Politics Daily http://www.politicsdaily.com Politics Daily http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.politicsdaily.com/media/feedlogo.gif Politics Daily http://www.politicsdaily.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Latest From Gingrich: Presidential Announcement Likely in Mayhttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/10/latest-from-gingrich-presidential-announcement-likely-in-may/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/10/latest-from-gingrich-presidential-announcement-likely-in-may/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/10/latest-from-gingrich-presidential-announcement-likely-in-may/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich is taking the carefully choreographed process of launching a presidential campaign to a new level this year.

After tiptoeing toward forming an "exploratory" committee earlier this month, Gingrich instead revealed only that he had created an exploratory website. In fact, NewtExplore2012.com is little more than a fundraising tool. As Politics Daily's Walter Shapiro put it, the on again/off again roll-out had "all the grace of a suitcase falling down a flight of stairs."

But that was only the beginning. In a conference call this week to former aides, Gingrich said that if he runs, he will announce his campaign in front of historic Independence Hall in Philadelphia in May, according to CNN and the Associated Press. And he is leaning toward "yes," those involved in the call said. Gingrich also reportedly said he couldn't go into much detail "for legal reasons." Whether that Philly announcement will be a full-throated declaration of candidacy, or simply the official formation of an exploratory committee is not clear.

What exactly is an exploratory committee?

The Federal Election Commission notes that before deciding for sure on a national campaign, a would-be candidate "may first want to 'test the waters' -- that is, explore the feasibility" of running. That could entail traveling the country to assess public support, and just as importantly to determine if sufficient money can be raised. "An individual who merely conducts selected testing-the-waters activities does not have to register or report as a candidate even if the individual raises or spends more than $5,000," the FEC says, referring to the dollar threshold that requires filing as a "candidate."

Once that hopeful person -- with toe in water -- raises or spends more money than what is "reasonably needed" for a test run, or refers to himself as a candidate, or authorizes advertising, that person becomes a "candidate" in the eyes of the FEC -- even if still technically in the exploratory phase.

For Newt Gingrich, terms like "exploratory committee" are not trivial, since even the run-up to a candidacy forces the prospects to sort out their finances and be careful to comply with complicated campaign finance requirements -- the aforementioned "legal reasons," including documenting who is paying for what.

That is apparently why Gingrich, who presides over a network of non-profits and commercial enterprises, seemed to pull back from forming an exploratory committee earlier this month and merely made mini-news with his website. But even the prelims -- the website asking for donations -- will fall under FEC purview if he decides to make a real go of it in May.

Despite the complexities, the step-by-step process leading up to a full-blown presidential candidacy has big benefits -- mainly free media attention. Each announcement along the way will be treated as an Event by reporters eager for the launch of the late-starting 2012 presidential campaign.

Folo Tom Diemer on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomdiemer

 

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]]>dailyguidanceTom Diemer2011-03-10T11:26:00+00:00Obama's Education Trip: As Much About Campaigning as Classroomshttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/09/obamas-education-trip-as-much-about-campaigning-as-classrooms/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/09/obamas-education-trip-as-much-about-campaigning-as-classrooms/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/09/obamas-education-trip-as-much-about-campaigning-as-classrooms/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Given President Obama's recent (and very public) focus on education, one might think that he was stepping above the partisan fray to tackle long-term "strategic investments in America's future," as the White House would put it.

Having decided that March is, unofficially, Education Month, the commander in chief went on the road to tout education reform, a historically bipartisan issue. But a closer read of Obama's message -- and the fact that his visits were coupled with party fundraisers -- are signs that this effort wasn't simply about schools and teaching.

Despite whatever consensus exists on education, the president has used the issue strategically to draw a sharp contrast between his vision for the country and that of the GOP.

While Republicans continue to beat the drum on debt and deficit, Obama is making his case for targeted spending to help America, in his words, win the future. In so doing, Obama is seeking to cast himself (and his party) as forward-thinking and optimistic, compared with a Republican Party Democrats would like to characterize as filled with gloom and doom.

On this trip to Boston, Obama pitched the need for higher, more competitive educational standards, turning around under-performing schools, reforming teaching methods and teacher evaluation processes, creating "21st century" classrooms, and building stronger parent-teacher partnerships.
"Even as we find ways to cut spending, we cannot cut back on job-creating investments like education. We cannot cut back on the very investments that will help our economy grow and our nation compete and make sure that these young people succeed," Obama said Tuesday at the TechBoston Academy, which integrates technology throughout all of its academic courses.

While this is not the tough-talking partisan rhetoric of the 2010 election cycle -- remember the metaphor about the GOP "driving the car into the ditch?" -- make no mistake: the president is on the campaign trail.

And beyond the rhetoric about education, the president also engaged in the most classic of campaign activities: raising money. At each of his last two stops to tout education reform, Obama made time to hit Democratic congressional campaign fundraisers.

In Miami last Friday, he stopped in at two Democratic Senate Campaign Committee (DSCC) events: the first was at the ritzy Fountainbleau hotel and the second at a private home. Donations from both events totaled an estimated $1 million.

In Boston on Tuesday, he stopped in at the Museum of Fine Arts for another DSCC event, where he raised another million.

Obama is a legendary fundraiser: After drumming up an unprecedented $750 million in his 2008 campaign for president, he used the same skills to rack up millions for Democratic candidates in the 2010 campaign. In August alone, the president filled Democratic coffers with nearly $8 million. And for the 2012 presidential election, analysts say Team Obama is on track to haul in a record $1 billion.

The president, of course, has not officially entered next year's race (like so many GOP contenders) -- and so the funds he's raised thus far are mostly for the Democratic Party. But all signs point to a reelection team with a battle plan for the months ahead.

As my colleague Lynn Sweet points out, Obama campaign chair Jim Messina was also recently in Miami, though not with his boss. On Tuesday, Messina was scouting the town for -- what else? -- big-ticket donors who might be called upon for contributions to President Obama's 2012 campaign.

 

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]]>bostonDemocratic Senatorial Campaign Committeeobama and education reformtechbostonwin the futureAlex Wagner2011-03-09T22:14:00+00:00Grand Jury Investigating John Edwards Expected to Report Soonhttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/01/grand-jury-investigating-john-edwards-expected-to-report-soon/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/01/grand-jury-investigating-john-edwards-expected-to-report-soon/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/01/grand-jury-investigating-john-edwards-expected-to-report-soon/#commentsFiled under: , ,

It's hard to feel too sorry for John Edwards, once a golden boy in Democratic politics and now scorned for the way he betrayed his wife and made her last years harder than they should have been. Elizabeth Edwards succumbed to her cancer last year, and in the months since, Edwards has kept a very low profile, moving back into the family home in Chapel Hill, N.C., that he had left when he and Elizabeth separated. But according to an exhaustively reported story in The New York Times, Edwards' self-inflicted solitude could soon come to an end.

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A federal grand jury that has been meeting for almost two years in Raleigh, N.C., is expected to conclude soon. It has been investigating the fundraising practices associated with Edwards' 2008 presidential campaign, and whether any of that money was used either to support Edwards' mistress, Rielle Hunter, or cover up their affair. Prosecutors have combed through bank records from multiple accounts and interviewed dozens of campaign aides along with wealthy donors to Edwards, including 100-year-old Bunny Mellon, who underwrote Edwards to the tune of some $6 million.

If it's proven that money donated to the campaign went to Hunter's upkeep and to assure her silence, that evidence would be half the puzzle. The more relevant challenge for prosecutors is to determine whether Edwards knew the money was being used for that purpose and went along with it in order to preserve his political future. The level of incrimination could mean the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony.

