The smell of money: campaign donations to Tom Harkin
October 10, 2008 5 Comments
The smell of money.
Money donated to Tom Harkin.
Money from names in the news.
Money contributed to Tom Harkin from outside Iowa.
Money used to elect Very Liberal Tom Harkin.
Have you ever wondered where Tom Harkin gets the big bucks?
You read. You decide.
Is this the kind of person we want to continue to be IOWA’S Senator?
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/summary.php?CID=N00004207
Cycle Fundraising, 2003 – 2008
| Raised: |  $8,139,857 |
| Spent: |  $4,362,844 |
| Cash on Hand: |  $4,109,219 |
| Debts: |  $0 |
| Last Report: | Monday, June 30, 2008 |
Top 5 Contributors, 2003-2008
<!–  –>Herbalife International |
$72,786 |
| Texas Pacific Group | $39,900 |
| Monsanto Co | $27,203 |
| Cassidy & Assoc/Interpublic Group | $26,250 |
| Goldman Sachs | $24,580 |
Top 5 Industries, 2003-2008
| <!––>Lawyers/Law Firms |
$591,918 |
| Health Professionals | $347,849 |
| Securities & Investment | $341,460 |
| Retired | $296,637 |
| Pharmaceuticals/Health Products | $279,112 |
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=1642
“During the 2004 election cycle, when Harkin was not up for re-election, more than 80 percent of the dollars contributed to Harkin came from outside the state of Iowa. The three locales from which most of Harkin’s cash came were Washington, D.C., Los Angeles-Beverly Hills and New York City. Harkin might look like a Senator from Iowa, but he is the almost-wholly-owned subsidy of special interests and alien ideological groups very far away from traditional Iowan interests and values.
During the 2004 cycle Harkin’s campaign coffers collected more than $40,000 from nutrient seller Herbalife International and $35,000 from diet and herbal substance maker Starlight International. Starlight, owned by TV producer and concert promoter Steven Goldberg, was questioned in 2003 by a congressional committee about its marketing of products that contained the potentially dangerous herb ephedra. Other big health-related donors include Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Healthsouth Corporation and the American Chiropractic Association.”
http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=272407
Top recipients of money from Freddie Mac, AIG, etc.
Freddie Mac: Recipients
Senate Dodd, Christopher J $28,800
Senate Obama, Barack $21,450
Senate Clinton, Hillary $17,600
House Bachus, Spencer $11,500
House Bean, Melissa $11,249
Senate McCain, John $9,500
Senate Alexander, Lamar $9,000
Senate Bennett, Robert F $8,999
House Davis, Tom $8,999
House Boehner, John $8,000
House Pelosi, Nancy $7,500
Senate Reid, Harry $7,500
House Cantor, Eric $7,000
Presidential Romney, Mitt $6,050
House Frank, Barney $5,500
Senate Johanns, Michael O $5,490
Senate Warner, Mark $5,050
Senate Bond, Christopher S ‘Kit’ $5,000
Senate Durbin, **** $5,000
Senate Lott, Trent $5,000
American International Group: Recipients
Senate Dodd, Christopher J $104,300
Senate Obama, Barack $71,761
Senate McCain, John $41,699
Senate Clinton, Hillary $41,431
Senate Baucus, Max $24,750
Senate Biden, Joseph R Jr $19,975
Presidential Romney, Mitt $19,950
Senate Sununu, John E $16,200
House Larson, John B $14,500
Presidential Giuliani, Rudolph W $13,200
House Kanjorski, Paul E $12,000
Senate Durbin, **** $11,000
House Perlmutter, Edwin G $10,500
House Rangel, Charles B $9,000
Presidential Edwards, John $7,850
Senate Corker, Bob $7,650
House Smith, Chris $6,900
House Neal, Richard E $6,500
Senate Rockefeller, Jay $6,500
Senate Reed, Jack $6,000
Goldman Sachs: Recipients
Senate Obama, Barack $691,930
Senate Clinton, Hillary $468,200
Presidential Romney, Mitt $229,675
Senate McCain, John $208,395
House Himes, Jim $114,748
Presidential Giuliani, Rudolph W $111,750
Senate Dodd, Christopher J $105,400
Presidential Edwards, John $66,450
Senate Specter, Arlen $47,600
House Emanuel, Rahm $32,950
Senate Reed, Jack $30,100
Senate Sununu, John E $29,900
Senate Baucus, Max $26,000
Senate Warner, Mark $25,900
Senate Harkin, Tom $24,580
Senate Lautenberg, Frank R $23,300
House Skelly, Michael Peter $22,657
Senate Collins, Susan M $21,400
Senate Landrieu, Mary L $20,700
Senate Durbin, **** $19,800
As you can see Harkin is in good company with other elected leaders who accepted money from big donors. Under current law, perhaps all of this generous giving is acceptable. Yet, to this voter, I can sure understand the ‘smell of money’ and how our leaders must love receiving it.
In the case of Reed vs. Harkin (David vs Goliath) I sure can see how Reed is at a great disadvantage with campaign funds when Harkin has the big bucks from outside interests.
Grassroots voters: Give your time, attention, and yes, hard earned money to Christopher Reed’s campaign. We cannot accept the fact that non-Iowans are deciding with their money who our Senator will be. Yes, the “smell of money” when it comes to Tom Harkin has a bad odor and needs to have an even worse taste in our mouths.
Harkin’s smell of money really does stink. And the smell has obviously been building up for years.
What about Tom Latham? He has gotten a lot of money from outside his district and outside of Iowa. I will be looking forward to reading a post about Latham in the coming weeks.
Well, well, well…so Mitt Romney got money from FREDDIE MAC
Doesn’t surprise me.
So much for his being pure as a consequence of his Washington outsider status.
Yes, Willard, Washington is broken, BUT SO ARE YOU!
Our Senators and Representatives: take money from others in and spend taxpayer money at will. Here we go with greed again. What a list! I bet these people know there is a list but think we won’t see it or care if we do.
We need to send some new people to DC with the understanding that we are watching and things must be done differently.
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