Disturbing Dean Campaign Contributions (I'm a Dean supporter, btw)

[Zhade]

I like the guy, and have been leaning toward him (though I love Kucinich very much as a candidate), but this just straight up made me uncomfortable:

HOWARD DEAN (D)
Top Contributors
Cycle: 2004 All Cycles*

University of California
$63,121

AOL Time Warner
$61,425

Microsoft Corp
$29,828

Harvard University
$26,530

IBM Corp
$25,095

Dean for America
$20,947

University of Pennsylvania
$17,935

Emory University
$16,916

Stanford University
$16,550

Dartmouth College
$15,400

Citigroup Inc
$15,325

University of Washington
$14,218

University of Texas
$14,050

Skadden, Arps et al
$13,749

Massachusetts Institute of Technology
$13,689

Hewlett-Packard
$13,070

McKenna, Long & Aldridge
$12,850

State of Vermont
$12,780

Princeton University
$12,415

Goldman Sachs
$12,300

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/contrib.asp?id=N00025663&cycle=2004

IBM? CitiGroup? HP? Goldman Sachs? Micro$oft? AOL-TW?

What the hell?

[Forkboy]

1. I wonder how many of these groups

also donate to other candidates.Many groups will donate to both Dem and Repub candidates.

Not that I'll feel too good taking money from IBM though.

[demnan]

2. Did you read this in the right hand column:

The organizations themselves did not donate, rather the money came from the organization's PAC, its individual members or employees or owners, and those individuals' immediate families.

[Wickerman]

5. Explains the Uni's

was wondering why universitys would be contributing during primaries.

[Hep]

9. PAC

Maybe you mean something different, but Dean has only 40 G's in PAC contributions.

Honestly, I don't even know what that means.

[soleft]

3. I work for a huge corp

and we contribute to both parties

[LoneStarLiberal]

4. They Like To Spread It Out

The big companies and their PACs play both sides of the road, even though our Republican administration, specifically Barking Tom's initiatives to dragoon the interest groups into Republican-only organizations, has tried to skew them solidly into the red side of things.

Last time I checked the only candidate who pointedly didn't take money from anyone outside of bankers and lawyers (predominantly lawyers) was Edwards. His receipt record through Open Secrets pretty much reflects that.

Corporate finance of candidates isn't anything new or special, unfortunately.

And regardless of who tries to tell you otherwise, it ain't going away until after the revolution.

[Hep]

6. Idunno

But I want to publicly thank Bill Gates for donating 7 million dollars to schools in NC.

Pepsico gave to Sharpton, you know?

It's politics. Wait until the field narrows down.

[sfecap]

7. The donations did NOT come from the companies...

...they came from employees of the companies. Read the explanation.

[Minstrel Boy]

13. As this Canadian understands it,

corporations are forbidden by law from donating directly to leadership candidates. Am I right?

I remember reading something to this effect in the aftermath of the blackout. The CEO of the energy company alledgedly responsible had encouraged his employees to contribute to Bush's 2000 leadership campaign, but the company itself was prohibited from making a direct contribution.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

17. a distinction without a difference - corps can't donate directly

Corporations can't donate directly to candidates, so they use PACs and "bundled" donations. It's been that way for a long time.

[dsc]

22. It is a big difference

If you look at the second quarter donations you would see my contribution listed as my school district. I assure you they had not one whit to do with my contribution.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

8. None of those contributions surprise me and they really aren't that large

In fact, it makes me happy that they see the value of Dean. If they weren't spreading here they would be spreading it elsewhere.

[DoveTurnedHawk]

11. Welcome Back!

:loveya: :hug:

DTH

[Hawkeye-X]

38. welcome back NSMA!

:hi:

[Zhade]

10. Thanks for the explanations, all!

Helped me understand clearer. Good points, too.

I think we really should just have public-funded elections. No corporate contributions, period, for anyone.

Of course, as one of you mentioned, that won't be going away anytime soon...!

[DoveTurnedHawk]

12. Public Financing of Campaigns Is the Only Way to Go, IMO

The Republicans would never go for it, though. They have too big an advantage now, with the limit having been raised to $2,000.

DTH

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

15. Bingo and if money equals speech according to the USSC

then how come johns can't say "but officer I was just speaking to that hooker!"

[JNelson6563]

30. DTH everyday it seems I see yet another

thing I agree with you on.

Think fo the fun we'll have when we're on the same team! ;-)

Julie

[gully]

14. Lookey here at Shrubs top contributions...

Merrill Lynch
$364,300

UBS Americas
$260,990

PriceWaterhouseCoopers
$209,800

Credit Suisse First Boston
$203,050

Goldman Sachs
$196,850

MBNA Corp
$196,600

Blank Rome LLP
$193,900

Lehman Brothers
$191,500

Bear Stearns
$163,200

Union Pacific Corp
$157,250

Microsoft Corp
$156,500

Haynes & Boone
$154,400

Ameriquest Capital
$152,800

Winston & Strawn
$142,000

Ernst & Young
$137,950

Vinson & Elkins
$133,855

SBC Communications
$123,750

Citigroup Inc
$118,100

United Technologies
$108,875

Blackstone Group
$107,000


Agreed, PUBLIC financing with everyone getting the same amount...

