Taylor Marsh – TaylorMarsh.com – News, Opinion and Weblog on Progressive Politics

Money, Money, Kerry's Money –updated below–

DATELINE 10.25.06: Kerry and Kennedy give $1 million more to Democrats. Jane Hamsher sings Kerry\’s praises after he stands up to fight for Ned Lamont. Every Democrat should be following John Kerry\’s lead.

Campaign contributions and raising money for candidates is not my strong suit, so I rarely dissect what goes on in these realms. However, today some things were reported then blogged about that just have to be answered. I'm going to do my best to do that in this post.

According to the F.E.C. website, as of September 30, 2006, Senator
Chuck Schumer has $10,091,773.15 on hand. Senator Schumer has given only $100,000
to the DSCC (again according to the F.E.C. site). Why isn't anyone hitting old Chucky on these facts; asking him
questions? If these numbers are correct, why isn't he coughing up more cash?

There's also this from Atrios, with this post from Chris Bowers reporting that unapposed House Democrats are sitting on $26,288,418. UPDATE: Call House Democrats and tell them to share the wealth!

Then there's the story from Hotlineblog, with Josh Marshall
and others picking it up, including Markos (though he — and others — omit Senator Hillary Clinton entirely). It chose to focus on money John Kerry hasn't
given this year. Never mind all the money he's given previously or raised since
November 2004, or all the fundraisers and running around like a politician with his head cut off he's done for 2006 candidates over the months. What have you done for me lately, baby?

Let's get one thing out of the way right now. Yes, Senator John Kerry gave $14,253 in June 2006, as Marshall stated, though he rounded it off to $15,000. Josh does add this: I know Kerry's done a ton of campaigning for candidates around the country. I think he's a great Democrat. But he's sitting on a lot of money. And the DSCC could do a lot right now with money from these two.

The other guy he's talking about is Evan Bayh. As for Kerry, Marshall doesn't mention anything else Kerry is actively and aggressively doing to help elect Democrats this year. I guess all those efforts don't count.

Hey, but if you're pissed off that Kerry only gave $14,253 this year, go for it. If no other campaigning work or fundraising moves you, rant on. If the cash Kerry gave away after the 2004 election and in 2005 and the fundraising in 2006 doesn't matter, damn Kerry to political hell. Something tells me he and his team will sleep well at night.

That's exactly what one \”Democratic
official not affiliated with the DSCC\” is doing on a slapped together
website, evidently hoping to make JK & company feel guilty. First it was
Air America.
Now it's John Kerry. Insiders don't like
the outsiders, because since Kerry joined Murtha in the campaign to redeploy
our soldiers from Iraq, he's been on the outside looking in.

When I talked to Senator Kerry's office today and asked them about the brouhaha, needless to say I got a rousing response.

“The posting alleging Kerry has given only 15k to DSCC is 100% wrong. Beginning with the million dollars John Kerry gave to the DSCC at the beginning of this election cycle when the committee's coffers needed a boost to show a positive balance at year-end, John Kerry has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars, adding up to $3.5 million, to colleagues and challengers since December of 2004. The bottom line: combined, the Friends of John Kerry, Keeping America's Promise PAC and JohnKerry.com grassroots contributors have provided $3,540,553 in direct contributions, directed donations and online contributions to the DSCC and 22 Senate incumbents and candidates. To Attack John Kerry isn’t just cuckoo for cocoa puffs, it’s garbage, it’s wrong, it’s bullshit of the highest magnitude. You don’t take lies lying down, you fight back with the truth.” – David Wade

I've got numbers provided by the Kerry's PAC. Kerry utilizing his 2004 election clout email
list to pump up the cash volume is what's expected from a former Democratic
presidential candidate. But he has been relentless in pressing for funds through
the clout he's earned.

$1,654,100 raised online from the JohnKerry.com community for Senate colleagues and challengers. Senator Byrd $105,900 Senator Cantwell $180,927 Senator Conrad $ 13,400 Senator Feinstein $ 51,460 Senator Bill Nelson $207,528 Senator Stabenow $ 46,672 Bob Casey (PA) $ 64,000 Claire McCaskill (MO) $ 107,786 Jim Pederson (AZ) $ 58,055 Sherrod Brown (OH) $ 167,373 Cong Harold Ford (TN) $ 98,212 Amy Klobuchar $ 114,919 Jim Webb (VA) $ 141,543 Ned Lamont (CT) $ 28,569 Senator Akaka $ 20,205 Senator Menendez $ 36,668 Jon Tester (MT) $ 74,204 Ben Cardin (MD) $ 74,813 Sheldon Whitehouse (RI) $ 61,866

Here's more from Kerry's PAC.

$835,000 raised at a series of fundraisers for colleagues and candidates, including: $520,000 for Bob Casey in Washington on September 20th, New York on September 21st, Pittsburgh on September 24th and Boston on September 28th. $150,000 for Hillary Clinton in Boston on May 6th. $50,000 for Bill Nelson in Palm Beach on March 13th, Boston on December 1st and Pittsburgh on December 2nd. $40,000 for Maria Cantwell in Boston on June 26th and in Ketchum on July 24th. Sherrod Brown fundraiser on September 9th for $30,000 Pederson fundraiser on September 17th for $45,000

It goes on.

