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Brian Good wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid:BAY140-W1697E91D1309E82DBE45579EFD0@phx.gbl"
type="cite">
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Anna seems to be holding narrow, issue-based town halls instead of open
meetings.<br>
I find this somewhat disingenuous. Lawrence Lessig says that your
average <br>
Congresscritter spends 40 to 60% of its time raising campaign funds.
As treasurer to <br>
Carol Brouillet's ($6 thousand) 2006 congressional campaign I find it
very disturbing <br>
that Anna raises $1.5 million for a campaign that appears to cost her
less than $50 <br>
thousand. <br>
<br>
I would like to know what percentage of her time she spends in
needless fundraising<br>
(influence peddling) as opposed to serving the needs of her
constituents. <br>
</blockquote>
You ask a good question, Brian, for which there are many answers. But,
as one who has spent more than a little time combing the FEC reports on
funds raised for and by some members of Congress, I would add that a
Congress Critter's influence depends on many things... not the least of
which is their ability to raise money for other campaigns. For
example, you might see that the Committee to Re-elect Anna Eshoo had
contributed to such campaigns as the losing fight for Charlie Brown in
the 4th CD. The contributions are limited during both primary and
general election, but you often see these campaign's funded by drawing
on the money of apparently safe candidates like Anna. <br>
<br>
Then again, Pombo was a safe candidate feeding money to other
campaigns. <br>
<br>
So, back to Eshoo in the current race:<br>
<br>
Here is the summary of most of her funds. <br>
<br>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="47%">
<tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#efefef">
<td nowrap="nowrap">Total Receipts:</td>
<td align="right">$218,727</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap">Transfers From Authorized Committees:</td>
<td align="right">$0</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor="#efefef">
<td nowrap="nowrap"><a
href="http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_ind/2009_H8CA12098">Individual
Contributions:</a></td>
<td align="right">$53,723</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td nowrap="nowrap"><a
href="http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_give/2009_H8CA12098">Non-Party
(e.g. PACs) or Other Committees:</a></td>
<td align="right">$164,759</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<br>
Note: is is primarily from PAC's. <br>
<br>
So, doing another search on Eshoo, I find that she made contributions
to the Presidential Campaign of Chris Dodd... to various congressional
campaigns like that of Patricia Madrid (New Mexico Dem) and to the
local Democratic Party Committee in Santa Clara County. <br>
<br>
Then, you have to look at disbursements... e.g. this one: <br>
<br>
<table border="2" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr align="center">
<td rowspan="3" align="left">Carol Pfeifer<br>
99 Monte Mar Drive
<br>
Sausalito, California 94965</td>
<td>
<br>
</td>
<td> 12/22/2008</td>
</tr>
<tr align="center">
<td> Fundraising Consulting
</td>
<td> 17149.60
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
It is far more interesting to look for specific special interest money
flowing to a campaign than it is to just ask miscellaneous questions
for which there are easy answers. Remember... some people who help
raise money for candidates take a percentage as their cut. I remember
that in 2006 campaign, John Doolittle (CA-04) was paying his wife about
10% of all contributions for her "fundraising services" or similar.
That is the way some work it. Doolittle just got greedy. <br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="80">--
"Anytime you have an opportunity to make things better and you don't, then you are wasting your time on this Earth" Roberto Clemente
Wes Rolley
17211 Quail Court, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.refpub.com/">http://www.refpub.com/</a> -- Tel: 408.778.3024</pre>
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