Yesterday I put up the inaugural post of what I hope will become a regular series of crowd sourced (that be you!) examinations of PACs and entities in general that flood our texts and email with entreaties for donations.
And I am ecstatic that it worked.
I nominated “No Surrender Fund” for Ugly status based on my research and commenters improved on mywork with links and data.
They also provided PACs to look at that they considered Ugly.
Hats off to:
@wesmorgan1 who actually found “targeted races” (which I had missed) that the PAC claims to be focused on.
@denig who succeeded where I had failed in searching the FEC database
@bobstandard For nomination of two more PACs for potential Ugly status, here and here
The poll yesterday asked is the No Surrender Fund Good Bad or Ugly? And the take away was: ugly.
I’ll ask the same question today and after reading the new details it will be interesting where the sentiment lies.
The details
Let’s dig into The No Surrender Fund.
the text that I received
Alarmist? Check. Coherent? Nope.
- The hair on fire text is about trump going after ActBlue.
- The final pitch is for flipping the house.
- The web site? It says they “target” two seats in the Senate.
Not coherent.
www.nosurrenderusa.com
The Good the Bad and The Ugly matrix*
| No surrender fund |
results |
Good,bad, or ugly? |
| The stated goals? |
web site:targeting two senate races
Text message: take back the house
|
Ugly |
| Alarmist? |
“he declared war on you”
”raise 50k end of month”
|
Ugly |
| FEC registered? |
Yes |
see receipts |
| Web site quality? |
boiler plate |
Ugly |
| About/contact? |
P.O. Box/info@ email/no phone |
Ugly |
| Whois |
redacted |
bad(ish) |
| Respond to query? |
not yet |
juries out |
Ok I suppose all could be forgiven if donations were actually moving the needle. So let’s look at the receipts for the current reporting period.
From the FEC. Thanks to @denig
The Totals
| Total receipts |
$1,793,204.00 |
| Total disbursements |
$1,274,276.78 |
| OPERATING EXPENDITURES |
$1,267,117.15 |
| Ending cash on hand |
$518,927.22 |
They spent $1.2 million to raise $1.8 million leaving about a ½ million bucks on hand. To date they show no disbursements (that I can see) to any candidate or cause.
Now, I have to say that half mill on hand could all be spent for good in the upcoming election(s). The PAC is new. And perhaps some of the costs are upfront costs that won’t repeat.
but…but…but…
If those donations went directly to candidate’s I would hope it would be better spent. Think of how many uncontested seats in red states could be contested if that money was divided amongst them.
And that expense ratio! More than 2:1
Personally I would not give this PAC my money. Ugly.
The details broken out below. Sorted by size of expenditure largest to smallest.
Who would have guessed it? Texting services are the biggest expense at $575,825.87
|
WHO
|
WHAT
|
HOW MUCH
|
|
SWITCHBOARD
|
TEXTING SERVICES
|
$ 15,723.37
|
|
SWITCHBOARD
|
TEXTING SERVICES
|
$ 64,599.08
|
|
SWITCHBOARD
|
TEXTING SERVICES
|
$ 181,347.08
|
|
SWITCHBOARD
|
TEXTING SERVICES
|
$ 314,156.34
|
|
|
|
$ 575,825.87
|
Followed by List acquisition expenses at $ 427,000.00
|
WHO
|
WHAT
|
HOW MUCH
|
|
TRUE BLUE ANALYTICS
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 10,000.00
|
|
TRUE BLUE ANALYTICS
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 10,000.00
|
|
TRUE BLUE ANALYTICS
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 50,000.00
|
|
TRUE BLUE ANALYTICS
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 50,000.00
|
|
TRUE BLUE ANALYTICS
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 50,000.00
|
|
TRUE BLUE ANALYTICS
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 75,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 3,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 4,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 4,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 5,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 7,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 9,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 10,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 10,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 13,500.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 26,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 40,000.00
|
|
STERLING DATA
|
LIST ACQUISITION
|
$ 50,500.00
|
|
|
|
$ 427,000.00
|
Software is eating the world. Coming in at $105,933.72
|
WHO
|
WHAT
|
HOW MUCH
|
|
OKRA LIMITED
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 4353.00
|
|
OKRA LIMITED
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 39500.00
|
|
OKRA LIMITED
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 41250.00
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 16.37
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 90.86
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 100.00
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 202.01
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 250.00
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 354.45
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 1000.00
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 1000.00
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 1000.00
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 1750.00
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 1850.00
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 2650.00
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 3650.00
|
|
NUMERO
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 5650.00
|
|
ISP
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 345.16
|
|
GOOGLE
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 4.58
|
|
GOOGLE
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 21.50
|
|
GOOGLE
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 45.79
|
|
GOOGLE
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 350.00
|
|
GOOGLE
|
SOFTWARE
|
$ 500.00
|
|
|
|
$ 105,933.72
|
Followed by credit card fee expenses at $82,405.63 Those fees add up when you are talking 1.7 million bucks in donations.
