From our Late to the Party of One desk

As you splendid readers might – or might not – have noticed, the hardworking staff religiously records full-page ads in the New York Times paid for by above-average-means citizens.

The latest installment appeared in last Friday’s edition of the Times, compliments of one Ronald M. Firman of Miami, FL.

The Times ad:

Money graf:

But that’s not the only cause Firman is bankrolling. He also appears to have contributed over $2 million to an outfit called Values Are Vital, whose 2014 expenditures are detailed on Opensecrets.org.

The Super PAC was formed back in January to torpedo a totally different GOP candidate – Trey Radel.

Via PoliticusUSA:

Nervous Republican Millionaires Form SuperPAC to Defeat Coke Snorting GOP Congressman

A pair of wealthy donors have pooled together a million dollars in seed money to form a super-PAC to target Florida GOP Congressman Trey Radel who was busted for cocaine possession earlier this year. The Values are Vital super-PAC was formed by Anthony Farhat, the president of PGI Homes, a Southwest Florida home building corporation.

The super-PAC received initial funding from two wealthy donors. Ronald Firman, a Miami retiree, and Martin Burns, a Las Vegas attorney each contributed around half a million dollars to the PAC. Last month Values are Vital formed and they filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) today.

The PAC is trying to encourage Paige Kreegel to challenge Radel. Kreegel finished third in the Republican primary in 2012, behind Radel and Chauncey Goss.

But Radel resigned shortly thereafter. And despite the Values Are Vital cash, Paige Kreegel lost a big bucks special election in June to Curt Clawson. Time will tell if Firman’s investment in Middle East affairs bears more fruit.