Kerry's 'Special Interests' over 20 years compared to Bush's 10 years

[bigtree]

According to the Center for Public Integrity:

Kerry's Career Patrons:
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=4&act=cp

Based on contributions to the federal and nonfederal committees of Citizen Soldier Fund, Kerry's senate campaigns from 1984-2002, and Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign through Sept. 30, 2003.

Organization Total:

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo $230,796
FleetBoston Financial Corp. $182,387
Time Warner $140,710
Hale and Dorr LLP $128,258
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom $123,400
Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos Inc. $122,300
Harvard University $118,200
Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson & Hand/Piper Rudnick $117,800
Citigroup $111,356
Goldman Sachs Group $110,500


Personal Finances:
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=4&act=pfin

Details:
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=4&act=details

Asset Detail Records
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=4&act=details#asset

Income Detail Records
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=4&act=details

Kerry Committee (Senate)
Periodic filings of campaign contribution and expenditure data.
http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00177147

John Kerry for President Inc.
Periodic filings of campaign contribution and expenditure data.
http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00383653

John Kerry for President Inc. Compliance Fund
Periodic filings of campaign contribution and expenditure data.
http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00385070

Citizen Soldier Fund
Periodic filings of campaign contribution and expenditure data.
http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00370916


John Kerry Releases Fundraiser Names in Effort to Improve Transparency
Challenges Democratic Rivals to Follow His Lead
October 21, 2003
http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/releases/pr_2003_1021b.html

Donor List PDF Format:
http://www.johnkerry.com/pdf/donors.pdf

Democratic Presidential Candidate John Kerry today released the names of supporters who raised over $50,000 for his presidential campaign. The list has been posted for the public on his web-site at www.johnkerry.com

John Kerry said, “Throughout my career I have fought for reform in the campaign finance system and I believe strongly that voters should know who is funding campaigns. There is no better reason for transparency than the Bush Administration’s blatant reward of campaign contributors with tax breaks and special favors at every turn.”

“I hope that every Presidential candidate will show their commitment to transparency by releasing the same information from their campaigns.”

The Washington Post said, “Mr. Kerry's release of the names puts him in the forefront of meaningful disclosure


_________________________________________________________________


Bush's Career Patrons (10 years)
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=1&act=cp

Enron Corp. $602,625
Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. $505,500
MBNA Corp. $498,291
Vinson & Elkins $466,400
Credit Suisse First Boston $444,700
Bass Brothers Enterprises $397,427
International Bank of Commerce/Sanchez Companies $371,200
UBS Paine Webber Inc. $353,350
Goldman Sachs Group $342,949
Pricewaterhouse Coopers $340,948

Bush's Personal Finances:
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=1&act=pfin

Details:
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=1&act=details

Bush for President Inc.
Periodic filings of campaign contribution and expenditure data.
http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00343509

Bush-Cheney 2004
Periodic filings of campaign contribution and expenditure data.
http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00386987

Previous Center Reports:
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/dw.aspx?cid=1


Enron Executives Who Dumped Stock Were Heavy Donors to Bush:

Twenty Four top executives at Enron made thousands of dollars in political donations, much of it going to President Bush.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/dtaweb/downloads/Feb2002newsletter.pdf

The Bush Team Packed with Industry Insiders:

Many of the Bush Administration's key appointments are people who worked for or are closely affiliated with large corporations that often seek to lobby the government.
http://www.publicintegrity.org/dtaweb/downloads/June2001newsletter.pdf

[sandnsea]

1. One day, $1.7 million

That's what Bush collected in two stops in one day, one in Detroit and I forget where the other one was. People need a little perspective here.

Bass Brothers, they're the group that bought out Les Otten and American Skiing Company. He created the Vermont ski boom, he went bust, but somehow managed to buy into the Boston Red Sox. Just noticed that name on Bush's list.

[abburdlen]

2. Is that going to be part of the Kerry Campaign?

"He really not as bad as Bush."

[bigtree]

3. Yes, also this:

"Senator Kerry has taken individual contributions from lobbyists, but that has not stopped him from fighting against special interests on behalf of average Americans," said Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter. "If anyone thinks a contribution can buy Kerry's vote, then they are wasting their money."

To paraphrase Will Pitt, "Bush has $200 grand plus to spend against our nominee. What are we going to do about that?"

[flpoljunkie]

6. I think that's $200 million that Bush will have to spend sliming our guy.

.

[bigtree]

8. How will we counter that? That is a most important question.

[slinkerwink]

4. choose the lesser of the two evils!

*sigh* it's a total redux of the 2000 election.

[bigtree]

5. Gore was evil?

Based on individual and PAC contributions to the Fund for a Healthy America and Dean's presidential campaign through Sept. 30, 2003.
Organization Total
Time Warner $65,225
Microsoft Corp. $25,100
Howard Dean/Fund for a Healthy America $23,894
IBM Corp. $23,250
Harvard University $22,150
University of California $19,600
Maverick Farms/Anne and Arthur Berndt, Sharon, Vermont $19,500
University of Pennsylvania $16,700
Stanford University $14,750
Dartmouth College $14,750

Dean Financial Disclosure 2002 Executive Branch
An annual disclosure report detailing earned and investment income, assets, financial transactions, liabilities, outside reimbursements, gifts and honoraria, positions held outside government, and agreements, arrangements and contracts.
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/dw/Dean/FD_pres_02.pdf

Political Action Committee-Fund for a Healthy America:
http://herndon1.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/fecimg/?C00370007

Personal Finances:
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=8&act=pfin

Details:
http://www.bop2004.org/bop2004/candidate.aspx?cid=8&act=details

[NewYorkerfromMass]

7. Just look at the magnitude difference in levels of support

Bush is in the ionosphere while Kerry is much closer to earth.

[bigtree]

9. That's right

And look at the differences in the years. 20 for Kerry and 10 for Bush. Charles Lewis made this point this morning on MSNBC. There is no contest between Kerry and Bush on special interests.

And opponents of Kerry have not shown any significant quid pro quo. On the other hand, Bush is all quid pro.

[bigtree]

10. Is this less important than attacking each others campaigns?

Will we ever get around to fighting Bush? You can see how corrupting his money is. There is nothing but hysteria over the 20 years of money John Kerry has received.

Same for Dean. These handful of stories amount to nothing but a hill of beans compared to Bush and the republican's blatant corruption.