Political Wire

  • Front Page
  • Members
    • Subscribe
    • Sign In
  • Trending
  • Resources
    • Politics Extra
    • Political Job Hunt
    • Political Dictionary
    • Electoral Vote Map
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter
  • Contact Us
You are here: Home / Business of Politics / Ex-Romney Aide Starts For-Profit Oppo Research Effort
Members should sign in for the full experience.

Ex-Romney Aide Starts For-Profit Oppo Research Effort

February 14, 2014 at 10:16 am EST By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Boston Globe: “In a sterile office building a few miles from the White House, Mitt Romney’s old campaign manager has a new mission: foiling Democratic candidates across the country.”

“Republicans say that Matt Rhoades’s fledgling political group, America Rising, is attempting to build the party’s most sophisticated, modern, and centralized opposition research effort ever. It is key to the GOP’s hopes of resurrecting itself after the soul-crushing presidential defeat of 2012.”

“But what’s most notable about American Rising is this: It is the first high-profile political combat organization to rely heavily on a for-profit company, rather than operating as a nonprofit group, exploiting increasingly lax campaign finance laws to maximum advantage.”

FavoriteLoadingSave to Favorites
  • Bluesky
  • X
  • Threads
  • Facebook
  • Email

Filed Under: Business of Politics


You're reading the free version of Political Wire

Upgrade to a paid membership to unlock full access. The process is quick and easy. You can even use Apple Pay.

Upgrade Now

  • ✔ Become a member to get many great benefits -- exclusive analysis, a trending news page, no advertising and more!
  • ✔ If you're already a member, log in for the full experience.



Recent Posts

Inside Trump’s Mass Deportation Operation

June 10, 2025 at 2:20 pm EDT

Time: “The prospect of the U.S. sending migrants to a foreign prison notorious for alleged human-rights violations would have been unimaginable less than a year ago. But it is only…

Tulsi Gabbard Warns of ‘Nuclear Holocaust’

June 10, 2025 at 2:16 pm EDT

National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, in a dramatic video, warned of a “nuclear holocaust” and chastised “warmongers” for bringing the world “closer to the brink of nuclear annihilation than ever…

Deploying Troops to L.A. Is Very Unpopular

June 10, 2025 at 2:13 pm EDT

A new YouGov poll finds that President Trump’s deployment of Marines to Los Angeles is deeply unpopular, with a 47 percent disapproval mark, compared with 34 percent who approve. Dispatching…

What to Watch in New Jersey’s Primary for Gover

June 10, 2025 at 2:12 pm EDT

“Tuesday’s primary in New Jersey is set to lay the groundwork for a high-stakes general election that will decide if Democrats can hold on in the typically blue-leaning state or…

GOP Senator Questions Megabill Deadline

June 10, 2025 at 2:08 pm EDTJune 10, 2025 at 2:09 pm EDT

Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) raised doubts on Tuesday the GOP could pass its megabill by its self-imposed Independence Day deadline, Politico reports. Said Curtis: “I think that’s a false deadline….

Deployment of Troops to LA to Cost $134 Million

June 10, 2025 at 11:47 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 12:13 pm EDT

“The Pentagon says the deployment of National Guard members and Marines to protests over immigration raids in Los Angeles is costing $134 million,” the AP reports. “After persistent questioning from…

World Bank Sharply Downgrades Global Growth

June 10, 2025 at 10:33 am EDT

“President Donald Trump’s trade wars are expected to slash economic growth this year in the United States and around the world, the World Bank forecast Tuesday,” the AP reports. “Citing…

Trump’s Tesla No Longer Outside West Wing

June 10, 2025 at 10:30 am EDT

NBC News: “After reports last week that Trump was considering selling or giving away the red Tesla that he purchased this spring in a show of support for Elon Musk,…

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

June 10, 2025 at 10:30 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 5:10 am EDT

“As is so often the case, Donald Trump’s opponents are playing into his hands. This is exactly the kind of fight that Donald Trump loves, with his opponents carrying Mexican…

Bonus Quote of the Day

June 10, 2025 at 9:30 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 5:11 am EDT

“The retribution efforts that he is engaged in are clearly deeply animating. He has never been especially intrigued by governance. He is about power. I think you’re seeing that now.”…

The Bleach Community Is Emboldened by RFK Jr.

