Groups Opposed to Bush Raise Millions, Records Show

Union dollars and large donations from wealthy individuals continued to pour into the bank accounts of independent groups raising and spending millions to defeat President Bush, records filed with the Internal Revenue Service on Thursday show.

America Coming Together, the Media Fund and Joint Victory Campaign 2004, a consortium of the largest of the Democratic-leaning groups, raised about $24 million from April through the end of June. They had raised about $20 million in the first quarter of the year.

Besides raising millions from the AFL-CIO and the national municipal employees union, the groups received $10,000 from actor Michael Douglas, $10,000 from producer Robert Chartoff and $5.75 million from Cleveland insurance billionaire Peter B. Lewis, who had previously donated $5 million.

Former candidate Howard Dean’s new group raised about $473,000, including $250,000 from philanthropist George Soros, who also gave $4.5 million to the Joint Victory Campaign.

Republicans have formed their own independent groups but have not had as much success in raising money.

One conservative group, Progress for America Voter Fund, reported raising $2.26 million, including a $1-million contribution from Jerry Perenchio, chief executive of Univision Communications Inc.