There is also the possibility that the prosecutorial team could decide not to press any charges. The maze of finances in any campaign is hard to separate and pin on any one individual, and Edwards presumably took some pains to distance himself from potential wrongdoing. But he was living a double life, and mistakes could have been made. He posed as a married man with a wife America had fallen in love with while he was also the father of a child born out of wedlock, which he denied for way too long.

Stories pop up every so often predicting the grand jury will soon report, which must have Edwards living on tender hooks. He has also been forced to testify in a civil suit brought by Hunter against Andrew Young, the former Edwards aide who posed for a time as the father of her child, and then wrote a tell-all book about the whole experience. Hunter is suing to recover a video of her and Edwards having sex that she claims Young took from her when she was staying with him and his wife, and then used it to secure his book deal. The trial in that case is set for October.

A photo of Edwards standing alone in his beach house in North Carolina, taken through the window perhaps without Edwards' knowledge, evokes the portrait of a man in retreat. The reservoir of sympathy for Edwards has run dry, and as he faces these dual legal challenges, he has little left to preserve other than his reputation as a top-flight lawyer.

 

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]]>campaign financegrand juryJohn EdwardsJohn Edwards Affairjohn edwards grand juryreille hunterEleanor Clift2011-03-01T22:28:00+00:00Gabrielle Giffords for Jon Kyl's Senate Seat? Don't Count Her Outhttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/12/gabrielle-giffords-for-jon-kyls-senate-seat-dont-count-her-ou/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/12/gabrielle-giffords-for-jon-kyls-senate-seat-dont-count-her-ou/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/12/gabrielle-giffords-for-jon-kyls-senate-seat-dont-count-her-ou/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

In today's political climate, a Democrat must assume the chances of winning a Senate seat in Arizona are about the same as an ice cube lasting more than 30 seconds in the Grand Canyon State's famous 100-degree-plus summer heat. There's no doubt Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) has been well aware of that, but apparently, she's had her eye on Republican Sen. Jon Kyl's seat on the chance he would not run again in 2012.

Kyl has chosen not to run for re-election. Shortly after the news broke this week, political observers lamented that Giffords, who was shot in the head in a rampage that left six dead and 13 wounded at a January constituent gathering in Tucson, would not be able take advantage of the opportunity because of her injury. Plus, a Giffords victory would increase, from a sad 17, the number of women in the 100-seat Senate.

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But with reports that Giffords' recovery has been amazing and is progressing at "lightning speed," have we written off her future political career too quickly?

Val Jones, M.D., a rehabilitation medicine specialist and CEO of Better Health, says, "In the end, the best-case scenario is that Giffords will have subtle enough deficits to be undetected by onlookers, but if she runs again, I'm sure she'll need extra support. I'd suspect that she'll need to lean on assistants for heavy mental work and may not have the intellectual stamina she had before ... [which] will make it difficult to keep up a grueling political pace in life."

Obviously, Giffords has an arduous road ahead of her. Some observers say she shouldn't even consider running for re-election to her current congressional seat, let alone make a bid for an even tougher Senate battle, calling such speculation about Giffords' future crass and an unrealistic "fairy tale scenario."

In another political time, I might agree on both counts. But in our world, where every moment is a campaign moment, it's fair to ponder the possibility, especially since Giffords has made more recovery progress than anyone imagined possible.

It's only been a little more than a month since the shooting and not only has Giffords opened her eyes, she is communicating, eating, moving, breathing on her own, and starting rehabilitation. As someone with a family member who suffered a traumatic brain injury not so long ago, I can tell you that to reach those milestones in a month is nothing short of miraculous, even if Giffords still has a marathon ahead of her.

If Giffords does reach the point where she is physically able to run another campaign, sources tell Politics Daily that some members of Giffords' congressional class have volunteered to raise funds on her behalf. The Democratic fundraising site ActBlue already has a page dedicated to Giffords' 2012 House race. And it's clear that she has the moral support of her two heavy-hitter political friends, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), who were at her bedside when she first opened her eyes after the shooting.

So is it crazy to dream of seeing "Giffords for Senate in 2012" bumper stickers on cars driving around Phoenix, Flagstaff and Tucson? Or perhaps they'd say something a little more cheery, like "Go, Gabby, Go!" In light of the strides Giffords has made, potential GOP contenders such as Rep. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.) and former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Ariz.) shouldn't count out the congresswoman who has become the poster girl for beating the odds.

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]]>Gabrielle GiffordsJon KylSenatesenate 2012Joanne Bamberger2011-02-12T23:00:00+00:00Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx Juggles 2012 DNC -- and Everything Elsehttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/11/charlotte-mayor-anthony-foxx-juggles-2012-dnc-and-everything/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/11/charlotte-mayor-anthony-foxx-juggles-2012-dnc-and-everything/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/11/charlotte-mayor-anthony-foxx-juggles-2012-dnc-and-everything/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- It's an exciting and heady time for Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, a leader in the city's successful campaign to win the 2012 Democratic National Convention. But he hardly has time to savor the moment.

"What's next?" is a question he'll be answering from now until then, while he reassures a city anxious about financial and other costs, and plans his own 2011 re-election bid. And, of course, Foxx has to continue to serve as mayor of the nation's 18th largest city, one with charms but also challenges that an international spotlight will only magnify.

In Foxx's regular press briefing on Friday, he wore a "Charlotte in 2012" button while fielding questions on city water rates and taxi cab contracts at the airport - the juggling act in full view.

"As mayor of this city, I've still got to lead it," he told me later. "It's a matter of not getting seduced by the flashbulbs and staying true to the things I got into this office to do."

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The most important part of being mayor "is making sure the city is moving in the right direction," Foxx said. Among his and the city council's priorities are strong plans for transit and public safety and improving neighborhoods, "whether we had the Democratic convention or not." And will those goals coincide with getting the city prepared for its 2012 close-up? "I would hope so," Foxx said with a smile.

Foxx used the term "due diligence" several times on Friday, saying he would appoint someone to help "make sure we've thought of all the things that have to be done to pull off a first-class event."

While last year, the NRA conference drew an estimated 70,000 to Charlotte, Foxx said the Democratic convention, with the president and several Cabinet members in attendance, was "different." There will be increased demands on infrastructure and security, he said. "That's the price you pay for playing in this league."

He said taxpayers wouldn't be paying, pointing to the bid package and contract between the DNC and the host committee. "We've done a good job of protecting the city from any (financial) shortages in the convention," Foxx said. Even with restrictions the party has placed on corporate fund-raising, Foxx said, "we will raise the money," estimated to be $40 million. "I have no doubts about that." He also said that "a lot of security dollars are going to come into our area." Denver, host city of the 2008 DNC, received other benefits, including a bike-share program, he said.

Foxx was happy to talk about his plans to harness the "energy" of the moment as the city prepares to host its first national political convention. (And he didn't mind imagining a possible pick-up basketball game, with Charlotte Bobcats majority owner Michael Jordan on his team going two-on-two against President Obama - whom Foxx has met with several times in the White House -- and Reggie Love.)

It was the kind of confidence that has marked Foxx's political career.

Foxx made a splash just by getting elected in 2009. He was the second African-American to win the office. The first, Harvey Gantt, who served from 1983 to 1987, introduced the new mayor at his victory rally. Foxx was the first Democrat elected to the top spot in 22 years and, at 38 then, he was also the youngest. He is a child of Charlotte, raised by his mother and her parents on the city's west side, where he learned astute political lessons from his grandfather James, a respected educator and activist. The two planted Gantt campaign signs in the front yard. Foxx was the first African-American elected student body president at Davidson College before earning a law degree at New York University.

