Campaign Fundraising

[pdsimdars]

snip . . .

Campaign Fundraising

Biden drew some criticism Thursday over a planned fundraising event at the home of Comcast executive David Cohen. The guest list at the kickoff was expected to included lobbyists, business executives and prominent political donors, according to The Intercept.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/joe-biden-campaign-24-hours_n_5cc2381de4b08846403bcc20

[Demit]

1. Biden is pursuing cash from bipartisan sources.

“The Biden for President host committee includes Kenneth Jarin, a lobbyist with Ballard Spahr who is registered to work on behalf of toll road operator Conduent and several health care interests. Jarin is a major donor to both parties and has given to political action committees controlled by former Republican House Speakers Paul Ryan and John Boehner.

Another host of the Biden fundraiser is Alan Kessler, another lobbyist who works with the firm Duane Morris. Kessler is registered to lobby in Pennsylvania for American Airlines and the global information tech firm Unisys Corporation, among other clients.

….

Daniel Hilferty, the CEO of Independence Blue Cross, is on the board of America’s Health Insurance Plans, the trade association working to defeat the progressive push for Medicare for All. In national politics, Hilftery has exclusively donated to Republicans this year, records show. The health insurance executive gave $5,000 to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., along with smaller donations to other congressional Republicans.

David Cohen has donated to dozens of Republicans over the years. During the 2016 election, Cohen donated to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, along with the Republican Federal Committee of Pennsylvania, a group that poured money into the state that year to elect Donald Trump. This year, however, over 90 percent of Cohen’s political spending has gone to Republican groups, according to campaign finance disclosures."

https://theintercept.com/2019/04/25/joe-biden-presidential-bid-lobbyists-fundraiser/

[pdsimdars]

2. they think they can pull the same crap . . . . absolutely tone deaf

[Demit]

3. David Cohen is a powerful figure, closely allied with Ed Rendell.

He was Rendell's chief of staff when Rendell was mayor of Phila. He's a Republican and Rendell is a Democrat, but maintaining power is paramount to both of them. They run things and know everybody, especially the big money boyz. I have no doubt that there was some arm-twisting going on behind the scenes to get some of the area congresspeople, reliable liberals otherwise, to attend that fundraiser & make a show of quickly endorsing Biden. Rendell, Cohen, and their powerful business friends want things to stay as they are. Government to be as business-friendly as it is right now, that is. So they will throw all their power, money, and influence behind Biden. You're right. It's crap, same as it ever was.

[pdsimdars]

4. And that's why they all need to go "spend more time with their families"