After President Obama won reelection, Ohio-based Murray Energy Corp. immediately laid off more than 160 workers, blaming clean air protections and taxes. Before Murray announced its “survival mode” layoffs, the company donated $100,000 to Karl Rove’s American Crossroads in September, according to FEC records reported by Politico.

Murray responded that “the donation to American Crossroads, which was made several months in advance of the layoffs, and our decision to layoff employees are two totally unrelated events.” Since 2011, Murray Energy has spent at least $1.24 million on political contributions exclusively backing Republicans and $1.57 million on lobbying. Murray himself was active in Republican election efforts, personally campaigning and donating to the Romney campaign.

Last Thursday, a memo addressed to Murray emlpoyees said “we cannot bleed cash waiting for our competitors to be eliminated.” When Murray addressed laid-off workers, he literally sent them off with a prayer:

Lord, please forgive me and anyone with me in Murray Energy Corp. for the decisions that we are now forced to make to preserve the very existence of any of the enterprises that you have helped us build. We ask for your guidance in this drastic time with the drastic decisions that will be made to have any hope of our survival as an American business enterprise.

Obama’s first term has not shown any indication coal suffers from a “drastic time.” Ohio coal mining jobs were up 30 percent from 2007, to 2,570 jobs, and coal industry employment grew nationwide to reach its highest level since 1996. The coal layoffs the industry often blames on Obama are driven by economic forces, not regulations, as utilities use significantly cheaper natural gas.

Murray drew criticism this year for using coal miners as a political tool. Murray Energy allegedly forced coal miners to attend a Romney campaign rally without pay and to contribute to Republican candidates.

Super PACs and other outside groups poured more than $1 billion into the 2012 elections, according to the Center for Public Integrity. But not all of that money proved to be wisely spent.

Here are six of the worst investments right-wing groups made:

– $29,836,729 in the Virginia Senate race (lost by 4.8 points): Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS and American Crossroads ($11,287,908 combined), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ($4,494,618), and Independence Virginia PAC ($4,921,410) majorly backed former Sen. George Allen (R-VA) in his race against former Gov. Tim Kaine (D). Independence Virginia PAC, formed especially to elect Allen, received at least $1.5 million in contributions from billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. Allen lost the same seat six years ago after his infamous bullying of an Indian-American campaign tracker who he called “macaca.” This time around, he spent much of the campaign complaining about the national debt he helped run up in his first term and advocating for pro-polluter policies to benefit the companies he worked for as an energy consultant. As President Obama won Ohio by 3 points, Kaine beat Allen by a 4.8 point spread (52.4 to 47.6).

– $22,143,479 in the Ohio Senate race (lost by 5.2 points): Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS ($6,363,714), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ($4,392,434), former Rep. Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks for America ($2,246,409), and the controversial Government Integrity Fund ($1,300,000) were among the biggest investors in support of Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel (R) in his challenge to Sen. Sherrod Brown (D). Mandel refused to tell voters his position on the automobile bailout that saved thousands of Ohio jobs and advocated for fracking in National Forests. As President Obama won Ohio by less than 2 points, Mandel apparently lost 50.3 to 45.1.

– $15,316,062 in the Florida Senate race (lost by 12.8 points): Karl Rove’s American Crossroads ($4,022,607), former Rep. Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks for America ($2,883,893), and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce ($3,846,303) all invested millions in support of Rep. Connie Mack IV (R-FL) in his challenge to Sen. Bill Nelson (D). Though the seat was previously held by Mack’s father, former Sen. Connie Mack III (R), the younger Mack’s campaign was forced to contend with headlines about his history of bar fights and was mocked as the “Charlie Sheen of Florida politics.” Mack apparently lost 55.1 to 42.3.

– $5,879,939 in the Illinois 8th District race (lost by 9.4 points): Former Rep. Dick Armey’s FreedomWorks for America ($2,164,046) and Now or Never PAC ($2,789,614) spent big to try to re-elect controversial Tea Party freshman Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL). A leading opponent of raising the debt ceiling, Walsh generated controversy when he said President Obama only won because he is “a black man who was articulate,” yelled at his constituents at a local bar, and he belittled his opponent’s war record and injuries. Though Walsh claimed she was not a “true hero,” Tammy Duckworth, a double amputee who lost both her legs in Iraq when insurgents hit her helicopter with an RPG in 2004, easily beat him Tuesday. Walsh apparently lost 51.5 to 42.9.

– $4,177,208 in the Illinois 12th District race (lost by 8.6 points): Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform ($472,053), Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS ($586,103), and the YG Action Fund and YG Network ($1,184,259 combined) all spent heavily in support of candidate Jason Plummer (R). Plummer, whose painful interview as a 2010 Lieutenant Governor candidate went viral, lost an open seat race to former Illinois National Guard Adjutant General Bill Enyart (D). Plummer apparently lost 51.5 to 42.9.

– $918,789 in the New Jersey 9th District race (lost by more than 48 points): Patriot Prosperity PAC made a massive investment in support of Rabbi Shmuel “Shmuley” Boteach (R) — the host of TLC’s Shalom in the Home — in his challenge to Rep. Bill Pascrell (D). The super PAC was funded almost entirely by $1 million in contributions from billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam. Pascrell’s lone outside support came in the form of a $10 expenditure by the Sierra Club. Even with this massive 91,878-to-1 advantage on outside spending, Boteach lost in a landslide: he apparently lost 73.6 to 25.4 percent.

Karl Rove’s American Crossroads super PAC reported Thursday that it raised over $9.4 million in August — $1 million of which came from Clayton Williams Energy Inc. in Midland, Texas. That company’s chairman of the board, president, and chief executive officer is, unsurprisingly, Clayton Williams, Jr. Williams was the Texas Republican gubernatorial nominee who lost his 1990 race to then-State Treasurer Ann Richards (D) after making infamous comments defending rape.

At a cattle roundup on his Texas ranch, the oil and gas tycoon told ranch hands, campaign workers, and reporters that bad weather was like rape. “If it’s inevitable, just relax and enjoy it.” His double-digit lead in the polls evaporated and he lost the election.

The contribution is indeed ironic, as Karl Rove has been among the most vocal critics of Senate nominee Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) after his August comments that victims of “legitimate rape” are unlikely to become pregnant.

American Crossroads and its affiliated secret-money Crossroads GPS cancelled all independent expenditures in Missouri after Akin’s comments — after having invested at least tens of thousands into the race.

Later, Rove had to apologize after joking “We should sink Todd Akin. If he’s found mysteriously murdered, don’t look for my whereabouts!”

While Rove and Crossroads seem to want nothing to do with Akin and his comments, it is telling that they are willing to accept a massive sum of money from a man whose only rape comments were arguably even more offensive.

Have you eaten at White Castle recently? Or caught a movie at Regal Cinemas?

If so, you may be unwittingly helping finance right-wing attack ads.

That’s because many of the country’s most common brands are run by rich conservatives who are using their personal wealth to bankroll outside spending groups that are running attack ads smearing progressives. From Marriott Hotels to Brawny paper towels, and from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Coachella music festival, corporate executives at these organizations have given millions of dollars to groups like Mitt Romney’s Super PAC Restore Our Future.

Some corporations, like Waffle House, give direct donations to conservative attack ad groups like Karl Rove’s American Crossroads.

The following list of consumer brands either have leaders who wrote checks to outside right-wing attack ad groups or gave money directly from the corporation. Only entities that gave $25,000 or more were included in this guide.

Read more