Check out Kirk's article, Some political contributions should be returned to their rightful owners: taxpayers. In the article he goes into detail about those fallen from grace, such as developer Raul P. Masvidal. Nielsen says Masvidal even had money left over from our tax dollars so he could donate to campaigns:
"Somehow, despite the fiscal implosions at work and home, Masvidal managed to find about $70,000 between 2003 and 2007 for some of his preferred politicos..."
"Masvidal was especially generous to the Diaz-Balarts. He had given $1,000 to Mario Diaz-Balart in May 2002; after receiving the county loan Masvidal upped Mario’s gift to $2,000 in December 2003. Between 2003 and 2007 he gave $6,000 to the Diaz-Balarts’ Democracy Believers Political Action Committee, and $15,000 to another group they are involved with, the U.S. Cuba Democracy PAC, which funds members of Congress who vote to maintain or tighten the embargo on trade with, and travel to, Cuba."
"During that time Masvidal also gave $2,000 to U.S. Republican Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida, $1,000 to U.S. Rep. Ander Crenshaw, a Jacksonville-area Republican, and $2,000 to Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Miami) via her IRL PAC in 2005."
There is more on Masvidal and other developers, check out the entire article by hitting the link above.
5 comments:
"That was only the half of it. Masvidal’s munificence has been curiously bipartisan. Besides the $6,000 he and his wife gave to Miami area Democrats Penelas and Graham, in 2004 he sent $2,500 to the Democratic National Committee and $2,000 to the Campaign for Florida’s Future, which promotes fair elections and ethics in government.
Then in 2005 and 2006 the uncannily magnanimous developer gave $4,000 to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a South Broward Democrat. During that period he also gave $7,200 to Florida’s Democratic U.S. Senator, Bill Nelson. (Previously, Masvidal had contributed $2,000 to Nelson’s first U.S. senate campaign in 1999)."
These developers are not stupid. You buy the person in charge but you also buy the person who may take their position. In politics it appears that every body is for sale. Even if they are the ideal honest person prior to election it does not take long for them to become bought politicians.
Rather than try to get the money back, which won't happen, why don't we press for campaign finance that limits contribution to 250.00 and prohibits business and PAC donations?
We had it. But alas Jimmy was trounced and Sally et al decided that it was too much work to raise money under those cumbersome rules and switched it back.
m
M. speaks the truth -- this time.
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