Quote of the Day: "Despite blaring headlines..."

by: Jason Springer

Tue Mar 09, 2010 at 04:30:00 PM EST

"Despite blaring headlines that announce the most recent prosecution and conviction of a public official, we have yet to reach the point when it can be said that defending against a federal or state criminal indictment alleging corrupt practices is an 'ordinary' expense of holding public office,"

RGA raised and contributed $7.3 million to Christie's campaign

by: Jason Springer

Thu Nov 19, 2009 at 10:15:00 AM EST

Led by Mr. Barbour, the RGA raised and contributed $7.3 million to the campaign of New Jersey candidate Chris Christie, allowing him to put up enough TV advertising to hold off both a late-surging Gov. Jon Corzine, the Democratic incumbent, and independent Chris Daggett. The result for the crime-busting former U.S. attorney, Mr. Christie, was a big victory in a state won easily by Barack Obama just a year earlier.

ELEC reports 25% drop in fundraising, 32% drop in spending by Assembly candidates

by: Jason Springer

Thu Oct 29, 2009 at 10:15:00 AM EDT

Candidates for the General Assembly have raised $14.6 million and spent $10.2 million, according to 11-day pre-election reports  filed with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission for the 2009 General Election.

"These figures represent an even more dramatic decrease in financial activity from four years ago than was reported at the 29-day reporting period," said Jeff Brindle, Executive Director of the Commission.

In 2005, the last time there were contests for Governor and Assembly, Assembly candidates had raised $19.4 million and spent $14.9 million by this time.

"What we have witnessed since Pay-to-Play laws were enacted and executive orders issued is a slowdown in campaign financial activity, culminating in the dramatic decrease at all levels this year," said Brindle.

"Potential donors are hesitant to give, fearing being in violation of the law, forfeiting a public contract, or being prohibited from negotiating and bidding on a contract."

"It is safe to say that Pay-to-Play laws are working with regard to reducing the amount in contributions going directly to candidates," he said.

Democratic candidates raised $10 million, spent $7.2 million and have $2.8 million cashon-hand. Republican candidates have raised $4.5 million, spent $2.9 million and have cash-onhand totaling $1.5 million. Independents have reported $118,081 raised and $60,971 in expenditures. Cash-on-hand for Independents amounts to $56,929.

The DGA role in the New Jersey election

by: Hopeful

Mon Oct 26, 2009 at 03:18:01 PM EDT

The reason we don't see DGA-branded advertising is that it is restricted by New Jersey state election law. Governor Jon Corzine is a member of the DGA so ads would not be "independent expenditures." In contrast, Chris Christie is not a member of the RGA (and, cough, cough, hopefully never will be) so it can run legally "independent" ads. The RGA has made a strategic decision to spend heavily to try to keep Christie competitive and to evade the spending limits the Christie campaign faces, though the DGA believes the RGA wasted money in the summer trying to bring down Corzine's numbers. (I guess if you're the one of the 40% on board with Corzine, a few attack ads are not going to discourage you at this point.)

The DGA has made a "different strategic decision," and has instead largely invested in party infrastructure to enable Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts. Around $1.5 million have been put into local party efforts. The DGA believes that this strategy will ensure sufficient Democratic voters will turn out, and that Democrats hold a significant advantage over Republicans. Furthermore, they think Daggett's lack of a local party infrastructure will hurt him at the polls. Experts have observed Democrats have a turnout advantage ("In the 2006 election for U.S. Senate, about 7-in-10 registered partisans showed up, but only 1-in-3 unaffiliateds did") but this reflects hard work made possible by major spending.

That's not to imply that the DGA has completely ignored the TV ad wars. They can -- and did --  direct money to independent progressive groups who in turn advertize. You might remember the Mid-Atlantic Leadership Fund's ads last spring, or the New Jersey Progress ads this fall. All in all, the DGFA will spend more than $3 million on the race.

Allegations of campaign finance violations fly in Evesham

by: Jason Springer

Mon Jun 29, 2009 at 10:00:00 AM EDT

A June 10 story in the Burlington County Times prompted Evesham Councilman Mike Schmidt, who lost his re-election bid, to call for an investigation into whether recently elected Republicans Kurt Croft, Joe Howarth and Deb Hackman violated laws which prevent "purposely concealing campaign donations."

In addition to the story, which talked about how the GOP outspent the Democrats, Schmidt pointed to a fundraising solicitation for the Croft, Howarth, and Hackman team which requests donors to make contributions to any or all of four continuing PAC's, the Evesham Republican Club, the Evesham Municipal Committee, the Evesham Federation of Republican Women and the Evesham Young Republicans. But there were clear instructions on what you could give and to whom:

*Checks to each account should not exceed $300.

"Furthermore, $300 is the maximum contribution a candidate for office in Evesham can accept from individuals looking to receive contracts from our government.  Therefore, an individual who donated $250 to all four PAC's would be in violation of our local pay to play law.  The fact that they specifically asked donors to keep the donation under the reporting limit shows a blatant attempt to conceal the nature of their fundraising efforts."