His stump speech in 2009's mayoral campaign differed little from his Republican opponent's, with both favoring aid to small business, an expansion of the city's economic base and a commitment to public safety. What distinguished Foxx was a childhood in a neighborhood that has changed little despite Charlotte's booming economic growth, and his pledge to correct the oversight.

Foxx also noted how the community's excitement over racially and economically diverse public schools -- like the ones he attended - had faded in a shrinking economy. Though the position of Charlotte mayor has little power over policy or budgets for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, Foxx has taken an interest, speaking out often on ways to close an achievement gap and his concern over the growing racial and socioeconomic divide in the system. (It's a reason he was criticized when he moved his young daughter to private school, receiving one of his few negative headlines.)

In Friday's briefing, right up there with the DNC win as recent good news, Foxx mentioned Project LIFT, a pledge of $55 million by business and philanthropic groups to reform struggling schools and at-risk students. That same week, of course, the DNC news crowded out most everything else. (Well, the day of the announcement, Foxx did send out a fund-raising letter looking to a March 10 kick-off event to his own 2011 re-election campaign.)

The 2012 Democratic convention isn't the only concern of Charlotte or of Anthony Foxx. But his fortunes and his future on the national political stage are tied to how the city pulls off the big event. When Democratic National Committee chair Tim Kaine toured Charlotte's arena facilities, Foxx was at his side.

Foxx knows that no matter how much help he has from the host committee, the DNC, city and county officials and a city anxious to put its best foot forward -- he will get the credit and the blame.

The situation got the amateur musician "thinking back to my trumpet" and advice his friend Wynton Marsalis gave him as they traded riffs: "Whether you're the band leader or not, when it comes time to play, you've got to play."


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]]>anthony foxxMary C. Curtis2011-02-11T21:00:00+00:00How Do N.C. Republicans View Democrats' 2012 Charlotte Convention?http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/06/how-do-n-c-republicans-view-democrats-2012-charlotte-conventio/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/06/how-do-n-c-republicans-view-democrats-2012-charlotte-conventio/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/06/how-do-n-c-republicans-view-democrats-2012-charlotte-conventio/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina -- It was no surprise that elected officials here would write a letter of welcome to the Democratic National Committee while anticipating the millions of dollars expected to follow the delegates, media and assorted visitors when the party's 2012 convention comes to town.

We "extend our greetings and heartfelt thanks" to the committee, said the letter from the Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners, read loud and clear at last week's meeting. It went on to extol the "Southern traditions and hospitality" of Charlotte's "vibrant, diverse community."

But while the message was routine, the messenger -- none other than GOP Commissioner Bill James - was a surprise. James is known for expressing far more critical sentiments about Charlotte's diversity, most recently in December when he disapproved of a letter that commission chair, Democrat Jennifer Roberts, wanted to send to Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina thanking him for backing repeal of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

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Other commissioners questioned whether a letter should be sent on behalf of the entire board. However, James went further labeling homosexuals "sexual predators" and vowing he could no longer support the Republican Burr.

Considering their recent tussle, there was more than a little political gamesmanship in Roberts' suggestion that James read the lovely letter to the DNC. And James got his own digs in, saying in asides, "who wrote this?" and "as long as it didn't cost any money."

Approval laced with skepticism also seems to be the pattern as state Republicans react to the Democrats' big news.

The effort to bring the convention to Charlotte enlisted the backing of some prominent GOP names, including former Mayor Richard Vinroot of Charlotte and former Gov. James Martin. During the convention competition, they wrote in an opinion piece in the Charlotte Observer: "We are proud Republicans. But we are also proud advocates of Charlotte and North Carolina, and believe that bringing the 2012 Democratic National Convention to Charlotte represents an unprecedented economic development opportunity for our city, our region and our state. Some issues are partisan. This one is not."

For them, it was all about business, but neither man is running for office. While the Democrats' pick of Charlotte signals the party intends to run competitively in the South, state Republicans are showing they relish the fight.

Last week, North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Robin Hayes - who lost his U.S. House seat to Blue Dog Democrat Larry Kissell in 2008 -- said: "We look forward to Charlotte being in the spotlight in 2012, but North Carolinians will not be fooled again by empty promises of 'Hope' and 'Change.'" His statement went on to say: "We welcome the Democrats to Charlotte, but they must answer for their misguided policies that have led to more debt, more spending and more government."

Republican Pat McCrory, who after a popular 14-year run as Charlotte mayor was narrowly defeated in his 2008 gubernatorial contest, wondered if city and state taxpayers are going to be hit with any of the costs associated with putting on a convention.

McCrory, remember, was particularly stung that in 2008 he ran behind his opponent Bev Perdue in his own Charlotte-Mecklenburg. (The night before the 2008 election, candidate Obama made a last stop at an emotional rally at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, "the campus I supported," McCrory ruefully told me as he prepared to leave the mayor's office.) He will probably seek a rematch against an opponent who, along with her party's top-of-the-ticket national leader, now may be more vulnerable.

The issue of financing - how the money is raised and who pays for what - is one that will be closely watched, particularly after the Democrats announced that, what they have dubbed the "People's Convention," will be paid for without donations from corporations or political action committees.

Andy Dulin, one of just three Republicans on the 11-member Charlotte City Council, told me on Friday, "From the day we made the short list, I thought 'This is a business deal.'" Would he have liked to have had the Republicans coming? "Sure." But he said that the Republicans on the council are able to see the benefits and get past the partisanship.

"I'll be happy to see them come - and go - safely," he said of the Democrats. Dulin said that despite their political disagreements, he is friendly with Mayor Anthony Foxx, a prime driver in the effort to bring the Democrats to Charlotte and someone whose state and national profile will only grow.

Dulin had several initial concerns, including community safety and the use of city tax dollars. But he said he was satisfied that all the contracts are between the DNC and the host committee, which will be raising money in the private sector, and that the city won't be "on the hook."

Another of Dulin's worries, one he said has been allayed, is that increased union participation in the convention would take jobs from the local labor force since North Carolina is a right-to-work state and has the lowest-in-the-country percentage of worker union participation.

The issue, however, is one that lingers between the Democratic Party and one of its most loyal constituencies.

Unions are one of the Democrats' most loyal constituencies and while the largest ones in the state supported the Charlotte pick, other state and national union leaders believed the choice signaled a weakening in the party's pro-union stand.

Mayor Foxx has said the host committee will reach out to unions, but on this point, Democratic headaches will likely come not from Republican foes but Democratic friends.

Click here to follow Mary C. Curtis on Twitter.

 

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]]>2012 Democratic Convention in Charlotteanthony foxxBill JamesDemocratsGays in the militaryLabor unionsMary C. Curtis2011-02-06T22:00:00+00:00FEC Increases Political Contribution Limits for 2012http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/04/fec-increases-political-contribution-limits-for-2012/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/04/fec-increases-political-contribution-limits-for-2012/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/04/fec-increases-political-contribution-limits-for-2012/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Adjusting for inflation, the Federal Election Commission has increased the amount donors can give to federal candidates during the 2012 campaign cycle.

Individuals may now write checks of up to $2,500 to candidates for president, the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives. That's up $100 from last year's midterm elections.

In addition, individuals may donate $30,800 annually to national party committees -- up about $400.

An individual's total contribution to all federal campaigns, parties and other political committees combined may not exceed $117,000 between Jan.1, 2011 and Dec. 31, 2012.