June 10, 2025 at 9:00 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 2:56 am EDT

Wired: “In the months since U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. mentioned chlorine dioxide during his Senate confirmation hearing, the online community advocating for the use of the toxic…

China’s Chokehold Obscure Mineral Threatens U.S. Military

June 10, 2025 at 8:30 am EDT

“China’s strict controls on the export of heat-resistant magnets made with rare earth minerals have exposed a major vulnerability in the U.S. military supply chain,” the New York Times reports….

Letter Writing Campaigns Have No Impact on Turnout

June 10, 2025 at 8:00 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 2:53 am EDT

Russell Berman: “In a study set to be released later today, the group behind the letter-writing effort, the nonpartisan Vote Forward, found that personal messages sent to more than 5…

Quote of the Day

June 10, 2025 at 7:30 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 3:01 am EDT

“He’s decided to throw out all the rules. The thing that that has done, as far as I’m concerned, is make him very boring, because it’s like it’s all on…

Trump Is Acting Like an Authoritarian

June 10, 2025 at 7:30 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 2:16 am EDT

Stephen Collinson: “Donald Trump is talking and acting like an authoritarian as he escalates a constitutional clash with California over his migration crackdown.” “Much now depends on whether he’s simply…

Trump to Keep Starlink at the White House

June 10, 2025 at 7:15 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 2:26 am EDT

President Trump said he “has no plans to discontinue Starlink at the White House but might move his Tesla off-site, following his announcement over the weekend that his relationship with…

Trump’s Chaos Isn’t a Cover

June 10, 2025 at 7:00 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 2:02 am EDT

There’s a long-running theory that President Trump deliberately floods the news cycle with outrage after outrage to distract from more dangerous moves happening beneath the surface. But if there’s one…

Fetterman Rips His Own Party Over L.A. Protests

June 10, 2025 at 6:30 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 1:27 am EDT

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) criticized his party’s response to protests in Los Angeles against raids by ICE agents. Said Fetterman: “I unapologetically stand for free speech, peaceful demonstrations, and immigration—but…

Border Czar Does Not Intend to Arrest Gavin Newsom

June 10, 2025 at 6:15 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 2:22 am EDT

White House “border czar” Tom Homan told CBS News “there’s no intention to arrest” California Gov. Gavin Newsom, after President Trump suggested he was open to the idea. Said Homan:…

Seizing Emergency Powers Is Central to Trump’s Strategy

June 10, 2025 at 6:00 am EDTJune 10, 2025 at 1:18 am EDT

“The specter of federally controlled troops in American streets has historically signaled a seismic social crisis, from forcing integration in Arkansas to protecting civil rights marchers in Alabama. But President…

« Is Hillary Clinton Too Old to Run?
Quote of the Day »

Get Smarter About Politics

Members get exclusive analysis, a trending news page, the Trial Balloon podcast, bonus newsletters and no advertising. Learn more.

Subscribe

Your Account

Sign in

Latest for Members

  • Trump’s Chaos Isn’t a Cover
  • Trump’s Parade Sends a Chilling Message
  • Trump Blurs the Line Again
  • Trump’s Enemies List Often Has a Short Memory
  • Weekly News Quiz

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.

Praise for Political Wire

“There are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political Wire is one of them.”

— Chuck Todd, host of “Meet the Press”

“Concise. Relevant. To the point. Political Wire is the first site I check when I’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all.”

— Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report

“Political Wire is one of only four or five sites that I check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”

— Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report

“The big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom — nicely packaged, constantly updated… What political junkie could ask for more?”

— Larry Sabato, Center for Politics, University of Virginia

“Political Wire is a great, great site.”

— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”

“Taegan Goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his Political Wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”

— Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post

“Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”

— Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit

“I rely on Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”

— Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.

Copyright © 2025 · Goddard Media LLC | Privacy Policy | Corrections Policy

Political Wire ® is a registered trademark of Goddard Media LLC