses to comment on the source of the organization's financing until after a September federal tax filing deadline for PAC disclosure forms.

"Nobody's going to comment,'' communications director Nancy Pomeroy said. When pressed about the sources of Parents for Choice's money, specifically All Children Matter, Pomeroy said: ``I don't know what you're talking about.''

Read kutv's: Utah PAC Fueled With Out Of State Funds