The Self-Funding Committee

by: Thurman Hart

Thu Sep 04, 2008 at 12:34:28 PM EDT

It was insane, but it worked.  All he had to do was keep cashing larger and larger checks until payday, when a new wave of cash would largely get swallowed by his short-term debt.  Meanwhile, he had sandwich and beer money that he wouldn't otherwise have.  After reading this article I kind of wonder if my friend wasn't a Burlington County Republican.  Click on through to the other side.

Myers should announce his candidacy

by: Thurman Hart

Thu Aug 21, 2008 at 03:01:57 PM EDT

The Evidence:
August 21 - Myers attacks Adler for state debt.  

August 19 - Myers attacks Adler on MOM rail issue - a state transit issue

August 15 - Myers attacks Adler for state fuel taxes and state Department of Environmental Protection.

August 13 - Myers attacks Adler for state fuel taxes.

August 4 - Myers attacks Adler over state police fees.

CQ: Adler #10 in Increasing Cash On Hand

by: huntsu

Fri Apr 18, 2008 at 09:22:44 AM EDT

10) John H. Adler, Democrat, New Jersey's 3rd District ($1 million cash on hand; increase of $416,000)

Adler, a state senator, is the presumed Democratic nominee for the south-central New Jersey constituency in which 12-term Republican Rep. H. James Saxton is not seeking re-election. Adler got off to an early start that has enable him to build a big fundraising lead over the district's Republican contenders.

For a list of how all New Jersey US House candidates did this year, check out this great chart by Scott W from earlier in the week

The Kate Chronicles, Part I: Republican Aristocracy Wheels for Whitman

by: Scott Weingart

Wed Apr 09, 2008 at 12:36:15 PM EDT

So far, Kate Whitman's campaign has pulled in a combined $22,355 from the Hanson and Imperatore families alone. James Hanson is the President and CEO of Hampshire Real Estate Companies, a developer headquartered in Morristown. Five of the ten principals of the company come from one of these two families. They are also major donors to the Blair Academy, where the football field is named "Hampshire Field" after the company.

From these two families, 17 individuals contributed an average of $1,315 each to Kate Whitman's primary campaign. Whitman's filing report indicates that eight of them are employed non-students; of the rest, two are listed as homemakers (read: stay-at-home moms), and seven are students. The eight breadwinners could legally donate no more than $18,400 by themselves, but by spreading their contributions out among family members, including children, the two families were able to contribute an additional $3,955. While this isn't necessarily illegal, it does seem somewhat sleazy.  It's effectively the aristocrat's version of wheeling, a practice where contractors exploit a loophole in campaign finance law by funneling money through one or two county party committees to the candidates they support.

The Hanson and Imperatore kids weren't the only ones who ponied up their summer incomes and allowances for Kate Whitman. One Christopher Merton of Pottersville donated $3,000 to the campaign-$2300 for the primary and $700 for the general. His 12/19 donation coincided with a similar $3,000 contribution from Juliana Merton, at the same mailing address in Pottersville. Another $4,600 came from Katrina Courter, daughter of former Congressman James Courter and his wife Carmen. Katrina is married to Taylor Whitman, who is Kate Whitman's brother, and is pursuing a masters in educational psychology at Fordham. In total, Kate Whitman raised $16,805 from just nine students in 2007.

Kate Whitman's campaign isn't grassroots. It's more like silver spoon.

The table below the fold shows donations from members of the Hanson, Imperatore, Merton, and Courter families to Kate Whitman's campaign.

Follow the Dancing Dollar Bills

by: Thurman Hart

Fri Feb 01, 2008 at 12:27:24 PM EST

For example, we have this trifecta:

Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., raised $931,700 during the quarter and had $4.3 million on hand at the end of the year.

* Republican developer Anne Evans Estabrook of Spring Lake, who is challenging Lautenberg, filed her first campaign report showing that from April 25 through Dec. 31 last year, she raised $1.8 million, including $1.7 million in loans from herself, and had $1.5 million at the end of the year.

* Two other Republicans vying for the nomination to run against Lautenberg, state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio of Montville and Ramapo College professor Murray Sabrin, announced their candidacies in January and therefore did not have to file reports this week. Sabrin announced he had exceeded his initial goal of raising $31,000 in the month of January, though he did not say by how much.

Click on through.  More snarkiness with numbers lies ahead.

What to do when you're stuck in a radical party

by: Hopeful

Wed Sep 19, 2007 at 11:11:33 AM EDT

leaders again exhorted their rank-and-file to get out and raise money if they do not want to be in an even deeper hole in November 2008.

Will we let money outweigh reality? 

More of This, Please

by: Juan Melli

Sat Sep 08, 2007 at 01:52:49 PM EDT

Gov. Jon Corzine said today he would propose sweeping legislation on ethics and campaign finance in response to the arrests this week of 11 public officials, including two state lawmakers.

