Once a tightwad, always a tightwad...WASHINGTON -- As he campaigns extensively on behalf of House and Senate candidates, Senator John F. Kerry is under increasing pressure from Democratic Party leaders and activists to tap his $14 million campaign account and spread the money around to help the party's efforts.
DemocRATS are always generous with other people's money
Kerry, a Massachusetts Democrat, has given less than $15,000 to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee since the beginning of 2005. Though he has helped candidates in a variety of other ways, his last major financial contribution to the DSCC came a month after he lost the 2004 presidential election, when he used $1 million in leftover campaign funds to help the committee retire its debt.
As local pol Billy Bulger once remarked, "JFK stands for 'Just For Kerry'".
Several members of the Massachusetts House delegation, meanwhile, have contributed minimally to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, even though none of them face serious reelection challenges. Representative Stephen F. Lynch, Democrat of South Boston, is $100,000 short of his obligations, and Representative Martin T. Meehan, a Lowell Democrat, has barely exceeded the $125,000 amount the party asked him to pay, even though his campaign account has a balance of nearly $5 million.
How's that term limits thing working out for you, Marty?
With less than three weeks to Election Day, control of Congress in sight, and a last-minute scramble to negate the Republicans' double-digit fund-raising advantage, some Democrats want Kerry and other prominent, well-funded officials to share the wealth for the good of the party.
Ah, the 'common good' argument. How refreshing!
But Representative Barney Frank, a Newton Democrat who has already paid more than the required $300,000 in "dues" to the DCCC, said other members of the House delegation may be holding their cash so they can run to replace Kerry if the senator vacates his seat in 2008.
Not bloody likely.
"I wish other members of the delegation would give more," Frank said. "I know people are holding back for the Senate race that might happen, but I think this is more important."
Anger at Kerry has bubbled over in the liberal blogosphere. A website, heyjohn.org, was created to pressure Kerry to give more to Democratic candidates. (The site was purportedly set up by a Democratic activist, but its origin is impossible to verify because it was registered through a service that protects the identity of those who establish sites.)
Inside job? Preemptive hit by Hillary's squad?
| I had no idea Karl Rove was this good. |
Including the $1 million he gave to the DSCC in December 2004, Kerry has doled out $2.8 million to party campaign committees, state parties, and individual candidates since the 2004 election. He has also helped bring in some $7 million for candidates through fund-raisers and his political action committee, including $1.7 million that has gone to Democratic Senate candidates.
Rest at link.