However, DTH is right, the Rethugs would never bite.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

16. I thought Dean didn't take any corporate money?

Dean supporters have said over and over again that Dean doesn't take corporate money. What gives?

[revcarol]

19. These are bundled individual contributions, I'd bet.

But when you get $10,000 of bundled contributions from one company, does THE COMPANY have better access? Dean says so.

[MercutioATC]

25. Nobody has said that he doesn't take corporate money.

I'm a Dean supporter, but I don't have a problem with ANY candidate taking corporate money as long as the vast majority of his/her contributions are from individuals. I know that Edwards isn't aking ANY corporate money...Kucinich too, maybe?

[rucky]

18. Compared To *'s top contributors...

http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/contrib.asp?id=N00008072&cycle=2004

Note the Microsoft Contribution, and the WAY bigger numbers in general:

Merrill Lynch
$364,300

UBS Americas
$260,990

PriceWaterhouseCoopers
$209,800

Credit Suisse First Boston
$203,050

Goldman Sachs
$196,850

MBNA Corp
$196,600

Blank Rome LLP
$193,900

Lehman Brothers
$191,500

Bear Stearns
$163,200

Union Pacific Corp
$157,250

Microsoft Corp
$156,500

Haynes & Boone
$154,400

Ameriquest Capital
$152,800

Winston & Strawn
$142,000

Ernst & Young
$137,950

Vinson & Elkins
$133,855

SBC Communications
$123,750

Citigroup Inc
$118,100

United Technologies
$108,875

Blackstone Group
$107,000

[revcarol]

21. Notice the Vinson & Elkins line.

80% of Vinson & Elkins work was ENRON. Where Alberto Gonzales used to work, before becoming Bush's mouthpiece.

How are they still in business?

[denverbill]

20. As others have clearly pointed out,

the contributions are from employees of those institutions. College professors are very heavy supporters of Dean, as are professionals, such as those working for MS, IBM, etc.

I'm quite sure the little company I work for is listed way way way down the list, but they sure didn't give him any money. I did, and you have to list your employer when you contribute.

[Taxi Driver]

23. Tell it to the Marines

I'm sure those donations are from private individuals.

Let's just say that the corporations have an "influence" over these contributions from the private individuals.

It's all corporate controlled.

I like Gephardt and Kucinich because they get money from mostly labor, not corporations and universities (the biggest crooks of em all).

[denverbill]

28. What a load of crap.

No university or corporation has endorsed a Democratic candidate.

I challenge you to find any corporation or university who has endorsed Dean. Put up or shut up.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

24. When I called Kucinich headquarters to contribute over the phone

they asked me whether someone else had given me the money to donate, whether I had been asked to donate by an employer, and a bunch of other questions that seemed designed to weed out PAC money or coerced or secondhand donations.

[JaneQPublic]

26. Yep, those are standard questions all candidates must ask donors.

I have to answer the very same ones when I contribute to Dr. Dean online.

[denverbill]

29. Yep. Me too.

And once, apparently the info didn't take, because the Dean campaign mailed me a letter requesting that I list my employer, and when I viewed my contributions to Dean, sure enough, one didn't list my employer.

[jburton]

27. The same answer as last quarter...

A variation of this post seems to appear at the end of every reporting period, and the answer is STILL the SAME:

When you donate to a candidate, you are asked to fill in your employers name on the form where it says "employers name"

So for example, above you listed "University of Texas $14,050"

This doesn't mean the UT board of regents whipped out the checkbook and wrote a check for $14,050. It means that $14,050 was the sum of contributions from people who list UT at their place of employment.

So, it could include professors, data clerks, groundskeepers, cafeteria workers, or the university president. The have something like a dozen campuses around the state and employ thousands of people, just as the other groups you listed have tons of employees.


on edit: it could also include grad students who work as lab assistants :)

[Feanorcurufinwe]

31. No chance Gates wants to keep the "what anti-trust?" Justice Dept in power

No, that couldn't be his motivation...


Move along folks, nothing to see here.

[uh-oh Independent]

32. What about "State of Vermont"

what's that all about? Did he just write himself a check from the state general fund?

[dsc]

34. No

people employed by the state of Vermont gave their own personal money. Incredibly those of us who work for the government have the very same freedoms you do. Go figure.

[uh-oh Independent]

39. OK

good answer.

[newyawker99]

37. Hi uh-oh Independent!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[uh-oh Independent]

40. Hello

Beware, I'm a moderate... I even voted for Arnold the Nazi-rapist-pigdog... I hope that doesn't disqualify me.

[Classical_Liberal]

33. and 14 million from ordinary folks

so I'm not that impressed.

[PeaceProgProsp]

35. Microsoft and TW lean seriously Democratic in their donations...

...not that's a good thing, though, since they're both trying to monopolize their industirs. IBM is probably quid pro quo, more or less, since he did them a few favors in VT.

If you look at the mix of donations for a candidate, it's usually media, finance or industry which dominate. Dean has a little of each. I'm sure the big money is still waiting to see how things play out.

[janekat]

36. Goldman Sachs was a huge contributor to Bush (Pioneer/Ranger)

in 2000.