Limits for political action committees remain unchanged at $5,000 for contributions to individual candidates and $15,000 for donations to party comittees.

The new rules, adjusted for inflation every two years, were announced on the FEC's website late Thursday.

For the complete regulations click here.

 

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]]>2012 electionsdailyguidanceFECFederal Election CommissionPolitical contributionpolitical donationsChristopher Weber2011-02-04T17:05:00+00:00Palin's PAC Raised $3.5 Million Last Year, Starts 2011 With $1.3 Millionhttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/26/palins-pac-raised-3-5-million-last-year-starts-2011-with-1-3/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/26/palins-pac-raised-3-5-million-last-year-starts-2011-with-1-3/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/26/palins-pac-raised-3-5-million-last-year-starts-2011-with-1-3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

After bringing in $279,000 during the final six weeks of last year, Sarah Palin's political action committee's total fundraising for 2010 topped $3.5 million, according to a financial disclosure filed Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission.

Nearly all the money raised by SarahPAC from Nov. 23 to Dec. 31 came from individual donors -- mostly in amounts less than $200, The New York Times reported. Of 600 itemized donations, only eight were for $1,000 or more, the newspaper said.

SarahPAC spent about $2.6 million last year, leaving about $1.3 million in the bank for 2011.

Politico pointed out that Wednesday's FEC filing betrayed no signs that Palin is gearing up for a White House run. She's hired no new staff and the PAC's expenses aren't close to campaign-ready levels.

Palin, the 2008 GOP nominee for vice president, is widely expected to mount a presidential campaign next year.

Donations to the PAC during the last filing period of 2010 came from a broad swath of the nation, according to the paperwork.

"We're really pleased with the support the governor had from across the country during this election cycle," SarahPAC Treasurer Tim Crawford told Politico.

 

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]]>dailyguidancefundraisingSarah PalinsarahpacChristopher Weber2011-01-26T19:55:00+00:00Three House Members Cleared in Wall Street Fundraising Ethics Casehttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/26/three-house-members-cleared-in-wall-street-fundraising-ethics-ca/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/26/three-house-members-cleared-in-wall-street-fundraising-ethics-ca/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/26/three-house-members-cleared-in-wall-street-fundraising-ethics-ca/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Three lawmakers have been cleared in a fund-raising complaint that sought to link their votes on the Wall Street reform bill to political contributions.

The House ethics committee said the activities of Reps. John Campbell (R-Calif.) Tom Price (R-Ga.) and Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) "raised no appearance of impropriety . . . Nor did they violate any law or other applicable standards of conduct with their fundraising."

The complaint against them involved fundraising in December 2009 as Wall Street lobbyists and executives opposed to tighter regulations on investment banks made the rounds in advance of a House vote on a reform bill. The allegations of improper fundraising went from a preliminary inquiry by the Office of Congressional Ethics to the bipartisan ethics panel last summer.

Dismissal of the charges was first reported in The Hill newspaper. Crowley voted for the reform bill, which eventually became law. Campbell and Price voted against it.

Folo Tom Diemer on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomdiemer

 

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]]>dailyguidanceLobbyingOffice of Congressional EthicsWall Street reform billTom Diemer2011-01-26T15:50:00+00:00Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, 78, to Run Again Despite Tea Party Grumbleshttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/19/indiana-sen-richard-lugar-78-to-run-again-despite-tea-party-g/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/19/indiana-sen-richard-lugar-78-to-run-again-despite-tea-party-g/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/19/indiana-sen-richard-lugar-78-to-run-again-despite-tea-party-g/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Let others take early retirement. Indiana Sen. Richard Lugar, a mainstream conservative, says he will seek a seventh term in 2012 even if he has to fend off a threat from the political right. He will be 80 years old when the election rolls around.

Lugar told reporters at a breakfast meeting in Washington Tuesday he intends to take any opposition seriously, the AP and Indianapolis Star reported. He has already raised at least $2.4 million and will head back to Indiana Friday for a major fundraising event in Carmel, just outside of Indianapolis.

Lugar, the top ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was known as Richard Nixon's favorite mayor when he ran City Hall in Indianapolis in the early 1970s. Brainy and soft-spoken, he was elected to the Senate in 1976. He made a brief run for president in 1996, but his campaign failed to gain traction and he dropped out early in the GOP primary season.

Richard LugarWhile conservative, he is not fiercely partisan and supported the new START arms treaty with Russia as well as the DREAM act, which offered a path to citizenship under certain conditions for children of illegal immigrants. It failed, but the arms treaty, a major priority for President Obama, was ratified last month.

Now some Indiana conservatives, including tea party activists, are talking about a Republican primary challenge to Lugar, who won reelection in 2006 with 87 percent of the vote. Hoosiers for a Conservative State said in an e-mail to the Associated Press that the group "is intent on sending him into a much deserved and overdue retirement."

Lugar's decision to run again followed word Tuesday that two veteran senators, Joe Lieberman, a Connecticut independent with Democratic roots, and North Dakota Democrat Kent Conrad, will retire.

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]]>dailyguidanceDick Lugarrichard lugartea partyTom Diemer2011-01-19T09:47:00+00:00Reince Priebus Chosen by Republicans to Unite Party as Steele Departshttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/14/rnc-to-pick-new-chairman-friday-amid-debt-leadership-concerns/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/14/rnc-to-pick-new-chairman-friday-amid-debt-leadership-concerns/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/14/rnc-to-pick-new-chairman-friday-amid-debt-leadership-concerns/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Reince Priebus, the head of Wisconsin Republicans but little known outside of internal GOP circles, was elected Friday as the new chairman of the Republican National Committee, succeeding the controversial Michael Steele who dropped out of the race as his support faded.

Priebus pleaded for unity after a hard-fought campaign during which he challenged Steele, the man he once served at the RNC. "We must come together for our common interests," he said after finally going over the top in the election. "It isn't going to be easy or glamorous," he said of the internal party work, but "we must lead the way."

Worried about debt and divided over their future political leadership, Republican committee members labored through seven ballots in the contest to pick a chairman who can lead the party into the critical 2012 election cycle. Steele, conceding after the fourth ballot, threw his support to Maria Cino, a former Bush administration official. But it was Priebus who surged, reaching 97 votes on the last round of voting -- 12 beyond the majority he needed from the 168 committee members eligible to cast ballots.

The embattled incumbent, Steele, was in trouble in his bid for another two years at the helm from the outset of balloting. His gracious concession Friday was greeted with warm, appreciative applause. He said he would "step aside because I believe the party is ready for something different." And now, he said, "I exit stage right."

Steele had presided over electoral victories, including the GOP takeover of the U.S. House in the midterms, but he has also alarmed some Republicans with his management style, a series of verbal gaffes and an RNC debt said by the Washington Post to stand at $20 million.

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In addition to Priebus and Cino, the chairmanship was sought by former Michigan Republican Chairman Saul Anuzis, who finished second on the last ballot, and Ann Wagner, the former ambassador to Luxembourg. Cino had the backing of House Speaker John Boehner, while Priebus was supported by former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael S. Steele Steele once counted Priebus as an ally on the RNC, the party's organizing and fund-raising arm. The 38-year-old lawyer resigned as the national party's general counsel early last month and then jumped into the race against his old boss. During his campaign, Priebus promised "less drama, more hard work" -- which sounded like a reference to Steele's stormy tenure. On Friday, he said he would move quickly to "restructure" the RNC's struggling financial operation.

"We have to get on track, and together we can defeat Barack Obama in 2012," Priebus said in a brief acceptance speech.

