Political Donations

Apparently, Dr. Gilbert Gordon had ultimately failed, and CoBIS Company was on the brink of bankruptcy.

Simply put, it was a clash of ideologies.

At heart, Gilbert Gordon was more of a scientist than a businessman. In contrast, as the company president, Christophe Henderson's focus was largely on profits. He believed that technological research, if not translatable to direct productivity and economic benefits, was pointless.

Inside the CoBIS Company boardroom, Bruce looked at the despondent Gilbert and the anxious Christophe and couldn't help but laugh. "President Henderson, I admire your skills in managing the company. After completing the acquisitions, including that of CoBIS, I plan to establish a new company. Are you interested in joining me?"

Despite having the albatross that was Gilbert Gordon around his neck, Christophe had managed to keep the company afloat for quite a while.

Bruce also didn't overlook Gilbert. "Also, Dr. Gordon, if you're still interested in genetic engineering research, I invite you to stay with the new company and lead the new biological research laboratory."

Gilbert looked stunned, as if he had misheard. Christophe, too, seemed perplexed. Did Bruce Lee not realize that the biotech industry had a limited market and couldn't make much money?

Bruce, of course, would never disclose that he had the support of demonic knowledge, making it unnecessary to toil in a narrow field like Gilbert Gordon did. What they couldn't achieve was a mere trifle to Lord Mephisto.

The acquisition went smoother than Bruce had anticipated, and obtaining over a decade's worth of precious data from the genetic laboratory was an unexpected bonus. After setting the main direction, Bruce naturally delegated the details of the negotiation to Fowler, Kit, and Isaiah.

Streamlining the affairs of the three companies wasn't easy, especially with Incyte Biopharmaceuticals located in Bakersfield, about two hours away. It seemed Bruce would be spending more time in Los Angeles, basking in the fierce sunshine of the coastal city.

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Certainly! I will begin translating your novel from Chinese to English, adhering to the instructions you provided. The translation will maintain the essence and style of the original text while being accessible to young English-speaking readers. Let's start with the provided text:

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American elections typically last an entire year, with the first half of the year (January to June) being the initial phase. During this time, multiple candidates from both the Democratic and Republican parties campaign in key states to gather votes. This phase primarily involves party voters selecting delegates to attend the national convention of their respective parties.

The second phase involves the Democratic and Republican parties holding their national conventions. At these events, each party formally nominates its presidential and vice-presidential candidates and discusses and adopts their presidential campaign platform. It's after this that the presidential campaign really kicks off, entering the final race.

"Given your current special status as a non-U.S. citizen, making large election donations might be more sensitive. For this reason, I've organized a team to donate about $8 million anonymously to trade associations and non-profits compliant with 501(c) regulations. These non-profits aren't required to disclose their donors. Even better, they don't need to publicly account for their expenditures."

Fowler, with a stack of documents in hand, enthusiastically briefed Bruce on the funding details. This was a secretive operation, known fully only to him and Kit.

In the U.S., one must live for five years with a green card (not leaving the country for more than six months each year) or live for three years after marrying a U.S. citizen to apply for citizenship through naturalization with the immigration service and federal court. This process includes requirements like good moral character, being at least eighteen years old, and most importantly, taking an oath of allegiance to the U.S., renouncing all previous allegiances.

Bruce listened with a smile, nodding in agreement from time to time. But what he truly thought, only he knew. He probably didn't need to wait that many years, by then, no one might care about issues like nationality.

This has been a distinctive feature of elections since 2010. Originally, political action committees (PACs) in the U.S. were political organizations aimed at raising and allocating campaign funds to candidates for public office. The status of PACs became more significant after the passage of the Federal Election Campaign Act in 1971.

The law strictly limited the amount of money that special companies, associations, and individuals could donate. However, PACs could better circumvent these restrictions when raising funds from numerous private donors.

In 2010, the U.S. Supreme Court passed a ruling allowing individuals and institutions to make unlimited donations and expenditures as long as they did not directly coordinate with a political party or candidate's campaign. This ruling opened a crucial floodgate, allowing money to flow freely into politics.

Since then, corporations, unions, and tycoons have been able to use their funds to influence elections through unrestricted political donations, giving rise to various Super PACs.

"This is already very impressive. To avoid drawing attention, we must constantly diversify our donations and change our donation methods," Fowler explained, concerned that Bruce might think the donation was too small.

"Very good, keep it up. Let me know if there are any issues with the funds," Bruce said, not worried about the money spent. At the right time, these investments would eventually yield substantial returns.