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
26.60
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
182.63
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
509.04
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
606.67
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
919.43
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
929.33
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
961.37
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
1009.05
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
1160.80
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
1202.56
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
1259.17
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
1352.64
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
1497.68
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
1552.24
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
1645.84
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
1689.53
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
2199.98
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
2493.52
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
2559.67
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
3047.57
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
3077.12
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
3671.53
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
4153.66
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
4625.51
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
5490.79
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
6790.34
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
7154.96
|
|
ACTBLUE TECHNICAL SERVICES
|
CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
|
8786.40
|
|
CHASE
|
CREDIT CARD PAYMENT: SEE BELOW
|
1850.00
|
|
CHASE
|
CREDIT CARD PAYMENT: SEE BELOW
|
10000.00
|
|
|
|
$ 82,405.63
|
Consulting fees are $78,000
|
WHO
|
WHAT
|
HOW MUCH
|
|
GRASSROOTS ANALYTICS
|
FUNDRAISING CONSULTING SERVICES
|
$ 5000.00
|
|
GRASSROOTS ANALYTICS
|
FUNDRAISING CONSULTING SERVICES
|
$ 8000.00
|
|
DEFEO, MICHAEL DEFEO
|
DIGITAL FUNDRAISING SERVICES
|
$ 5000.00
|
|
DEFEO, MICHAEL DEFEO
|
DIGITAL FUNDRAISING SERVICES
|
$ 5000.00
|
|
DEFEO, MICHAEL DEFEO
|
DIGITAL FUNDRAISING SERVICES
|
$ 5000.00
|
|
DEFEO, MICHAEL DEFEO
|
DIGITAL FUNDRAISING SERVICES
|
$ 10000.00
|
|
BLUE ACTION INC
|
DIGITAL CONSULTING
|
$ 500.00
|
|
BLUE ACTION INC
|
DIGITAL CONSULTING
|
$ 39500.00
|
|
|
|
$ 78,000.00
|
Mr Zuckerberg takes his cut for advertising : $8,219.02 Since these are listed as expenses I believe they are ads to drive donations. Not to support a candidate or position. One could argue an add could do both…but I’d need to see it. In any case…it’s listed as an expense.
|
|
|
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
27.73
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
37.70
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
82.47
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
168.16
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
187.12
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
225.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
248.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
273.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
301.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
332.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
366.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
403.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
403.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
444.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
489.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
538.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
592.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
652.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
718.00
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
831.84
|
|
META
|
DIGITAL ADVERTISING
|
900.00
|
|
|
|
$8,219.02
|
Web design expense are low. Only 432 Bucks plus a penny. Honestly I’m surprised. Yes it boilerplate, but I think Lauren could raise her fee. Just saying.
|
WHO
|
WHAT
|
HOW MUCH
|
|
LOISEL, LAUREN
|
WEBSITE DESIGN
|
$ 0.01
|
|
LOISEL, LAUREN
|
WEBSITE DESIGN
|
$ 50.00
|
|
LOISEL, LAUREN
|
WEBSITE DESIGN
|
$ 382.00
|
|
|
|
$ 432.01
|
Shockingly, legal fees are only $345.00
I’ve paid lawyers more than that per hour. Wait a minute….did I over pay?! :-)
|
WHO
|
WHAT
|
HOW MUCH
|
|
SANDLER REIFF
|
LEGAL SERVICES
|
345.00
|
I wonder who owns these various entities. Another route to dig into. I think next post we’ll move on to a new PAC