Steele, who served as Maryland's lieutenant governor for four years ending in 2007, didn't go quietly. "I'm a fighter and I am a little bit obstinate, but I am because I believed in the fight," he told the committee members. He had earlier said he would stay in the contest until the final ballot was counted at the meeting in a conference center in suburban Prince Georges County, just south of Washington.

The Post reported Friday that the RNC under Steele has seen a big drop-off in contributions from major donors -- more than 600 people who gave $10,000 or more during the last two election cycles chose not to write checks during the midterm campaign.

The RNC chairman is more than a front man for the national party. He also serves as a fundraiser, troubleshooter and candidate recruiter -- critical roles heading into a campaign that will nominate a presidential candidate, seek to defend a new majority in the U.S. House and try to capture control of the Senate.

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]]>Haley BarbourMaria CinoMichael Steele Republican chairmanTom Diemer2011-01-14T09:18:00+00:00Killing of Vietnam Memorial Advocate Baffles Friends, Investigatorshttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/04/killing-of-vietnam-memorial-advocate-baffles-friends-investigat/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/04/killing-of-vietnam-memorial-advocate-baffles-friends-investigat/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/04/killing-of-vietnam-memorial-advocate-baffles-friends-investigat/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Police combed a Delaware landfill for clues in the mysterious killing of former Army officer and government military consultant John P. Wheeler III, a driving force in the building of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial whose body was found New Year's Eve in a Wilmington dump.

Wheeler, 66, had a reservation on an Amtrak train from Washington to Wilmington on Dec. 28, according to the Washington Post. But what happened between then and the discovery of his body after it fell out of a trash truck at the Cherry Island Landfill remains a puzzle. Detectives in Delaware have been tight-lipped about what they are calling a homicide, the Wilmington News Journal said Tuesday.

"At this point . . . we're still trying to locate where the crime occurred," Newark, Del., Police Lt. Mark Farrall told the newspaper. Police wouldn't say how Wheeler died and it's not even clear where his body was first dumped, although a worker reportedly saw it slide out of a garbage truck at the landfill and alerted police.

John P. WheelerWheeler, a West Point graduate who served in Vietnam, was a well known figure in the Washington area. He was a special assistant to the secretary of the Air Force under President George W. Bush, but made his name years earlier as chairman of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, which raised $11 million to build the famed "Wall" on the National Mall. In recent years, he worked as a consultant for the nonprofit Mitre Corp. in McLean, Va., and became deeply concerned with the threat of cyber-attacks on U.S. security systems, the Post said.

"The more you think about it, the more implausible it becomes," Robert Meadus, a neighbor near Wheeler's New Castle, Del., home told the Associated Press. ". . . It's a Perry Mason thing for sure."

A next-door neighbor, Ron Roark, told the Wilmington paper that police were inside Wheeler's home over the weekend. Roark said that for several days around the Christmas holiday, his family heard a television constantly blaring away in Wheeler's home, even thought it was apparent no one was there. The AP said Wheeler and his wife, Katherine Klyce, also had a condominium in upper Manhattan but hadn't been seen there in a couple of weeks.

Wheeler, who served in Vietnam as a staff officer between 1969 and 1971, held a master's degree from Harvard Business School and a law degree from Yale, the Post said. He had several positions with the Securities and Exchange Commission and was involved with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Deafness Research Foundation. Friends described him as intense and passionate about his activities.

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]]>dailyguidancejohn p. wheelerVietnam Veterans MemorialTom Diemer2011-01-04T09:51:00+00:00Five Republicans Walk Into a Bar, or Was That a Book? The Debate for RNC Chairmanhttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/03/five-republicans-walk-into-a-bar-or-was-that-a-book-the-debate/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/03/five-republicans-walk-into-a-bar-or-was-that-a-book-the-debate/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/03/five-republicans-walk-into-a-bar-or-was-that-a-book-the-debate/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The big surprise out of Monday's debate among five contenders to lead the Republican National Committee was who didn't make news. That would be Michael Steele, the current chairman, whose two-year tenure has been punctuated by all kinds of news he and his party would have been better off without.
Three of Steele's challengers presented themselves as sober-sided workhorses - Wisconsin party chairman Reince Priebus, former Michigan chairman Saul Anuzis and Maria Cino, a former RNC deputy chairwoman who was CEO of the 2008 convention. The fourth - Ann Wagner, a former Missouri party chair and former ambassador to Luxembourg - left a somewhat different impression.
Wagner offered a pointed and what many would consider an accurate description of Steele's reign when she said the RNC has been "steeped in mismanagement, distractions and drama." But in the course of the 90-minute debate she herself created a series of distractions, raising the question of whether she would be the unobtrusive, brass-tacks leader many of the 168 RNC members seem to want as they mull their choices ahead of a Jan. 14 vote.
"I love people," Wagner said at one point. "News is all around us," she said at another. Asked her view of same-sex marriage, she replied, "I live my marriage beliefs. I've been faithfully and -- I don't know -- I guess happily married, huh, for 24 years, would you agree, dear? Have to ask him." Wagner got even more laughs when she misheard a question. "Favorite bar? Probably my kitchen table," she said. Told the question actually was favorite book, she recouped with "Decision Points" by George W. Bush.
"How many guns do you own?" was one of the most entertaining questions asked two years ago at the chairman's debate, co-sponsored this year by Americans for Tax Reform and The Daily Caller. This new crop of candidates did not disappoint. Cino and Steele said they had no guns, Priebus said he had five, and Wagner, well, wait for it:
"I may surprise y'all, but we just got a new gunsafe for Christmas, and I think there are about 16 in there -- everything from pistols and a Glock to shotguns, rifles. And my son, who's on the combat weapons team at West Point, has an all-out assault rifle."
It was a tough act to follow. "I'm very inadequate at four," Anuzis said.
Barred from naming Ronald Reagan as their political hero, the field was forced to be creative. Priebus came up with Abraham Lincoln. Wagner chose home-state pol John Ashcroft, Cino picked Margaret Thatcher and Michael Steele chose Frederick Douglass.
Anuzis (who says he lives and breathes new media) won the esoterica award for naming Ludwig von Mises, an Austrian free-market economist, as his political hero and "The Law" by Frederic Bastiat as his favorite book ("No work before or since has made such a compelling case for freedom." -- Andrea Millen Rich, Laissez Faire Books).

Priebus, once a Steele loyalist, sat next to his former ally at the debate and pledged to dun donors for six hours a day to get the RNC out of its $20-million financial hole. He took top honors in the name-dropping category when he said Marco Rubio of Florida - rock star and senator-elect -- had been "one of my law school classmates."
Cino was crispest in her delivery and most specific in her plans (a two-year fundraising cycle to match the election cycle, 18-month victory plans from each state, due April 1). She said she needed no on-the-job training because she had done this work before. Some conservatives are wary of her because she lobbied for Pfizer, a company that supported the new health law. But she denied lobbying for that law and may have made up ground when she said the GOP's biggest mistake was passing the McCain-Feingold law restricting campaign spending. That won her the loudest response of the afternoon.
Steele's biggest gaffe was to say his favorite book was "War and Peace," by Leo Tolstoy, and then launch right into "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" -- the opening line of "A Tale of Two Cities" by Charles Dickens. In other words, Steele didn't really make any gaffes. In fact he was downright eloquent on the need for the GOP to expand. "We do get a little comfortable with ourselves, and we do become so to the exclusion and detriment of others," he said, adding that it's time to welcome "fresh faces and voices that don't look and sound like us."
But Steele's answers in other areas were less ringing. He referred only indirectly to the party's unprecedented $20-million debt, and gave a less than convincing defense of his get-out-the-vote operation. He said he had replaced an intensive, nationwide 72-hour program to get voters to the polls with a 100-phone "victory center" on Capitol Hill and money given directly to the states. "It was a wise choice. It was not discontinued. It just wasn't put out the way that folks have been used to seeing it," Steele said of the once vaunted 72-hour program.
In addition, Steele denied he ever used race to defend his record. "My record stands for itself. We won," he said. But there are several instances of him playing what some would call the race card, including his comment to Washingtonian magazine that "I don't see stories about internal operations of the DNC that I see about this operation. Why? Is it because Michael Steele is the chairman, or is it because a black man is chairman?"
Steele issued a warning to his rivals, who spent most of the debate answering questions about their policy views. "As I was reminded several times by the members of the Senate and the House, you don't do policy. And the reality of it is, we don't, in this perch. We do politics," he said.
A lesson hard-learned in his case. A year ago Steele wrote a book of policy prescriptions and went on the road to pitch it. Republican elected officials were taken by surprise, and they were not amused.

