By Melanie Mason, Tribune Washington Bureau –
WASHINGTON — Comedian Bill Maher became the latest member of the seven-figure “super PAC” donors club Thursday night when he announced during a comedy special that he would donate $1 million to the pro-Obama Priorities USA Action.
Maher, the liberal host of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” revealed the donation at the conclusion of his hourlong special “CrazyStupidPolitics,” which was streamed live on Yahoo.com on Thursday night.
“I would like tonight to announce a donation to the Obama super PAC, which has the very unfortunate tongue-twister name Priority (sic) USA Action. I know, it was named by Borat. But tonight, I would like to give that PAC one million dollars,” Maher said, prompting cheers from the audience.
The donation — manifested onstage in the form of an oversize check — will provide a significant boost to the super PAC’s coffers; the group raised less than $59,000 in the month of January and $4.4 million overall.
Earlier this month, the Obama campaign announced a friendlier posture toward the group, allowing administration and campaign officials to appear at the super PAC’s fundraising events. Super PACs can raise unlimited amounts of cash to support political causes, but are not permitted to coordinate their activities with candidates they favor.
Maher said that an Obama victory over any of the Republican contenders was “worth a million dollars” and described the donation as “the wisest investment I think I could make.” He encouraged other wealthy donors to give to the group as well.
A Priorities USA Action official did not immediately return requests for comment.