John Kerry has given or raised over 10 million dollars for Democratic candidates and committees since November 2004. John Kerry is aggressively fundraising for Democratic candidates on 2006 – making direct contributions to campaigns, attending and hosting events in the states, emailing his 3 million person list of supporters on behalf of candidates and raising money for state parties, the DNC, DSCC and DCCC. Through over 215K individual direct and online contributions, John Kerry has raised over $13.5 million through his leadership committees since November 2004. Of that, Kerry has given away over $10 million to Democratic candidates and committees across the country. Kerry has financially supported 179 candidates for House, Senate and state and local offices and committees in 42 states. Kerry has personally traveled to 24 states to appear with candidates and rally support at the grassroots. Kerry has made over 85 trips across the country to support Democratic candidates this cycle. Kerry gave $1 million to the Democratic National Committee and raised an additional $250,000 for the DNC online. Kerry also gave $1 million to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and $500,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Kerry contributed $50,000 to the Louisiana State Party and gave $250,000 to the Washington State Democratic Party which helped finance a recount when the Republican party challenged the win of Gov. Christine Gregoire in 2005. Kerry through the johnkerry.com community has raised over 100K each for 11 candidates, including Cantwell, Bill Nelson, Byrd, Sherrod Brown, Ford, McCaskill, Klobuchar, Webb, Duckworth, Patrick Murphy and Joe Sestak. Kerry ended Q2 with over 14.3 million dollars total cash on hand. Below is a rundown of Kerry's support of Democratic candidates (as of 8.30.06): $2,389,449 for 18 candidates for US Senate – 11 incumbents, 7 challengers. $1,048,333 for 78 candidates for US House – 40 incumbents, 38 challengers. $311,691 for 11 candidates for Governor – 6 incumbents, 5 challengers. $124,250 for 31 candidates for state and local races. $6,041,161 for 41 committees – includes state parties and state legislatures the DNC, DCCC and DSCC and the MA AFL-CIO. Breakdown Keeping America's Promise/ Friends of John Kerry: Keeping America's Promise helped to raise $4,965,217 for candidates, committees and causes: * $3,302,400 through 67 events for 10 federal candidates, 6 non-federal, 9 committees and causes * $1,662,817 direct marketing fundraising for ­­29 fed candidates & 1non-fed Keeping America's Promise contributed $275,803 to candidates, committees and causes: * 154,550 to 118 candidates * $101,400 to 82 federal candidates * $53,150 to 36 non-federal candidates * 121,253 to 22 committees and causes Friends of John Kerry helped to raise $1,853,565 for candidates, committees and causes: * $440,357 in direct marketing fundraising to 19 federal candidates, 6 non * $313,208 in direct marketing fundraising to 8 committees * $1,100,000 in direct marketing fundraising to causes (Red Cross & USO)

People need to do more than just pull out one number and run with it. It's
damaging to us all, but most especially to someone who is working his ass off
in this cycle, regardless if you like or hate John Kerry.

As for whatever money he might or might not have in his own coffers, I think
the fundraising above shows his willingness to work for the party, his colleagues
and Democratic hopefuls. I also have to bluntly ask why anyone should
be made to drain his or her political coffers dry when they're working balls to the walls day in and day out in
a given election cycle. Is the man supposed to give every last dime and be left
with nothing going forward? Again, it's not like he's sitting on his ass watching
the days tick by until this is all over.

I don't see many other big Democratic powerhouses helping out Ned Lamont or pushing back against Joe Lieberman's stay the course Iraq madness. Do you?

So the next time Hotline or anyone else does a blog post, maybe they should consider
giving the full truth or at least pick up the phone or send an email to check the bottom line. There's also the obvious fact that if Kerry has money left
that he raised himself for his own coming reelection or political ambitions, as long as he's working his ass off for others in an off election cycle for him, why should he or any other politician have to sell his or her future out to appease the political peanut gallery?

Again, our top Democratic Party politicians owe the party a lot, especially
when they have the clout to give it, but whether we're talking about Hillary
Clinton or John Kerry or Joe Biden, they do not owe anyone the gift of their
own future, whatever path they might choose to take.

Kerry allies prefer to keep the focus on what Kerry has done this election cycle to help Democratic candidates. Since he lost to Bush, Kerry has raised $13.5 million through his leadership committees, his aides say. Of that, he has given nearly $10 million to Democratic candidates, supporting 166 candidates for congressional, state and local offices in 40 states, they say. He has traveled to 24 states to help Democratic candidates, working strenuously to erase any lingering bad taste Democratic leaders and activists have from his loss to Bush. Since that day, calamitous for Democrats, Kerry has collected about 215,000 contributions, say his aides. He has benefited handsomely from a database with the names of 3 million Democratic activists and supporters compiled during the presidential campaign. Kerry has also given $1 million from his old presidential campaign war chest to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), $1 million to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and $500,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. His fundraising prowess and generosity have drawn praise from party big wigs. “John Kerry has been relentlessly active during these last couple of years raising money for other campaigns,” said Steve Grossman, a former DNC chairman and close adviser to the current chairman, Howard Dean. “It seems to me John Kerry is playing a strong leadership role. He has been as strong an asset as this party has.” Grossman noted that Kerry raised most of the money in the John Kerry for President and the GELAC accounts and that the money was given to elect him president. “To the extent the Kerry campaign raised money, it seems to me that that money is to be used by John Kerry for his own political purposes,” he said. … Sen. Kerry ponders uses of his $14 million

UPDATE II (9:25 p.m.): Josh Marshall explains.

UPDATE (8:50 p.m.): Markos has updated his post to include Senator Clinton. Pamela at Democratic Daily agrees that something about the anonymous site simply smells.