The politics for the next chairman will be hard enough, what with raising money to compete with a potential $1-billion war chest on President Obama's side and staying competitive with Democrats in mobilizing voters. The next GOP chairman or woman will also need the discretion and discipline to stay out of the spotlight. There will be more than enough presidential contestants jostling to get into it.

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]]>Ann WagnerMaria CinoMichael SteeleReince PriebusRepublican debateRepublican National CommitteeRNC chairmanSaul AnuzisJill Lawrence2011-01-03T22:45:00+00:00Michael Steele at RNC Debate: 'My Record Stands for Itself -- We Won'http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/03/michael-steele-at-rnc-debate-my-record-stands-for-itself-we/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/03/michael-steele-at-rnc-debate-my-record-stands-for-itself-we/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/03/michael-steele-at-rnc-debate-my-record-stands-for-itself-we/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Four of five candidates hoping to head the Republican National Committee said the RNC must do a better job of raising money for future get-out-the-vote programs during a debate Monday at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

The fifth candidate -- incumbent RNC Chairman Michael Steele -- strongly disagreed. He argued the GOP's success in 2010 should earn him a second term on Jan. 14: "My record stands for itself: We won," Steele said.

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Steele's four challengers frequently referenced the RNC's money problem and alluded to the RNC's perceived failure under Steele's watch to fully fund a get-out-the-vote program.

"It is time for some tough love," candidate Ann Wagner of Missouri said at the start of the 90-minute debate, sponsored by the Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) and The Daily Caller. The RNC "is broken and it needs to be fixed," she said.

Former Wisconsin GOP Chairman Reince Priebus (a former Steele ally) added: "Our country is about to walk off a fiscal cliff." He said the RNC needs a chairman "who will be an absolute workhorse."

Saul Anuzis, the former chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, told the crowd of 500 that he can successfully "articulate the message, make the trains run on time, and raise the money."

But Steele's challengers insisted the party's get-out-the-vote program for the midterms fell short.

"We do need a fully funded GOTV (get out the vote) program," said Priebus. "Money is going to be the No. 1 priority for the next chairman of the RNC."

Candidate Maria Cino, who previously served as deputy RNC chairwoman, said it was under her leadership that the RNC originally funded and implemented its "72-hour task force" for turning out the vote. "I've trained for this job most of my life," added Cino. "I know what it takes to retire big debts . . . I'm a fudraiser."

But Steele shot back: "We didn't have a 72-hour get-out-the-vote program -- we had a 20-month get-out the-vote program. The idea that we didn't really fund it is a misnomer."

Steele's argument is essentially that he turned the program over to the states: "At the end of the day," Steele said, "the national party's role is to stay out of the state party's business."

While money -- and Steele's competence -- was at the forefront of the debate, social issues certainly did not take a back seat, with the Susan B. Anthony List's Marjorie Dannenfelser asking several questions about issues such as marriage and abortion.

All candidates agreed Planned Parenthood should be not receive any government funding.

Each of the attendees agreed marriage is an institution between one man and one woman. Wagner scored some points with the crowd, saying: "I've been faithfully and, I guess, happily married for 23 years."

Steele, however, equivocated a bit, saying he was pro-marriage, but then adding the caveat: "not to the exclusion of others, not to diminish anyone's individuality."

Wagner noted that as a standard bearer, a GOP chairman must be a fiscal, social and national security conservative. "If you can't carry all three," she said, "I don't think you should be serving as chairman of the Republican National Committee."

Anuzis resisted this opportunity to argue for a litmus test, saying, "If a candidate supported our platform at least 80 percent or more, I would consider him a Republican."

Steele drew his biggest applause for the night when he argued: "We cannot be a party that sits back with a litmus test and excludes."

Priebus shot back, saying, "If you are pro-abortion, pro-stimulus, pro-GM bailout . . . then you probably aren't a Republican." Just one person clapped.

The biggest applause of the night came when Cino said passing McCain/Feingold was the GOP's biggest mistake. She also added that spending too much had been a problem. "We've got a second lifeline here -- we need to use it," she added.

But when Cino parried a question asking whether she had lobbied on behalf of "Obamacare," many in the audience voiced disapproval.

All candidates praised the Tea Party for its efforts.

Wagner argued for a "virtual precinct," as a way to incorporate young people and technology into the process.

At one point, Steele almost sounded like he was giving parting advice, counseling the next RNC chairman: "At the end of the day, you don't get to dictate the terms to the speaker of the House . . . And if you get it wrong, you'll be reminded -- you don't do policy."

While the hall was filled with media types and the usual GOP gadflies, around 15 actual RNC members (there are a total of 168 RNC members who can vote) were in attendance. The list of members in attendance included Alex Mooney (Maryland), Sharon Day (Florida), Ron Nehring (California), James Bopp (Indiana) and Morton Blackwell (Virginia).

The debate was moderated by The Daily Caller's Tucker Carlson and ATR's Grover Norquist. This is the second RNC chair debate to be hosted by Americans for Tax Reform. Norquist said the debate has now become "a tradition."

After Steele's election, many believe that the RNC is now unlikely to elect a new chairman who is not currently a member of the RNC. That the incumbent chairman would be on stage with so many competent challengers probably preordains his loss.

 

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]]>americans for tax reformAnn Wagnerdailyguidanceget-out-the-voteGrover NorquistMarie CinoReince PriebusSaul AnuzisThe Daily CallerMatt Lewis2011-01-03T15:50:00+00:00Senate Farewells Sound Familiar Warning: Partisanship Is Ruining Ushttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/22/senate-farewells-sound-familiar-warning-partisanship-is-ruinin/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/22/senate-farewells-sound-familiar-warning-partisanship-is-ruinin/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/22/senate-farewells-sound-familiar-warning-partisanship-is-ruinin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Over the past few weeks, many of those leaving the U.S. Senate -- either voluntarily or by defeat -- have given a farewell address, something of a Senate tradition.

The speeches have been remarkable for their similarity. Not in terms of thanking staff and family members and recounting memorable moments or greatest hits of a legislative career. Most of the senators did those things.

Rather, they have been remarkable for the warning most of them have sounded about the dismal state of the nation's body politic.

Intense partisanship. The lost art of compromise. The vast sums of cash needed to run for office. Abuse of the filibuster. Repeatedly, senators said such factors are crippling the political process, and that the country's future depends on changing that culture.

