Troy,
Good to see you want to see better bicycling for this city. But I'm
having a hard time squaring that sentiment with the facts of the
financing.
Re:
The latest post by Mr. Barrett, and Matt's before him, is
the another in an increasingly frantic smear campaign to save
Robbie's seat.
The smear isn't on our part. The actions of your campaign speak
louder than our words ever could. These are the numbers (again):
-$6000 of the $8000 raised this period is from outside the district.
-Over $3000 from conduits.
-$1715 from the Realtors year to date in 2007.
-$1562.85 from Chamber of Commerce year to date in 2007.
And they are irrefutable. But they have gotten worse--yet another
$600 rolled in to your campaign from the Chamber of Commerce conduit
since I posted those numbers! (See: Special Report of Late
Contribution for Conduits
http://www.cityofmadison.com/clerk/CampFin/2007/GMCC2.pdf --
interesting to see that the Chamber is really spreading the love to
other candidates who have pledged to take the council rightward.)*
I've asked Robbie if she has taken money from conduits; she maintains
that she has *never* taken conduit money from *anyone*. I've seen the
reports; it is true, she has not taken money from conduits.
So why am I focusing on conduits? Well, let's start with definitions.
Here's Wisconsin Democracy Campaign's explanation of conduits:
"Groups can systematically collect contributions from individuals,
bundle them together and send one large check to the candidate along
with the contributor list. Corporations, professional associations,
political parties and other issue groups organize and run conduits.
Candidates report conduit contributions as individual contributions
under the names of the contributors provided by the conduits.
Individual contribution limits apply to the individuals giving
through the conduit but there are no limits on the amounts the
conduit can deliver.
"Conduits were created to bypass limits on PAC contributions. Many of
the same organizations that maintain conduits also have PACs. The
only reporting required for the conduit is when a check is sent to a
candidate. They are not required to report money amassed in their
coffers or any of their administrative expenses."
In other words, these things aren't about friends & colleagues. We
all have friends from all over the city. It would be natural and
perfectly fine that they would help out with a check.
But conduits are about sending a message.
And from what I've seen observing & participating in many different
city commissions for many years, the interests behind those conduits
are not for more bikeable places. In fact, they routinely militate
against it.
-Mike Barrett
P.s. This is just the tip of the damning data iceberg. More to come
if you really want it, Troy.
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