Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Marty’s Millions

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Why doesn’t Meehan give all his campaign money to UMass, Lowell? Can he do that legally?

I can think of no better way he can demonstrate that he’s committed to the school. It would take away speculation that he’s going to jump at another political opportunity (traditional concern with MM) and I’m sure the school could find a good way to use and extra $4, 5 or 6 million.

It would be a tremendous symbolic gesture of school spirit.

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  2. Give it to a non-profit, which I think UMASS-Lowell counts as
  3. Give it to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
  4. Keep it for future races, which will be spent trying to convince people he’s not a selfish slug.

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    I figure that money was donated by individuals hoping for a progressive, Democratic Congress, not people who love UMASS-Lowell.  Thus I personally say number two is the best choice.

    • He can refund the money.  Although he’ll have a hard time explaining refunding money to the tobacco lobby

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      Among such instances was Meehan’s acceptance of contributions from employees of a law firm that represented one of the nation’s biggest cigarette manufacturers.

      The cigarette company, Liggett and Myers, hired the law firm of Brownstein, Hyatt and Farber to help share information about tobacco hazards with states in order to protect them from further civil liability.

      They paid the firm almost $1.5 million, which netted the lawyers the 7th largest lobbying fee to a firm that year, according to the watchdog Center for Responsive Politics.

      When on April 28, 1998 Liggett agreed to tell federal prosecutors that the industry hid evidence of health problems related to smoking, Meehan came forward with praise, noting that cooperation by Liggett was “equally, if not more important” than previous disclosures.

      The next day, Meehan received $4,075 in contributions from Liggett’s law firm, Brownstein Hyatt & Farber, finance reports show.

      Since then, the firm is a regulator contributor to the Lowell Democrat. On Nov. 7, 2001, the firm shelled out another $5,570 to Meehan, and its clients contributed another $8,190 to Meehan’s re-election campaign.

      • A politician refunding donations.  Hmm.

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        Tell you what, I call on Meehan to refund anyone who donated to him presuming that he would stay in Congress as a left-of-center Democrat, and you call on Romney to refund anyone who donated to him presuming that he would run for president as the social moderate he was for four years.

        • my alma mater. I just wanted to let you know that there is a fourth thing under current campaign finance law that he can do.  Of course the folks at dailykos would hunt him down if he refunded the money.

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