Now, Democrat Senate candidates – including Maggie Hassan, Ted Strickland, Russ Feingold, Michael Bennet, Jason Kander, Patrick Murphy, and Tammy Duckworth – are in the awkward position of having to defend themselves from Clinton’s attacks implying they, too, are the candidates of Wall Street banks.
Clinton: Sanders Took Wall Street Money From DSCC: “‘Senator Sanders took about $200,000 from Wall Street firms,” Clinton said, speaking to a crowd at the community college. “Not directly but through the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee…’” Sanders received funding $37,300 directly from the DSCC to help win his 2006 campaign for Senate, and the party spent $60,000 on ads for Sanders and contributed $100,000 to the Vermont Democratic Party, according to a recent CNN report. Some of the DSCC’s top contributors that year included Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and other major banks. (Sam Frizell, “Clinton: Sanders Accepted Wall Street Money Too, Indirectly,” Time, 2/8/16)
Will these Democrat candidates bail on Clinton after getting backed into a corner? Will they publicly embrace their Wall Street financiers? Or will they simply hope that no one notices one of their party’s presidential candidates, on the eve of the New Hampshire primary, just accused her party’s leading Senate candidates of being bankrolled by the very special interests that could end up sinking her campaign?
One thing is for certain: Democrat candidates owe voters a response to Clinton’s accusations that their campaigns have been bankrolled by Wall Street banks.
BACKGROUND:
The DSCC Has Contributed $46,800 To Maggie Hassan’s Senate Campaign. (DSCC, 2015 November Monthly Report, Filed 11/20/15)
The DSCC Has Contributed $46,800 To Ted Strickland’s Senate Campaign. (DSCC, 2015 July Monthly Report, Filed 7/20/15)
The DSCC Contributed $42,600 To Russ Feingold’s Senate Campaign In 2010. (DSCC, 2010 April Monthly Report, Filed 4/20/10)
Michael Bennet Was Tapped By Harry Reid To Run The DSCC During The 2014 Election Cycle. “Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet will serve as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for the 2014 election cycle, Democratic sources told POLITICO exclusively. Guy Cecil, the highly regarded executive director, will also return for another two-year term. Cecil served as Bennet’s campaign manager during his successful 2010 Senate run in Colorado.” (John Bresnahan and Manu Raju, “Exclusive: Harry Reid Taps Michael Bennet To Run DSCC,” Politico, 12/4/12)
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In May 2014, Bennet Attended A New York Fundraiser At Investment Banker Blair W. Effron’s Home. “Blair W. Effron’s fellow financiers will have a chance to follow the etiquette advice from the woman who once lived in his New York apartment when he hosts President Barack Obama at a fundraiser there May 14. The co-founder of investment bank Centerview Partners LLC is having Obama over to raise money for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said two donors who weren’t authorized to discuss the event. … Guests can attend an hour-long reception followed by ‘a special dinner’ with the president for $20,000 each, with a maximum $32,400 contribution, according to an invitation. … The man in charge of fundraising for Democratic senators knows Wall Street. DSCC Chairman Michael Bennet, a Colorado senator whose name is listed below Obama’s on the invitation to the May dinner, worked in debt markets as a managing director of billionaire Philip Anschutz’s Denver-based investment firm.” (Max Abelson, “Obama Coming To Fundraiser At Co-Op Where Manners Matter,” Bloomberg, 4/24/14)
- In March 2014, Bennet Attended A New York Fundraiser At Hedge Fund President Tony James’s Home. “President Barack Obama is headed to New York City Tuesday night for a fundraiser at the Manhattan home of Blackstone Group president and COO Hamilton ‘Tony’ James. A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee official confirmed to Business Insider that the event will be taking place at "the home of Tony and Amie James." The official said the proceeds will benefit the DSCC and tickets cost $2,400.” (Hunter Walker, “Obama Is Going To Blackstone President Tony James’ House Tonight, And Tickets Will Cost $2400,” Business Insider, 3/11/14)
The DSCC Has Contributed $46,800 To Jason Kander’s Senate Campaign. (DSCC, 2015 October Monthly Report, Filed 10/20/15)
The DSCC Has Contributed $46,800 To Patrick Murphy’s Senate Campaign. (DSCC, 2015 Year End Report, Filed 10/20/15)
The DSCC Has Contributed $46,800 To Tammy Duckworth’s Senate Campaign. (DSCC, 2015 Year End Report, Filed 10/20/15)