McDermott and Dicks: Big $$, But Breezin'

McDemocrat

Rep. Jim McDermott, like his fellow Western Washington lefties in Congress, isn't much worried about being re-elected next month. He's enroute to his 11th term, second in tenure among local congressional pols only to Nonstormin' Norman Dicks, who is coasting up to his 17th election.

Nonetheless, McDermott is down to his final $85,000 in campaign funds, through September 30th, according to the latest figures from money watchdog OpenSecrets.Org. For comparison, another coaster, Rep. Jay Inslee has raised $668,000 but still has $1 million in the bank, including funds left over from previous campaigns.

McDermott has spent $880,000 from his treasury in this leisurely 2007-2008 election cycle - and much of it may have gone to Republicans. That's because, of course, to stay out of debtors prison he gave a court-ordered $628,000 to Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner to settle their long-running legal dispute over that taped telephone call that McDermott disclosed.

Altogether, McDermott paid more than $1 million to Boehner, who promised to pass most of it along to his fellow Republicans. It was a costly outcome since Boehner had once offered to settle for $10,000, and McDermott obstinately balked.

Even though he's breezing back to D.C., Norm Dicks, too, has spent a lot this cycle - $949,000 out of $1.2 million raised. Sort of offsetting McDermott's GOP donations, Dicks has, typically, given away his campaign money to other Demo causes. So far this election he gave $300,000 to the Dems' congressional campaign committee, and $80,000 to state Democratic groups. He paid his campaign consultant TR Strategies $130,000.

Even at that, Dicks has almost $500,000 in the bank. A big earmarker of pork and member of the cash-doling appropriations committee, Dicks this cycle has watched the money roll in from special interests: His top individual/corporate contributor is insurer PMA Group ($28,000). Industry-wise, lobbyists have given him $108,516, lawyers and law firms donated $79,485, and casino and gambling interests have anted up $56,600.

Brian Baird spent $463,000 but still has $969,000 on hand. Rick Larsen has raised $1.2 million and spent $941,000. Adam Smith raised $560,000 and spent about the same, but still has $428,000 left.

Token Left State Republican Dave Reichert raised $2.3 million, spent $1 million, and has $1.2 millon banked. Still, he's been outdrawn by Demo challenger Darcy Burner, who has raised $3 million.

Topics: Campaign Cash

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Bader's Alaska Link

Bader

The name of longtime local Republican political operative Brett Bader's consulting firm has suddenly popped up in the ongoing Alaska political-corruption probe. Private-prison developer Bill Weimar yesterday pleaded guilty to two felonies in connection with a conspiracy to "secretly funnel money to a political consultant for an unnamed state Senate candidate," knowing the candidate would back a private prison if he won, the Anchorage Daily News reports today.

The paper identified the unnamed Alaska state senator as former legislator Jerry Ward, a Republican who "fervently pushed private prison projects as a legislator." The consultant wasn't named in court either, but assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Bottini said he was from Seattle, and the paper pointed the finger at Bader's firm. Reports the News:

Some of Ward's biggest campaign expenses in 2004 were more than $43,000 in fees charged by Madison Communications, an advertising and public relations firm based in suburban Kirkland, Wash. Numerous calls left for Madison principal Brett Bader on Monday were not returned.

I couldn't reach Bader either at his home or office phone this morning. Court documents show a series of calls between the convicted Weimar, who is represented by Seattle attorney David Bukey, and the unnamed candidate and consultant in 2004. The consultant told Weimar that the candidate needed ten grand to continue his campaign. Weimar said "There's no legal way" for him to help out - "At least not on that scale." Says the paper:

Later that day, Weimar arranged to cover the next advertising mailer for the candidate, and told the candidate so, the document says.On Aug. 20, 2004, Weimar told the candidate of an unpaid invoice of $20,000 with the consultant.The candidate's campaign funds were depleted, the charges say. The candidate said he had only $300 to $400 left in his account.

On Aug. 23, 2004, Weimar made arrangements with the consultant to pay off the debt, the charges say. He then called the candidate and told him "he would not be receiving any further bills from Consultant A," the charging document says. Weimar sent the consulting company a $3,000 check on Aug. 23, 2004, then sent $8,500 in cash that same day by express mail, and another $8,500 cash the day after, the charges say.

Bader personally has neither been named nor charged in the case. He's been a popular consultant for local Republicans, most recently helping Jane Hague retain her county council seat. Bader also was leader of I-912, the failed 2005 gas-tax reduction initiative.

Topics: Campaign Cash

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Quid pro quotable

The political fallout of Governor Christine Gregoire’s alleged sweetheart deal with the state’s Tribal gambling interests is still drifting downwind and the issue’s half-life might last well into November.

Critics point out the odd coincidence that $650,000 in campaign contributions have been donated to the Washington State Democratic Party after an apparent $140 million per year agreement was struck with casino operators.

Rather than addressing the controversy, Gregoire’s campaign has chosen instead to lash out at a snarky television commercial produced by the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW), calling her critics “racist”.

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Topics: American Indian Affairs and Campaign Cash

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In The Red

With less than thee weeks to go 'til Election Day, three of the four candidates in the most hotly contested city council races are in the hole, according to reports filed last night that track fundraising and spending up to Oct. 9. Venus Velázquez has a negative $43,384. Her opponent, Bruce Harrell is in the red $16,512. Tim Burgess' account is at minus $115,442, but his opponent, incumbent David Della still has $58,048 after his liabilities are deducted.

The candidates' biggest expenses are for mailers and consultants. That is, except for Burgess, who's spent about $30,000 on radio spots.

But there's still a lot of cash out there to be spent. Business PAC Forward Seattle and the Seattle Firefighters Union each have more than 100,000 in the bank, which will presumably go to Velázquez and Burgess respectively in the next week or two in the form of radio and/or T.V. ads and/or printed material. And there's another PAC, Qwest Washington that's quietly raised more than $125,000 and has $118,412 in the bank. The Qwest PAC has donated $500 to Harrell thus far. Probably a good bet, since he was an attorney for the company in the past, that Qwest will be throwing some healthy independent expenditure money his way.

One thing's for sure, the home stretch this year belongs to the Political Action Committees who will largely foot the bill to get their candidates elected unless the contestants loan themselves some serious cash or manage to pull a fundraising miracle.

Update: Burgess has already loaned himself $44,300; Harrell has loaned himself $8,000; Della ditto for $5,700. (Prior to the 21st day before an election a candidate can contribute and much as he or she wants to his or her campaign. After the cut-off date candidates can only loan themselves $5,000. And no matter how much a candidate loans themselves, city law says they can only be repaid a total of $8,600— $4,300 for the primary, $4,300 for the general.)

Topics: Campaign Cash

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