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"I will begin by stating the sadly obvious. Our electoral system is a mess," said retiring Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.)

At age 14, Dodd watched from the gallery as his father took the Senate oath of office. A few years later he worked as a Senate page and in 1980, after serving in the House for six years, Dodd was elected to the Senate and would become the longest-serving senator in Connecticut history. His message to colleagues and successors was direct and stark.

"Intense partisan polarization has raised the stakes in every debate and on every vote, making it difficult to lose with grace and nearly impossible to compromise without cost. Americans' distrust of politicians provides compelling incentives for senators to distrust each other, to disparage this very institution, and to disengage from the policy-making process."

Obstructionism, delaying tactics and the repeated "use and abuse of the filibuster" have made bipartisanship almost impossible, Dodd said. "Politics today seemingly rewards only passion and independence, not deliberation and compromise."

And the climate is about to get even tougher. With a large number of highly partisan and conservative Republicans joining a Senate that will be narrowly controlled by an undoubtedly more nervous Democratic majority -- and a new Republican-controlled House with half of its GOP members freshmen -- the 112th Congress looks to be a partisan slugfest (recent tax-cut deal notwithstanding).

The nation's future depends on the two parties resolving to work together, said Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana.

"We are surrounded today by gathering challenges that, if unaddressed, will threaten our republic -- our growing debt and deficits, our unsustainable energy dependency, increasing global economic competition, asymmetric national security challenges, an aging population, and much, much more," said Bayh, who is retiring after two terms.

Republican Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, also retiring after two terms, sounded much the same message.

"We are on an unsustainable fiscal course caused by explosive and unchecked growth in spending and entitlement obligations without funding," said Voinovich. A big part of the reason is the partisan climate, he added. "When we are laser-focused on fighting, politicking and messaging, [the American people's] concerns and plight are forgotten and nothing controversial gets done."

Voinovich warned the conservative wing of the Republican Party against virulent attacks on President Obama. "If we diminish the president in the eyes of the world, it is to the detriment of our nation's international influence and will impact our national security. We are on thin ice and we need the help of our allies and they need our help as well."

Both Dodd and Voinovich addressed the influence of lobbyists in Washington and the pressure on members to raise money.

"Powerful financial interests, free to throw money about with little transparency, have corrupted, in my view, the basic principles underlying our representative democracy. As a result, our political system at the federal level is completely dysfunctional. Those who were elected to the Senate just a few weeks ago must already begin the unpleasant work of raising money for their re-election six years hence," said Dodd.

"An unacceptable amount of time is spent on fundraising," concurred Voinovich, who estimated that senators spend 20-25 percent of their time on it. "The time spent raising money too often interferes with . . . doing the job the people elected us to do."

Voinovich said his last two years, after he decided to retire, have been the most productive and enjoyable of his Senate career "because I have not had to chase money at home and around the country."

"None of us like it, but nothing seems to get done about it," he said -- in what could be the slogan of most of the farewell addresses.

Fighting tears throughout much of her speech, two-term Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas said Americans are "frustrated with our lack of productivity, and they are so anxious to be a part of the solution that needs to happen here -- the coming together. . . . We must start practicing greater civility towards one another both privately and publicly. . . . I urge you to have the courage to work across party lines. There is simply no other way to accomplish our nation's objectives."

New Hampshire Republican Judd Gregg also spoke of the urgent need for compromise.

"We play politics in this city and in this country between the 40-yard lines, for all intents and purposes. We are not the government that ever moves too radically left or radically right. And that's the way it should be. In this institution, compromise is required. To govern you must reach agreement. We are 300 million people, obviously of a diverse view. If we're going to govern 300 million people, we must listen to those who have legitimate views on both sides of the aisle," said Gregg.

Dodd said that in his 30 years in the Senate, until the passage of the health care bill, he never passed a piece of legislation without a Republican partner.

"The Senate today, in the view of many, is not functioning as it can and should. I urge you to look around. This moment is difficult, not only for this body, but for the nation it serves. In the end, what matters most in America is not what happens within the walls of this chamber, but rather the consequences of our decisions across the nation and around the globe. Our economy is struggling, and many of our people are experiencing real hardship. By regaining its footing, the Senate can help this nation to regain confidence, and restore its sense of optimism," said Dodd.

"Maturity in a time of pettiness, calm in a time of anger, and leadership in a time of uncertainty -- that is what the nation asks of the Senate, and that is what this office demands of us."

 

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]]>Blanche Lincolnchristopher doddevan bayhGeorge VoinovichJudd GreggLinda Killian2010-12-22T22:06:00+00:00Retiring Senator: Lawmakers Spend Up to 25 Percent of Time Raising Doughhttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/16/retiring-senator-lawmakers-spend-up-to-25-percent-of-time-raisi/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/16/retiring-senator-lawmakers-spend-up-to-25-percent-of-time-raisi/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/16/retiring-senator-lawmakers-spend-up-to-25-percent-of-time-raisi/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Farewell speeches in the United States Senate tend to be emotional and not very newsy. But Sen. George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican who is retiring after two terms, offered a shiny nugget the other day about the relentless push for lawmakers to solicit campaign money. It eats up a ton of time -- time taken away from legislating.

"It is my estimate that 20 to 25 percent of a senator's time is spent on raising billions of dollars," Voinovich said Wednesday. "And with it comes the negative fallout in terms of the public's view of Congress bowing to contributions and special interests." Negative, for sure. Critics say the on-going pursuit of campaign dollars from interests doing business on Capitol Hill is practically legalized bribery.

As for Voinovich's reference to "billions of dollars," the Plain Dealer's Stephen Koff reports that the senator's office says he meant "millions." His insight is still valid.

In addition to the negative impression left by the scramble for campaign cash, Voinovich said that "the time spent raising money often interferes with the time we need for our families, our colleagues and, most importantly, doing the job that people elected us to do."

Voinovich, 74, knows what he is talking about. His career in public life spans 44 years as a state and county elected official, lieutenant governor, mayor of Cleveland, governor of Ohio, and finally senator. He wasn't timid about raising money. In fact, he was known as a "continuous" fundraiser -- someone who worked on it all the time, not just in election years. Except at the end.

Voinovich, who has been known to tear up on occasion -- similar to his southwestern Ohio colleague, John Boehner -- told the Senate: "My last two years have been my most productive and enjoyable ones because I have not had to chase money at home and around the country. You know something? None of us like it, but nothing seems to get done about it."

Watch the Voinovich farewell speech, courtesy YouTube:



 

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]]>dailyguidanceGeorge VoinovichJohn BoehnerTom Diemer2010-12-16T12:12:00+00:00RNC Chairman Michael Steele Will Seek a Second Termhttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/rnc-chairman-michael-steele-will-seek-a-second-term/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/rnc-chairman-michael-steele-will-seek-a-second-term/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/rnc-chairman-michael-steele-will-seek-a-second-term/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Embattled Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele -- who just oversaw the biggest GOP House gains in seven decades, but who spent the party deeply into debt going into the 2012 presidential cycle -- is not about to slink off the political stage.

He announced Monday night that he will seek a second two-year term heading an energized Republican Party. But the competition for the top job will be fierce leading up to the vote in January, and his rivals include several RNC veterans.

Steele made the announcement in a private conference call to party officials, laying out a case for his retention, which was first reported by Politico. "We elected 63 new members to take control of the House and 13 new senators, setting the stage for Senate control in 2012 and more than 690 new state legislators -- more than ever before. . . . Our goal is clear: 270 electoral votes in 2012."

