From Sunday’s New York Times:

The fact that Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who is weighing a run for president in 2012, has an active political action committee in Alabama might seem puzzling.

It is, after all, not a critical early-voting state for the Republican nomination, where these kinds of leadership PACs are often set up by potential presidential candidates.

Upon closer inspection, though, Mr. Romney’s interest in Alabama snaps into focus. The state has among the most permissive campaign finance rules in the nation, allowing contributions of unlimited size from individuals and corporations.

Not surprisingly, Romney’s PAC Free and Strong America has taken full advantage, raising more than $440,000 in Alabama this year, the Times says, 68% of which “has been directed back to the Boston headquarters of Free and Strong America, paying for, among other expenses, a significant part of the salaries of Mr. Romney’s political staff, who will almost certainly form the core of his presidential campaign if he decides to run.”

Less than 5% has gone to state and local Alabama candidates, “for which these state PACs are ostensibly intended,” the Times notes.

Free and Strong America?

Free to Strongarm America is more like it.