Posted on 10/25/2006 3:40:06 PM PDT by SmithL
WASHINGTON — Republican Bob Corker wants to wait until the last minute to loan more of his personal fortune to his Senate campaign and thus delay Harold Ford Jr.’s right to raise more from individual donors, according to a letter from Corker’s campaign chairman and accusations from Ford surrogates.
The Ford campaign, saying Corker is "playing games" with campaign finance laws in an attempt to buy the election, circulated a letter Wednesday from Corker campaign chairman Jimmy Haslam that asks potential donors to pony up by this Thursday afternoon. Corker communications director confirmed the letter’s legitimacy.
"The target is to receive as much cash as possible by Thursday afternoon so that Bob’s campaign team can make next week’s television buys without Bob investing in his own campaign," Haslam’s letter says. "Bob plans on investing in his campaign, but wants to delay that as long as possible so as to not trigger the ‘millionaire’s clause.’"
Under federal campaign finance rules, if Corker were to loan his campaign $665,000, Ford could begin raising $6,300 in individual contributions, rather than the $2,100 limit now in place. If Corker were to loan his campaign $1.33 million, Ford would be permitted to raise up to $12,600 per individual donor. And if Corker loaned his campaign $3.3 million, Ford could raise the same $12,600 in individual donor contributions but with the coordination of the state and national Democratic parties.
From the text of Haslam’s letter, Corker evidently foresees a future when Ford will be able to raise another $8,400 from donors who have already contributed the maximum $2,100 each for the primary and general elections, meaning he will likely loan his campaign a minimum of $1.3 million. Haslam uses Ford’s previous donation from singer Barbra Streisand as his example.
Asked when Corker plans to toll the millionaire’s clause, Womack was coy.
"We’re not going to telegraph to them our strategy, but again, Bob would not ask Tennesseans to invest in our campaign if he were not willing to invest as well," he said.
Corker used the same strategy in the GOP primary against Van Hilleary and Ed Bryant, lending his campaign $2.1 million so near the election date that they couldn’t catch up, and drawing howls from both their camps.
"Bob Corker’s Big Oil campaign chairman makes it clear that Bob Corker will stop at nothing to try to buy this election. But first, he wants others to give their hard-earned money so Mr. Corker can skirt the spirit of the campaign finance laws," said Ford’s senior advisor, Michael Powell. Haslam is the CEO of a retail petroleum business.
Federal Election Commission filings indicate both campaigns have been successful in raining money over the past week. Ford has filed four of the required 48-hour notices to the FEC, recording $462,000 since Oct. 18. One contribution came from Ben & Jerry’s founder Ben Cohen.
Corker’s two 48-hour notices reflect donations of $77,200 filed last Saturday. Two $2,100 donations were from Chattanooga-based "students" named Lorberbaum. Womack said Corker raised another $400,000 when former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani appeared with him in Chattanooga earlier this week.
Perfectly legitimate strategy for a smart candidate.
Booooh hooooo hooooo...it's not fair.IT'S NOT FAIR!!!
It's called strategy you bunch of lame whiners.
great, Corker's "cheating" by following the letter of the law. What's the Ford excuse gonna be election day?
Does Ford EVER stop whinning?? I've seen 3 year olds who whine less than this guy. He's losing, so everything Corker does is going to be fodder for Ford's endless whining for the next 13 days. Does Ford think his constant and tiresome playing of the victim is going to move voters?
They could both go on vacation and not change too many minds at this stage of the game.
Maybe Ford shouldn't ahve voted for that stupid Campaign Finance Reform. If he had supported the First Amendment and voted to do away with contribution limits, he could raise $8,400 or more per contributor without waiting for Corker to do anything.
let him whine... hopefully he just leaves the guns at home...
LOL...I like this guy even more than before I read this...
He's very immature, not worthy of being a Congressman much less a Senator.
I can't see TN electing a black senator to represent them ... even with his obvious white blood.
Looks to me like this Fork's on the same financial track as the Ford Motor Company.
Did Ford give up his district seat to run for senator?
Ford sounds like a spoiled rotten brat punk. No savy. No class.
I lived in the ninth district for almost 30 years and it has always been Ford's whining, whining, whining.
Don't know what the hell is wrong with her...I think she must be trying to hedge her bet that the dims will take the house and Senate...she has said they will.
I don't believe that one can run for two national offices at the same time.
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