THE BUSH
ADMINISTRATION
Embassy Row
There was little, if any, surprise when President
Bush chose William S. Farish as ambassador to Great Britain. Farish, a
millionaire horse breeder and chairman of Churchill Downs, which hosts the
fabled Kentucky Derby each year, is a big Republican donor and a close family
friend of the Bushes, whom he has known for more than 50 years. Farish has a history of close ties with President
Bush's father. He owns a trust company in Houston called W.S. Farish &
Co., and was tapped in 1980 to manage Vice President Bush's blind trust.
He and his wife, Sarah, gave Millie, who became known as the White House dog, to
George and Barbara Bush. Farish and the elder Bush are known to be
occasional tennis partners. Farish owns the Lane's End Farm near Lexington,
where he and Sarah have played host to Queen Elizabeth, another longtime friend
and the royal head of the country in which he will serve, pending confirmation
by the U.S. Senate. Farish contributed $26,875 to Republican
candidates and parties in 1999-2000, including the maximum $1,000 to President
Bush's campaign. He also contributed $100,000 to the Bush-Cheney
inauguration committee and $5,000 to the Bush-Cheney recount committee. His
support for Democrats amounted to a single contribution of $1,000 to the
unsuccessful campaign of former Rep. Scotty Baesler (D-Ky.). Sarah Farish made $11,000 in contributions during
1999-2000, all of it to Republicans. Like her husband, she gave $1,000 to
President Bush's campaign. All told, William and Sarah Farish contributed
$37,875 to Republican candidates and party committees, $100,000 to the
Bush-Cheney inaugural fund, $5,000 to the Bush-Cheney recount fund, and just
$1,000 to Democratic candidates and party committees during the 2000 campaign.
They made no soft money contributions to either party.
*Figures represent contributions from the
individual and his/her immediate family in 1999-2000. Total includes donations
made to Republican candidates and party committees, as well as the Bush-Cheney
recount fund, transition foundation, and inauguration committee.
Feel free to distribute or cite this
material, but please credit the Center for Responsive Politics. open secrets web site
UNITED KINGDOM
William S.
Farish
$142,875 to the GOP*
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