Breaking: Carney Supporters Use Democratic Party to Bypass Contribution Caps
It’s bad enough John Carney is using state party funds donated by Democrats like us to fund his lack luster campaign. But now he needs to answers questions as to whether his campaign inappropriately using the State Party to bypass campaign finance limitations and prop up his stalled campaign.
In Delaware we are blessed with campaign finance laws that are relatively clear compared to many of other states. There is a strict limit of $1,200 for a contribution to any campaign for statewide office. It doesn’t matter who or what is donating to the campaign the limit is $1200. That’s $1200 for individuals, $1200 for PACs, $1200 for LLC’s, $1200 for corporations. It’s pretty simple, but there are some suspicious donations to the State Party from friends of John’s. John needs to tell voters what’s going on.
Much to the dismay of many Democrats, the State Executive Committee of the Democratic Party began running radio ads for John Carney on July 22 and started running television ads on Aug. 12. It has been well publicized how unprecedented this is, and this spending has no gone well over $100,000 on Carney’s behalf.
The initial campaign finance reporting period of 2008 ranged from 1/1/2008 – 8/8/2008 showed $444,427 of income for the State committee, but almost 38% came in the last four weeks a great deal of which came in large chunks from Carney related sources.
For instance, Jeffrey Immelt, a close friend and college football teammate of John Carney donated $10,000 to the state committee on July 30th just days after the radio ads started. . Mr. Immelt has hosted fundraisers for John Carney during his run for Governor.
Stephen Frank Mandell, another college friend who has no other ties to the Delaware Democratic Party gave, along with his family, $26,000 from 7/30/2008 – 8/8/2008.
Mark E. Murphy who is on Carney’s public list of supporters contributed a whopping $40,000 from himself and his company Murphy Marine Services from 7/11/2008 – 7/29/2008. Mr. Murphy has hosted Fundraisers for John Carney during his campaign for Governor.
Below the fold is a chart outlining some of the major contributions to the state party in the brief period of time immediately preceding some of the media buys on behalf of John Carney’s campaign.
The implications of this are serious. If Carney now wins the primary and this activity is shown to be an illegal campaign financing scheme, it could tilt the election to the Republicans in a year that they have no chance of winning. Clearly, Carney has some explaining to do.
Click on chart to view it full size.
Wow.
“… this spending has no[w] gone well over $100,000 on Carney’s behalf. …”
Any evidence for this total? State law allows a party to spend $75,000 in support of a governor in any election period.
Could that limit be why other Democrats are also mentioned in some of the ads? That’s how lobbyists stay under the limit on gifts when they take pols out to dinner — two lobbyists attend and split the bill.
Interesting.
Immelt is CEO of GE, right? From my brief look around, he’s never given in Delaware before.
His sudden interest in Delaware Democrats (and not Guliani, McCain, Romney, and Mitch McConnell) is “shocking.”
Bel,
Is your that bypassing contribution caps might be “technically legal?”
P Diddy is the man! Hahaha! I rolled laughing he has such of way of getting the message in so few words. Guess he did this diddy before he learned that Palin is a pot smoking, book burner. So much coming out of Alaska on this peebrain it forced Mccain to cancel his interview with Larry King last night.
Oh but wait, all the world gets to meet Failin Palin tonight….then we will know all we need is failin palin and 72 year old McCain who worked against veternans his whole career.
I think Belinsky is noting that there is a mandatory cap on how much a state party may spend on behalf of a candidate. If it really has gone beyond 100K, there may be an additional problem here.
And I’d like to hear more about this spending cap by parties.
Is that Jeff Immelt, the CEO of GE?
Oh, and by the way, it is completely legal.
Technically it might be legal for them to work around the rules in regards to the 75k cap.
It’s illegal to bundle money though.
Also, just because something can be loop-holed into being legal, it doesn’t make it right.
This is insider baseball at its worst.
Leave it to FSP to defend inside baseball.
Are you all starting to get it now? Carper, Minner/Carney, Coons will do anything to keep THEIR power.
Now rumors that Carper will do radio ads for Castle? Are you kidding me democrats.
If Carper does that he should be looked upon for what he is, a republicrat. As soon as this election is over its time to start thinking a good citizen replacement for Carper in two years.
I am still pushing for good government people to talk John Flagherty into running. We know tht John will be voting with the citizens, not against us, and for the corporations.
Sheesh, J, do I need to cheer you up again?
F-Carney!
How’s that? 😛
“It’s illegal to bundle money though.”
Where? Bundling is as Delaware as horsehoe crabs.
As soon as this election is over its time to start thinking a good citizen replacement for Carper in two years.
Make that four, Liz. His seat is up for election in 2012 (six years).
The kicker is, depending how you translate the Mayan calendar, we will all either be dead before the 2013 inauguration can take place, or we will begin the cycles anew and be in complete harmonious peace with each other and find R vs D completely useless. Either way, Carper goes down as our last Senator. 😛
You’ve been Rick Rolled . . . I don’t know what that means, but I’ve always wanted to say it.
Fine. Bundling is immoral. Earmarking is illegal. I’m not sure why my first of two comments didn’t make it, but it said this:
CEO of GE Jeff Immelt has given $39,250 to Republicans this cycle. $80,000 to special interests.
Here he is with Tom Ridge introducing McCain on the presidential race: http://tinyurl.com/6a9uv8
Before Carney’s State Dem funding, he’d never given to anyone in Delaware ever as far as I could see.
I cry foul.
http://www.yougotrickrolled.com/
That chart needs to be published in the state newspapers……FAST!!!!! I wouldn’t put the Carney camp past ANYTHING at this point. Can you spell DESPERATION???????!!!!!!
Smyrna,
I’ll send a copy to Delaware State News’ Drew Voluro. His coverage of adgate was very good.
Lets talk local politics for a second. Who was behind the theft of Karen HartleyNagles signs (women were observed) taking down her signs and putting up Northington’s.
Who busted the window out of Karens car–trying to “hold back the candidate” and immobilize her for two days? The Police are now involved…lets see how this works out.
Can you say “COONS GOONS”?
Let it be known that we have sign watchers out and about. Anyone caught stealing signs will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
Jerry Northington for a guy to comes off and super nice, are you aware of what some of your “supporters are doing in your name”?
Holy shite. This is the best blog evah!
Excuse me if I don’t share the professed outrage. The rules are the same for everyone, and thanks to the Bush-Reagan majority on the Supreme Court, they are too permissive.
Carney’s pounding away to the extent possible, in face of Markell’s $5 million assault, fighting back with a few big rollers of his own.
I would be surprised if Markell really gives a dry turnip about the other guy’s fundraising.