Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Mass. Congressmen slacking on obligations

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Cand. DCCC contrib. Cash on Hand % given
Jim McGovern $240,000 $317,000 75.7
John Olver 125,000 194,000 64.4
Niki Tsongas 10,000 33,000 30.0
Ed Markey 425,000 2.65 million 16.0
Barney Frank 100,000 768,000 13.0
Stephen Lynch 85,000 1.3 million 6.5
Richard Neal 71,500 2 million 3.6
John Tierney 35,731 1.3 million 2.75
Mike Capuano 25,000 948,000 2.6
William Delahunt – 1.4 million 0

These figures were gained from data in the online FEC database.  “Cash on Hand” is the most recent update from the FEC, and DCCC contribution is any listing from 2008 only.  Naturally, these numbers may be a few weeks out of date, but in any case, too many of our Congressmen are not doing their part.  It seems that we have too many self-satisfied politicians sitting on war chests with their eyes on Kerry’s and/or Kennedy’s Senate seats, and worried about whose seat will be districted out of existence after the 2010 census.

You can decide how little is too little. Tsongas has sympathy in my book as an almost brand new Congressperson, and is now building her fundraising machine.  In any case, I include one last list of information you may find useful if you want these guys to do their part.:

Representative Bill Delahunt 202-225-3111

Representative Michael Capuano 202-225-5111

Representative John Tierney 202-225-8020

Representative Richard E. Neal 202-225-5601

Representative Stephen Lynch 202-225-8273

Representative Barney Frank 202-225-5931

Representative Edward J. Markey 202-225-2836

Representative Niki Tsongas 202-225-3411

Representative John W. Olver 202-225-5335

Representative James P. McGovern 202-225-6101

(Cross-posted)

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Comments

          • Don’t forget that she’s the one who’s self employed in Lowell and not the one with the 1.5 hr commute to Boston working for others. đŸ˜‰

            • will eventually crumble any mountain.

              <

              p>It’s a phone call.  Take you three minutes.  Do it during your commute even.

              • … but that’s different than asking me to ‘show up’ Lynne, which is a much harder thing to do considering the work she puts into this kind of thing. đŸ˜‰

                • the killer revenge that’ll happen. ;P

                  <

                  p>”Honey, I’m no longer taking down any more wallpaper. It’ll just have to remain partially up…I KNOW how much you HATE the wallpaper…but…I just can’t find the TIME or ENERGY…but YOU accomplished so much! You got Meehan to donate for goodness’ sake! So YOU do it!”

                  <

                  p>Heh.

                  <

                  p>But I do know, peeps, it’s nigh impossible. It’s not gonna happen.

    • Marty Meehan? Are you kidding?

      <

      p>He’s still sitting on $4.8 million, and has made some piddling donations this year to a few candidates, plus actually disgorging $100K to the DCCC this past spring.

      <

      p>We’ll find out whether he spent any more in another seven or eight days, when Q3 numbers are due to the FEC. Anyone want to bet that he went out of his way to help increase the Democratic majority this fall?

  3. the tightwads have plans for that money. U.S. Senate? Bracing for musical chairs after the next census?

    <

    p>Some one should tell them, you gotta give to get.

    • Sometimes they mean “nothin'” and sometimes they mean “we couldn’t find the data”.  Do we have confirmation that he hasn’t ponied up, or is it still reasonably possible that his contribution is just not correctly noted?

      • Delahunt gave $150K to DCCC at the end of March 2007, but nothing since through August 27. Details here.

        <

        p>He has given to several individual campaigns this cycle, but with $1.4M cash on hand as of August 27, he can afford to give more while it can still help congressional Dems.

        <

        p>It is possible that he has given more money in the August 28-September 30 period — we’ll know that when Q3 data is reported in about a week — or has coughed up in the past week. You’d think he’d be proud and announce if he had…

        <

        p>OpenSecrets.org: a great way to find out who has how much and has given what to whom.

  6. any opinions on that…I mean xsince when can Federal employees talk about such political matters.  I’m all for having these folks pony up, but let’s not look dumb doing it.  Maybe call and ask for their campaign offices and call there?

    • They can’t say/do anything political from those phone numbers, but they can’t keep us from doing so.  And they can take messages and pass them on.

  7. Every single one of them is looking at Teddy and Kerry’s seats right now except maybe Mr. Olver. Hell even Marty still has the bulk of his money still. If any of you were in their position would you want to give up a Senate seat that hasn’t been open my entire life. Granted I think if we as a community have a massive writing campaign to our reps we may be able to have them fork over some of that cash. So who wants to organize this one?

    • Chet Edwards in Texas stepped up big, and he represents a redder district than any other Democrat in the land.  You have plenty of Congressers looking to move up the chain right now in other states, and plenty others eying their seats.

      <

      p>I don’t expect  Tierney to fork over $1 million, but he can afford more than what he’s given.  If they really want those Senate seats, they should be prepared to earn them, not buy them.

    • Lynch, Neal, Delahunt, Tierney, Capuano, Markey.  The six should go in together, each putting up a “fair” amount, be it the same number of dollars, the same percent, whatever they want.

      <

      p>If they all do it, none of them lose ground, we gain Democrats in the House, and we’ve got a better chance at more comprehensive labor, environmental, equality, educational, and other reforms.

      <

      p>Otherwise that money will be spent in a standoff here.  Why burn that cash beating each other up when they could spend it beating up the politicians who’ve worked so hard to undermine Democratic progress?

  8. The FEC numbers your reader posted must be out of date because Congressman Capuano has donated $200,000 out of his campaign accounts to the DCCC this election cycle, not the $25,000 this posting suggests.  This is not the only way that Members can help elect more Democrats.  We can help raise money through the DCCC and donate directly to candidates.  In addition to the $200,000, Congressman Capuano has personally raised $780,500 for the DCCC and donated another $43,000 directly to candidates around the country.  This amounts to more than $1 million for this election cycle alone.  In fact, the DCCC itself ranks Congressman Capuano 26th in donations out of all 236 Dem members of the House.  Congressman Capuano knows how important it is to increase a Democratic Majority in Congress and he is committed to doing all he can to accomplish this.  Thanks for the opportunity to post and correct the record.
    Brian Mount
    Treasurer
    Capuano for Congress Committee

    • As of August 27, the 2007-2008 cycle shows $100,000 of donations to DCCC:
      $50,000, June 1, 2007
      $25,000, September 21, 2007
      $25,000, March 31, 2008

      <

      p>I think it’s great that Congressman Capuano has added another $100,000 since late August, and wonderful that he’s raised so much on his own and donated to other candidates besides.

      <

      p>That is one thing the FEC figures don’t tell us: how much members of congress are fundraising for other candidates. Where are those numbers reported, anyway?

    • Thank you for responding.  It is true that the most recent disbursement from Capuano for Congress is listed as August 20th.  I did not see any disbursements since that date.  To follow up, however,

      <

      p>1. Is there an online listing of the DCCC rankings that put Capuano 26th.  If not, would you report how the entire Commonwealth’s delegation ranks?

      <

      p>2. Forgive be for being snide, but…
      Capuano is a 5-term incumbent Democrat Congressman in Massachusetts.
      He’s got the fourth largest warchest in the state.
      He represents a district with a Cook PVI of +33 that has sent Democrats to Washington, DC since the mid-1950s.

      <

      p>Does he not hold one of the 26 safest seats in the House anyway?

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