Ex-senators still raise, spend big bucks

WASHINGTON, June 27 (UPI) -- Former Republican U.S. Senate leaders Rick Santorum and Bill Frist, a year out of office, are raising and spending big bucks, campaign finance records show.

However, little of it has gone to GOP candidates, USA Today reports. Both have political action committees and have raised hundreds of thousands this campaign cycle, most of it going for overhead expenses.

Santorum's committee, America's Foundation, took in nearly $800,000 from January 2007 to March 31 and donated 2.4 percent to candidates, campaign finance reports show.

Frist's VOLPAC raised more than $900,000 from January 2007 to May 31 and kept two-thirds of it. Linus Catignani, a Frist spokesman, said. VOLPAC has a history of "conserving resources" to make a "late financial boost" to candidates, USA Today said.

Many members of Congress form leadership PACs but most shut them down after leaving Congress, though it's not required.