Michael SteeleBut mindful of criticism that ranged from office extravagance to failure to get RNC money to key races, he acknowledged, "Yes I have stumbled along the way, but have always accounted to you for such shortcomings. No excuses. No lies. No hidden agenda."

The first African-American to head the GOP, Steele, 52, has stayed under the radar in recent weeks as other potential candidates floated their names, and sought support from the 168 RNC members who will vote at their winter meeting. Steele's absence fueled speculation he would not run again, but he has repeatedly followed his own path and rejected other people's playbooks.

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Shortly after the conference call, Norm Semanko, who chairs the Idaho Republican Party, issued a strong statement of support that included the observation that Steele "doesn't always agree with the establishment in Washington" and that the chairman was canny enough to create the "Fire Pelosi" campaign to take back the House. But "most importantly, Michael Steele wins. First the 2009 elections in New Jersey and Virginia. Then the Senate election in Massachusetts. And now 60-plus seats to take over the House. No more of the same old, same old; new times require new approaches and getting the resources in the places they are needed at the times they are needed."

Steele has many detractors and since the election, a number of Republicans have announced their intention to run, or at least send out feelers for the job. They include Gentry Collins, the former RNC political director who slammed Steele's leadership when he resigned last month; Saul Anuzis, who lost to Steele two years ago and who heads the Michigan GOP; Reince Priebus, Wisconsin GOP chief; Maria Cino, a former RNC official; and Ann Waqner, a Bush stalwart and former Missouri party chair.

Priebus lost no time in striking back: "Chairman Steele is his own man and he has made up his mind that he will run," Priebus said. "Every day, I continue to show the members of the committee that I am the best option on the field. I bring a history of accomplishment, working with the committee and its members, and I have the plans and the know-how to get the RNC back on track and running successfully."

Anuzis weighed in as well, saying, "I look forward to him joining the debate on what the future of the RNC should look like,"

Steele, who served four years as Maryland's lieutenant governor, drew criticism from party stalwarts for his RNC extravagance, and for the nature of some of the expenses, including a $2,000 reimbursement for a lesbian bondage club visit by young donors in California. He outraged social conservatives when he told GQ that abortion should be an "individual choice" and a state matter.

On Fox News Monday night, he said was taking heat because of his style. "I am much more of a street guy," said Steele, who, in answer to a question, declared that "the job is fun. I think we have a chance to move forward."

 

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]]>Ann WagnerMaria CinoNorm SemankoReince PriebusSaul AnuzisAnnie Groer2010-12-13T21:00:00+00:00PACs Gave Big to Seven GOP House Committee Leadershttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/pacs-gave-big-to-seven-gop-house-committee-leaders/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/pacs-gave-big-to-seven-gop-house-committee-leaders/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/pacs-gave-big-to-seven-gop-house-committee-leaders/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

As Republican victories appeared inevitable in the month leading up to Election Day, special interest groups began pumping hundreds of thousands of dollars to the incoming GOP chairmen of major House committees, USA Today reported Monday.

The newspaper's analysis of new campaign-finance reports found that beginning Oct. 1, political action committees delivered nearly $1.2 million to lawmakers who are set to take over seven key panels in January.

About $7.8 million in PAC money was paid out during the 2010 election cycle, a 40 percent increase over 2008, according to the report.

Some examples, according to USA Today:

o.Michigan Rep. Dave Camp, the incoming chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, saw his PAC donations surge to $2.3 million -- up from $1.6 million in 2008. Last-minute donors to Camp included the American College of Rheumatology's PAC, which gave $1,000 for a Nov. 15 fundraiser.

o.Michigan Rep. Fred Upton, the incoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has received 67 percent of campaign dollars to date from PACs, Federal Election Commission reports show. That's up from 58.5 percent during the 2008 election.

o.Oklahoma Rep. Frank Lucas, the incoming chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, an eight-term Republican, faced no serious challenge to his re-election this year and coasted to victory with 78 percent of the vote. But Lucas raised more than $1 million in his campaign, nearly double his haul in the 2008 election.

"People bet on winners," Craig Holman, of the watchdog group Public Citizen, told the newspaper.

Holman said it was a "classic case of special-interest money not going to help win the election, but helping members endear themselves to the new leadership."

Some of the lawmakers used the money to help lesser-funded Republicans. Camp, for example, gave more than $650,000 to national and state party committees.

USA Today points out that while the numbers are bigger this year, such PAC largess is not uncommon. In 2006, Democratic chairmen saw donations surge after the party won control of Congress.

 

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]]>dailyguidancepacsPolitical action CommitteesChristopher Weber2010-12-13T17:15:00+00:00Obama's 2012 Campaign Fundraising Could Top $1 Billionhttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/obamas-2012-campaign-fundraising-could-top-1-billion/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/obamas-2012-campaign-fundraising-could-top-1-billion/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/obamas-2012-campaign-fundraising-could-top-1-billion/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Well, we can expect at least one part of the economy to boom in the next two years: Some observers believe President Obama will raise -- and spend -- over $1 billion in his likely re-election campaign.

Obama raised a record $745 million in his 2008 run, the Washington Post reports, dwarfing Sen. John McCain's $368 million. Two-thirds of Obama's funds were raised online, and with the increased influence of the Internet in politics, that amount could easily be topped next time around, says Ben Ginsberg, a former adviser to 2008 GOP candidate Mitt Romney.

Plus, past elections show a statistical progression indicating that the $1 billion mark isn't far-fetched. In 2004, George W. Bush raised $367 million to Sen. John Kerry's $328 million.

President ObamaThe Post notes that a key difference in the '04 and '08 campaigns was that Obama opted out of public financing for the general election, which allowed him to maximize his appeal to previously untapped groups and individuals energized by his candidacy. In the final months of the campaign, his fundraising advantage allowed him to overwhelm McCain on television in every swing state. Given that precedent, neither major party candidate is expected to participate in the public financing system in 2012.

 

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]]>dailyguidancejohn mccainMitt RomneyTom Kavanagh2010-12-13T08:05:00+00:00New York Democrat Tim Bishop Wins Last Unresolved U.S. House Racehttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/08/new-york-democrat-tim-bishop-wins-last-unresolved-u-s-house-rac/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/08/new-york-democrat-tim-bishop-wins-last-unresolved-u-s-house-rac/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/08/new-york-democrat-tim-bishop-wins-last-unresolved-u-s-house-rac/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

More than a month after the Nov. 2 election, Republican Randy Altschuler has conceded to Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) in a Long Island district, settling the last unresolved U.S. House contest of the midterms.

Bishop, elected to a fifth term in a district stretching to Montauk Point -- the eastern tip of Long Island -- won by 263 votes, Newsday reported. His victory locks in the Republican pick-up in the House at 63, meaning that Bishop will return to Capitol Hill next year in the minority.

Rep. Tim Bishop (D-N.Y.) elected to fifth term"We knew that as of yesterday we had reached the point where our lead was larger than the number of outstanding challenges we had," Bishop spokesman Jon Schneider told the newspaper. "Given the ups and downs of this election, we're happy to take a win however we can get it."

Altschuler, a businessman who put $2.8 million of his own money into his first campaign for the House, said he would not request a "hand recount," even though Newsday, the New York Times and the Bishop campaign have all called for one. He it would be too burdensome on Suffolk County taxpayers. "After consulting with my family and campaign staff, I am ending my campaign and offering congratulations to congressman Tim Bishop on his victory," he said in a statement.

Follow Tom Diemer on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomdiemer

 

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]]>dailyguidanceRandy Altschulertim bishopTom Diemer2010-12-08T12:19:00+00:00