Emily's List/Telefund bummer

[lilsourgoose]

I received a phone call tonight from a telemarketer (with a blocked number) who immediately kicked into a long spiel about Emily's List. I tried several times to stop him, but he kept going...eventually I stopped him, and told him that as a policy, I do not donate to political organizations that call me cold like this, due to having been scammed in the past by telemarketing organizations that gave less than the full amount to the organization that they represent and/or that were insanely rude. I suggested that if he wanted to send me some information through the mail about Emily's List, I might very well donate directly at that point, as I am sympathetic to their goals.

At this point he became very shrill and bullying, and insisted that I make a pledge over the phone, which would then be followed up by pledge envelopes they would send out. When I said I was sorry, that I supported Emily's List but that I could not donate in this manner, he hung up on me mid-sentence.

I get similar calls almost daily from the Democratic Congressional Committee--always a blocked number, often when I answer there is no one there--and always with the same rude, bullying attitude. These all originate from the same company--Telefund, in Colorado. This company specializes in fundraising for liberal causes, but behaves like absolute monsters--aggressive, RUDE, and not interested in anything other than snagging donations. I have called them MANY times asking to be put on their "Do Not Call" list and always end up being back on their "Call Constantly" list within a few months. They have a computer system set up to auto-dial, and after it recognizes there is a live voice answering, they patch through to a live person. Except that that only happens about once every 10 times. The rest of the time you speak to dead air for about 30 seconds and then are cut off. I don't know why an organization like Emily's List recruits this overly aggressive, rude telemarketing company, but I can say this much--their association with the monstrous Telefund pretty much makes it 100% that I will not ever donate a penny to them. If you have someone using your name to solicit funds, they are a representative of your organization. If you can't train them (at the very least) not to be completely shitty and beligerent towards the potential donor, well, then, you are not the type of organization I want to contribute to.

[elleng]

1. Sounds awful.

I suggest you inform brooklynite, and tell him to tell Dems to cancel their relationship with these creeps.

[Shrike47]

2. Oh lord, we get tons of calls from those creeps.

We gave money to the Dems last year but I came real close to regretting it ( well, not really, but still, Telefund is NOT nice. Way to drive off supporters. Telling them we only respond to mail did not help.