Clinton Aide’s Private Databank Venture Breaks Ground in Politicking (Harold M. Ickes & Catalist)

NY Times ^ | 4/12/08 | Leslie Wayne

[NormsRevenge]

When Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton needed help rounding up superdelegates, she turned to Harold M. Ickes, the ultimate Democratic fixer, ...

... Mr. Ickes is also wearing another hat. He is president of Catalist, a for-profit databank that has sold its voter files to the Obama and the Clinton presidential campaigns for their get-out-the-vote efforts. With his equity stake in the firm, Mr. Ickes stands to benefit financially no matter which candidate becomes the Democratic nominee.

In creating Catalist, Mr. Ickes, ... has formed a rare entity on the political scene, a for-profit limited-liability corporation that allows wealthy Democratic donors to help progressive organizations and candidates by investing in the company. ...

But some campaign finance watchdogs say they wonder whether Catalist was established not so much to make money but to find a creative way to allow big-money liberal donors to influence the election without disclosing the degree of their involvement or being subjected to other rules that would govern spending by an explicitly political organization.

Catalist has raised over $11 million in venture capital, including more than $1 million from the .. George Soros, ...

--snip--

... one concern about Catalist is that its precursors — America Coming Together and Media Fund — were found by the Federal Election Commission to have illegally spent $150 million on federal campaign activities without registering as political committees. The two groups were fined a combined $1.35 million.

... But Catalist’s business structure ... have raised questions about whether the company is using its status as a for-profit company to shield its investors from disclosure and spending rules that would apply to more traditional political organizations.

Catalist’s backers, along with Mr. Ickes, are some of the same people involved in America Coming Together and the Media Fund, which have since disbanded. ...

[Steely Tom]

Democrat does this kind of thing: NYT marvels over how clever he is.

Republican does this kind of thing: NYT sez "why, that's some of that awful Culture of Corruption, getting into our Political System and Shredding the Constitution! We need some congressional hearings right away, and get those subpoenas ready, Madam Speaker!"

[rod1]

“...Mr. Ickes stands to benefit financially no matter which candidate becomes the Democratic nominee....”

Databases for profit. and a regular Gupta at fleecing people. Enemies list too no doubt. So its

Harold M(ilhouse) Ickes

now.

[Dick Vomer]

Democrat does this kind of thing: NYT marvels over how clever he is. Republican does this kind of thing: NYT sez "why, that's some of that awful Culture of Corruption, getting into our Political System and Shredding the Constitution!

not to worry, McCain-Feingold "fixed" the problem, doncha know?

[blackdog]

Some day Ickes will get what’s coming to the little punk. It all comes back on you times ten. Just ask Elliot Spitzer.

[blackdog]

I'm shocked nobody has made the connection.

Remember when Hillary spent tens of millions on the "Who Database" at the Whitehouse? It's purpose was alway's muddled into an amorphous non-answer answer.

Ickes just stole it and is using it to profit.

[blackdog]

It was Marsha Scott who ran cover for the "Who Database" which became the "Whitehouse Coffee's" database which was then used to target individuals who could donate substantial monies to the Clinton/Gore machine. When it's purpose was shown as a public financed finance arm for the DNC, discussion of the computer program, it's hardware, and the technical analysts who supported it fell off the face of the earth.

This is the exact program described by this Ickes Catalist database. I contend that it's not his property.

[VA Voter]

THe Democrats can datamine to raise money but won’t allow the US to legally datamine to catch potential terrorists.

WTF!!!