Posted on 05/16/2004 2:18:36 PM PDT by PJ-Comix
Deutsch has deep pockets to finance his Senate bid
Throughout his political career, Peter Deutsch has not hesitated to use his own money in a tough race.
In his first bid for office, fresh out of Yale Law School, he lent himself $10,000, nearly a third of his campaign treasury, for the Florida House of Representatives.
When he ran for Congress at 35, he invested $350,000.
Now 47, and facing his most daunting campaign, he has spent $750,000 of his own money on a U.S. Senate bid, even though he didn't need the cash to stay comfortably ahead of Democratic rivals Betty Castor and Alex Penelas.
His hefty personal investment shows his determination -- some call it desperation -- to get to the Senate. Deutsch had to resign his seat in a a politically friendly congressional district to launch his Senate campaign.
Term limits are forcing Penelas to leave the Miami-Dade mayor's office, while Castor stepped down as state education commissioner in 1993.
= [100.0] HEADLINE SHOULD BE 22-28 POINT = [100.0] my congressional seat for the next 20 years.''
Wealthy politicians are hardly uncommon in the U.S. Senate, known as a millionaire's club for its coterie of corporate executives and trial lawyers.
About 42 of the 100 members are worth at least $1 million, an unprecedented number, according to an analysis by the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call.
BIG ADVANTAGE
As the cost of running for office skyrockets, candidates who can bankroll their way into office wield a distinct advantage over those who only collect $2,000 at a time from donors.
Deutsch is not the richest Florida candidate. Karen Saull, a Republican political novice, is married to a multimillionaire who said they will spend ``whatever it takes.''
Coral Gables businessman Doug Gallagher, another Republican candidate, has pumped $1.3 million into his campaign.
But the GOP primary is widely viewed as a two-man fight between former U.S. Housing Secretary Mel Martinez and former U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum, leaving Deutsch, among viable candidates, as the one with the largest personal investment.
Few candidates have the luxury of liquidating a $937,000 property, as Deutsch did in December, or of taking out a half-million-dollar loan on a 4,800-square-foot home a couple of months later.
He said the $500,000 line of credit on his Hollywood residence, on top of a previous $250,000 loan, were used for the campaign.
Members of Congress do not have to list their net worth on financial disclosure forms; they're required only to give rough estimates of the value of their assets.
Deutsch said he has ''no clue'' how much he is worth, but said he may spend even more on the race.
''I have money, and if I choose to to use it to finance my campaign, that's a good thing,'' he said. 'I believe in myself, and I want the opportunity to shape Florida's future. It's an investment not just in my future, but in my kids' future.''
Douche means it is an investment in his political career.
Both men said their friendship did not affect the $937,000 sales price.
And Douche had the gall to attack Alex Pinellas for supposed shady financing!
Broward County values the land at $424,760 for tax purposes, but it's not unusual in today's heady real estate market for land to sell for much more than the assessed value.
Especially when you try to evade campaign finance laws by funneling a campaign donation in the form of a real estate sale to someone like Douche.
''It was an arms-length transaction,'' he said of the sale to the Zuluetas.
LOL! Anyway I sure hope Douche gets the nomination. It will mean a sure Republican win in November.
Polls show Betty Castor leading in the RAT primary and the general election. Who the heck is she?
Go, Douche Go!
Mel will CRUSH you.
I agree with your analysis. He's a real Douche-bag.
What's the story on Castor? I don't know ANYTHING about her except that "Castor" means "Beaver" in Spanish.
During the 2000 election recount my friends and I had the distinct pleasure of shouting down Mr Douche while he was unsuccessfully attempting to hold an impromptu, self-serving press conference in front of the Broward County Courthouse.
She is a former state secretary of education. Most recently, she was president of the University of South Florida. Typical educrat. BTW, I have read that her son is an assistant in the Palm Beach County State's Attorney's office...the same one that is going after Rush.
When I lived in FL a decade ago, the press loved her.
Unless FL brought the runoff back this year, she'll probably win the primary, if for no other reason than that the two other major Dems will split the South Florida Dem vote.
You all are right...Deutsch would be the best to run against...he'd have a hard time winning anything north of West Palm Beach.
With her university background, Castor can chat the mantra of "for the children blah blah". Janet Reno endorsed her. But the Douche Man could still win by heavily carrying South FL, where most of the RAT primary voters are. Alcee Hastings dropped out. I doubt Alex Penelas will get much votes from Miami-Dade now that Mel Martinez jumped into the race.
Your title had me worried, I can,t stand him. One of my Jewish friends from Boca told me about a fight she had with her son, when he wanted her to have dinner with Deutsch. You are right, he is a dirtbag.
Betty Castor has her own oil compay...
Peter Douche: I make Boca Bob Wexler look sane...
Good luck bump to self
He wanted the GOP protestors jailed. @#^# him.
I figured Wexler and Petey are related. They act like it, anyway.
Douche claims that Alex Pinellas is the reason that Bush became President because Pinellas took a vacation (or went on a trip) just before the election. Douche gets VERY worked up when he mentions that along with his attack on Pinellas for some shady appearing campaign financing (forgetting his own sweetheart deals with campaign contributors).
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