Campaign Finance

Roll Call: Clark Durant Posts Impressive Fundraising in Michigan Senate Race

Roll Call reports on the Republican primary for senate in Michigan.

Charter schools executive Clark Durant has raised more than $750,000 for his bid to challenge Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), eclipsing fundraising expectations set by his top GOP competitor, former Rep. Pete Hoekstra. Hoekstra is widely viewed as the Republican frontrunner to take on Stabenow next year, making Durant’s haul even more impressive.

LA Times: Michele Bachmann's campaign is sputtering in Iowa

From the October 2, 2011, LA Times:

Representatives say her campaign is unfolding as planned. But Bachmann has dropped in the polls and asked supporters for 'emergency' funding. Some top Republicans say she's squandered opportunities.

Dayton Daily News: Mandel takes on critics of campaign

Josh Mandel defends his Suarez Corporation contributions to Laura Bischoff at the Dayton Daily News.

On the questions raised over campaign contributions: Mandel accepted more than $100,000 in campaign donations from employees of Canton-based Suarez Corp., a marketing firm owned by GOP donor Ben Suarez. The (Toledo) Blade reported that several of the donors live in modest homes, have low-level job titles and have never made political contributions to federal candidates. Yet they dug deep and gave the maximum allowable campaign contribution to Mandel — $5,000. Giving campaign money in the name of another is illegal.

Huffington Post: 'Harvard Faculty Lounge' Gives Mitt Romney More Than $56,000 In Donations

On September 26, the Huffington Post reported:

"Mitt Romney's routine castigation of the President Obama-"Harvard faculty lounge" nexus has always rung a bit hollow, considering the former Massachusetts governor's own ties to the university. [...] UPDATE: The American Bridge, a Democratic non-government research group, sends over two more anecdotes that further complicate Romney's digs at Obama's Harvard roots. The former Massachusetts Governor has turned to Harvard Business School graduate and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman to help trumpet his job creation proposals, even quoting her in the plan itself. Romney also gave $50,000 to the Harvard Business School in 2003, according to IRS filings -- underscoring either how much he actually values the institution from which he graduated or illustrating how deeply he wanted to maintain good relations with the university at the time."

The Hill: Hoekstra predicts half million dollars for quarter

The Hill reports on Pete Hoekstra's fundraising problems:

Hoekstra has been known as a weak fundraiser in the past, and a half million dollar haul would help change that image. But it will be hard for him to catch up to Stabenow, who has $4 million in the bank for her reelection.

Bloomberg: Perry’s Merck Donations Raise Questions About Vaccine Mandate

"Texas Governor Rick Perry ‘s decision to require pre-teen girls to be vaccinated against a virus that causes cervical cancer has ignited debate over whether the presidential hopeful used his office to do favors for political allies. Perry, who is seeking the Republican presidential nomination, received at least $23,500 in campaign contributions from drug-maker Merck & Co., including $5,000 in 2006, the year before he ordered girls throughout the state to take a new Merck vaccine. The drug-maker also has donated about $500,000 to the Republican Governors Association, a group which Perry headed twice and has been among his most generous campaign donors...

MEMO: Josh Mandel: Raising Money & Raising Eyebrows

Ohio Senate candidate Josh Mandel has yet to do much in his campaign against Sen. Sherrod Brown. Well, he’s yet to do much besides raise money. And it seems he can’t even do that without raising eyebrows.

Last month it was revealed that 16 employees of Suarez Corporation, most of very modest means, all donated to the $5,000 to Mandel and/or Rep. Jim Renacci. As the Toledo Blade noted, “many of whom have never before given to federal campaigns.” The paper contacted one of the employees and wrote “When asked whether the company provided money or encouraged her to give, she said she couldn't talk about the matter at work.”

Mandel’s campaign has repeatedly skirted the issue and even recently proclaimed they were “proud” of the donations, despite their suspicious nature. Considering that Mandel is the Ohio State Treasurer, he should have a better idea where his money is coming from.

Bloomberg: Perry’s Texas Friends Find Donations Dovetail With Contracts

"When Texas billionaire Harold Simmons wanted to build a radioactive waste dump, one data point that would loom large in the permitting process wasn’t required on the application: He is a major donor to Governor Rick Perry. [...] Simmons, who has donated more than $1.2 million to Perry’s campaigns, was granted the permit over the objections of some TCEQ staffers concerned the site threatened the Ogallala Aquifer, a water source for much of the plains. [...] The permit process for the site, run by Simmons’s company Waste Control Specialists LLC, a subsidiary of the publicly traded Valhi Inc. (VHI), is one example of how Perry’s donors’ close ties to the governor can influence government grants, appointments and permits. [...] “As Americans look past his swagger, they’ll see he represents more of the same lobbyist-run politics as usual that they despise,” said Rodell Mollineau, president of American Bridge 21st Century, a Washington-based Democratic opposition research group.

Toledo Blade: Canton firm's workers making unusual donations

Tony Cook breaks a story about questionable donations to Josh Mandel's campaign.

When northern Ohio businessman Benjamin Suarez makes a big campaign contribution, few people are surprised. He owns a direct marketing company that does $100 million annually in sales, and he has a history of giving to Republicans. But in the current election cycle, a large number of his employees and their wives -- many of whom have never before given to federal campaigns -- have contributed to two specific congressional candidates: Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, a Republican running for U.S. Senate, and U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci (R., Wadsworth), who represents Ohio's 16th District.

Rick Perry's Capital Of Cronyism

In Texas, It Pays To Know Rick Perry

In Rick Perry’s office, the revolving door spins both ways: Perry has recruited several senior staffers from the ranks of Austin’s lobbying community, and at least 17 of his former aides have left for lobbying careers. Being close to Perry has its benefits – Perry had appointed nearly a thousand of his donors to boards and commissions, has supported legislation on their behalf, and directed large business incentive grants to their companies. Even Perry himself has profited, thanks to questionable stock and real estate investments involving close allies.