"We are going to deal with it quickly...And it will be a bi-partisan response if I'm reading it correctly," Corzine said.

Among the top priorities will be a "clean-up" of the law Corzine signed earlier this week that outlaws a long-accepted practice in New Jersey of holding two elected offices at the same time, the governor said. He signed a compromise version that allows incumbent lawmakers to keep their local posts.

Corzine also said he would demand bans on campaign finance practices, including "wheeling," a way to skirt contribution limits to individuals, and "pay-to-play," a practice where campaign donations are made with the expectation of gaining an edge in the awarding later of of government contracts.

Fool me once...shame on....shame you. Fool me....you can't get fooled again!

The right choice on clean elections

by: Hank Kalet

Tue Apr 17, 2007 at 01:07:23 PM EDT

It's the main reason that Republicans were pushing the 12th District as this year's clean elections test case -- and the main reason that state Sen. Ellen Karcher, a 12th District Democrat, was prepared to participate.

The state clean elections selection committee saw things a bit differently. They selected the 14th District as the test case -- a decision that has been criticized as partisan by the GOP.

But the 14th, as I've written elsewhere, has always been the most logical choice.

Money can't buy me love -- but it can buy access

by: Hank Kalet

Wed Feb 28, 2007 at 10:50:19 PM EST

The fact is, too much of it is coarsing through the veins of the body politic, distorting our priorities and shutting out the average voter.

Stop "Wheeling" or Disclose It!

by: mikeshapiro

Thu Jan 11, 2007 at 11:03:48 AM EST

New Jersey has a vast array of campaign finance laws. The compliance book provided to candidates for public office and others is complicated and filled with nomenclature that few outside the Legislature, the Republican and Democratic Parties, and some election lawyers understand. Despite all the laws on the books including "Pay to Play" reform on the State level and in many municipalities, influence peddling achieved through campaign contributions continues largely unabated. Why? Because of the skirting of campaign finance laws through a process known as "wheeling."

DCCC spends $1 million in Texas

by: proud2Bliberal

Wed Dec 13, 2006 at 09:44:07 PM EST

Expanding clean elections without giving them a chance to succeed

by: Hank Kalet

Wed Dec 06, 2006 at 07:52:16 PM EST

I am getting the distinct impression that the folks who control the state Legislature do not want public financing of elections to actually work.

Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts (D-Camden) has introduced legislation that would expand state's clean elections pilot program for the 2007 election to a third legislative district and lower the seed-money threshold, but he has kept a tight leash on the program -- though you wouldn't know it from Tuesday's story in The Star-Ledger:

Lawrence is onto something

by: Hank Kalet

Wed Nov 22, 2006 at 05:27:55 PM EST

Basically, the argument is simple. So long as local governments -- or any governments -- continue to use private, corporate money to fund their campaigns, the people we elect will be beholden to the money men and the policy that gets crafted will benefit money and not people.

Lawrence Township proposes public financing of local elections

by: Hank Kalet

Fri Nov 17, 2006 at 05:00:41 PM EST

This is an interesting idea from Lawrence Township, one I'd like to see the powers in South Brunswick and Monroe (and every other municipalty) consider.

Councilman Greg Puliti is proposing that Lawrence pay for local political campaigns.

Mr. Puliti said he reviewed several years of Township Council candidate campaign finance reports.

"It boiled down to about $10,000 or $16,000 spent on a Township Council election campaign," he said. "It averaged out to about $5,000 per candidate."

Township Council candidates typically spend money on fliers, newspaper advertisements and lawn signs promoting their candidacies, he said. They may also rent space on a billboard.

Mr. Puliti said the municipal budget would include money for the campaigns that could be budgeted in small increments. Allocating $15,000 or $30,000 in an overall municipal budget of $37 million is less than one-half of one percent, he said.

The basic idea behind clean elections is that candidates would raise seed money -- a specific amout of locally generated donations in $5 and $10 increments -- to qualify for public funding. Those that qualify would get a set amount of cash to run in exchange for promising to abide by spending limits. Candidates could opt out and spend more, but that would trigger an equalizer clause -- extra cash for the candidates who participate.

There are other options, as well, such as the model ordinance drafted by the Citizens' Campaign, under which towns would provide matching funds and/or in-kind services -- Web site or cable TV access, for instance -- in exchange for abiding by limits.

The idea is to cleanse the system of private cash, which creates the impression that candidates and elected officials are more concerned about their contributors than their actual voting constituents, and to level the playing field for minority and third-party candidates.

South Brunswick Post, The Cranbury Press
The Blog of South Brunswick

The taint of John Lynch

by: Hank Kalet

Fri Oct 13, 2006 at 09:35:01 PM EDT

Others, however, are uninterested. Seems a bad move at a time when several high-profile Democrats are facing ethics probes. What does everyone think?

(Here is what I wrote in the South Brunswick Post.)

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