Although this story is Mass-based what is described, as Bowers and Markos have blogged, demands national attention and action. I urge all living in safe Demo-districts to call their representatives on Monday AM to urge them to contribute beyond their assessed DCCC dues.
This morning's Boston Globe, 21 October 2006, has a major must-read story on what the Massachusetts House and Senate delegation are and are not doing right now to help win back the House.
http://www.boston.com/...
Kerry and at least three other congressmen right now have been very stingy.
In brief, Rick Klein Michael Kranish, and the Globe staff report that while Kerry has engaged in fund-raising and campaigning for candidates throughout the country, he has not touched the war chest he is hoarding for his next run at the presidency, $14 million. By contrast Kennedy has given $1 million. As for the House delegation, apart from Barney Frank whose largesse has been the greatest, giving about $300,00, their contributions have been minimal. And one member, Stephen F. Lynch, Democrat of South Boston, has not even given what was expected of him.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee assesses House Members dues to be used in the national campaign.
Representative Stephen F. Lynch, Democrat of South Boston, is $100,000 short of his obligations... A Lynch spokesman, Scott Ferson, said that Lynch prefers to make his own contributions to individual candidates so he can write checks to those who need it most. Lynch, who is widely discussed as a potential Senate candidate, has $970,000 in his campaign account and had given $50,000 to the national campaign $13,000 to other candidates by the end of September.
However there is no report on the candidates whom he has helped and that amount, $13,000 is less than 10% of the total ($150,000) he was expected to contribute to the national committee.
Congressman Marty Meehan has no opponent and almost $5 million in his account, but has given just the minimum assessed.
Meehan has covered his dues of $125,000, and he said he has contributed about $1,000 extra. But Meehan won't say why he needs so much cash on hand when he has no major-party opponent, and he points out that many other members haven't paid what the party has asked.
Representative Richard E. Neal, a Springfield Democrat, [my congressman] has paid his DCCC dues of $150,000. But the congressman, who faces no major opposition in next month's election, still has $1.3 million cash on hand, according to election reports.
Asked why Neal hasn't used some of that cash to give the DCCC additional money, spokesman William Tranghese responded: "I think he has done everything the House Democratic leadership has asked in an effort to regain a Democratic majority in the House of Representatives."
The article does not detail the campaign treasure chests and the dues assessed for other Mass congressmen. Presumably Neel, Meehan, and Lynch are the best funded and therefore the least generous, but that remains to be discovered.
Clearly each of the hoarders are squirreling their funds for their next push up the greasy pole of political advancement, be it an open senate seat or a presidential bid. Both depend on Kerry's plans. It is unlikely that Kerry would leave the senate unless he went for the presidency. Realistically his chances of surviving long in that nomination race are slim. So early on he will be forced to decide to remain in his current seat. No long-lasting presidential run, no open senate seat, this money will be wasted.
In the meanwhile the failure to be generous at this crucial moment should harm the ambitions of all the hoarders. They should be told that miserliness has political consequences for their long-term advancement.
Let us organize ourselves to pressure Neal, Lynch, Meehan and the other unchallenged candidates from Massachusetts to give generously to their fellow Democratic candidates for the House. I encourage others elsewhere in the US to try to learn what their representatives are doing. I am sure that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee would be happy to make public its lists of dues assessed and received nation-wide. Pressure on the deadbeats would be an effective means of raising funds nationally.
Bowers' list was a good starting point, but it should be refined through the method used in the Boston Globe article.
Neal, Lynch, Neehan and others in safe districts should realize the cost to their ambitions of not ponying up generously. I know that in response to activist pressure spokesmen for some deadbeat representatives have claimed all sorts of contributions. The DCCC list coupled with their war chests would be an effective yard-stick to assess their real help.
BTW for those who have not seen it, here is the Kerry campaign's response to the request that he open his piggy-bank. Note that while it details considerable generosity, particularly in the past, it does not specifically respond to the dramatic opportunities right now being created in the congressional campaign. All of what it says may be true, but there is an immediate dramatic need that will not be met by contributions from 2005. I am afraid the problem right now is what have you done for us lately.
Thank you for your message, and we appreciate hearing from you.
Unfortunately, the anonymous website which directed you to us is full of lies and misleading statements.
We wanted to make sure you had complete, accurate information about John Kerry's efforts over the last 2 years to support Democratic candidates up and down the ticket all across the country. Here are the facts:
"Give me five more John Kerry's," says Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.). "He's a fighter, and he puts his money where his mouth is." - Roll Call, 5.1.06
No one has done more than John Kerry to support Democratic candidates. 11 million dollars. Over 200 candidates in more than 40 states. That's how much, together, the johnkerry.com community and John Kerry have given to or raised for Democratic candidates and committees since November 2004. John Kerry is aggressively fundraising for Democratic candidates in 2006 - making direct contributions to campaigns, attending and hosting events in the states, emailing his 3 million person list of supporters on behalf of candidates, and raising money for state parties, the DNC, DSCC and DCCC.
"He also won plaudits for working on behalf of House candidates. `The question is was somebody willing to stand up back in the dark days when I needed help, and he was,' said US Representative Rahm Emanuel, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. -- Boston Globe, Brian Mooney, 10/9/06
Kerry has personally traveled to 24 states to appear with candidates and rally support at the grassroots. Kerry has made over 85 trips across the country to support Democratic candidates this cycle.
Kerry gave $1 million to the Democratic National Committee and raised an additional $250,000 for the DNC online. Kerry also gave $1 million to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and $500,000 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Kerry contributed $50,000 to the Louisiana State Party and gave $250,000 to the Washington State Democratic Party which helped finance a recount when the Republican party challenged the win of Gov. Christine Gregoire in 2005.
With the help of the johnkerry.com community, together we have raised over 100K each for 11 candidates, including Cantwell, Bill Nelson, Byrd, Sherrod Brown, Ford, McCaskill, Klobuchar, Webb, Duckworth, Patrick Murphy and Joe Sestak.
"Kerry has a big electronic address book and he hasn't been shy about using it...it's also bringing in quite a bit of money for Democrats nationwide...he has given or raised nearly $10 million for Democratic candidates and committees since November 2004." - Washington Post, "Kerry Treasury Department," 7.2.06
Getting veteran candidates elected to key seats is a top priority for John Kerry in 2006. He has actively supported over a dozen veteran candidates, including Jim Webb, Tammy Duckworth, and Chris Carney. "The Winners: John Kerry: Kerry not only endorsed Webb but appeared with him Monday for a last-minute campaign rally. Kerry also used his national e-mail list to raise cash and turn out the vote."- Washingtonpost.com, The Fix, "VA Senate Winners and Losers," 6.14.06
Additionally, in 2005-06, John Kerry contributed or raised over $175,200 on behalf of the Massachusetts Democratic party, He has used his email list to recruit over 500 volunteers to support the state's efforts to elect Democrats in November. In the last two months before the election, he will attend 5 events in support of Deval Patrick, the Democratic nominee for Governor, and the Democratic ticket.
If the Democrats fail to retake the House, any one who could have helped from their campaign troves, but did not, should not be a gainer. Their political fortunes should not be advanced.