Pelosi to stump for Moore, and Common Council fundraising
Gwen Moore, Nancy Pelosi, and members of Congressional Democratic Women’s Working Group in Washington D.C. Photo courtesy GwenMoore.house.gov
U.S. House of Representatives minority leader Nancy Patricia D’Alesandro Pelosi will visit Milwaukee Sunday, March 4, to campaign for Rep. Gwendolynne Sophia Moore. The fundraiser for the 4th District Democrat, who faces only imaginary opposition, will be held at the Milwaukee Athletic Club, 758 N. Broadway. Top prices for the meet-and-greet-and-eat top out at $10,000, although ordinary folks can get in if they have just a thousand bucks.
Pelosi is just one of many congressional leaders of both parties who will fan out around the country supporting incumbents and challengers, but why is she bothering with Moore, who is a shoo-in?
One reason could be that since Moore doesn’t need the money for her own campaign, she can be a source of funds for other candidates, like those in Pelosi’s California, where a number of seats are expected to change among the parties after the recent redistricting.
Indeed, campaign filings show that Moore’s campaign wrote individual $5,000 checks on five occasions in 2011 to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
For the 2009-2010 campaign cycle, the committee got $37,500 from Moore, who also pitched in $300 to help her buddy Dennis Kucinich with his election. These contributions paled to Moore’s 2007-2008 largesse, when she passed on $103,000 from her account to the congressional campaign committee.
The DCCC uses money from folks like Moore to fund such candidates as Jamie Wall in the 8th District, Rob Zerban in the 1st District and Pat Kreitlow of the 7th District. Wall, who is running against freshman Republican Reid Ribble is a “Red to Blue” candidate, which apparently is the committee’s premium grade.
Zerban, who is taking on Paul Ryan, and Kreitlow, who is vying for the 7th District seat currently held by first term Republican Congressman Sean Duffy, are classified as “Emerging Candidates,” who are “making themselves competitive” in traditionally non-competitive races.
It is not merely loyalty to the party that induces representatives like Moore to raise funds for challenged colleagues. Self-interest applies, so it is in Moore’s interest to be nice to Pelosi, since she can bestow significant political blessings to her colleagues. In fact, the Minority Leader makes appointments to dozens of boards and commissions. If the Democrats retake the House, Pelosi would presumably regain her role as Speaker and appoint Moore to all kinds of choice committees. But Moore will probably have to stand back in line, since Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the current head of the DCCC, and Minority Whip, raised $17 million for the committee in the last cycle.
A look at the candidates’ pocketbooks
The Spring non-partisan primary election will be held Tuesday, Feb. 21 and will be the first election in Wisconsin under the new voter ID laws. Candidates have been more-or-less successfully raising and spending money in the few contested races.
Eyon Biddle
One which attracted attention is in the 15th Aldermanic District where current county supervisor Eyon Biddle, who had taken his seat just months before, is engaged in a battle to oust Common Council President Willie Hines, Jr., who is expected to hold a fundraiser Thursday, Feb. 16, at the Best Place at the Pabst Brewery. Hines has more than $100,000 in his account, and did not raise any new funds during the July 2011 – January 2012 reporting period, but did spend $549 hiring New Local Media to do his website design. NLM is run by Dan Knauss, who left Milwaukee last year when his wife Sonya Jongsma Knauss left her job as editor of MilwaukeeMoms.com for a job at Dordt College in Iowa.
Biddle was able to raise $5,488 during the period, mostly from the occasional union. His treasurer is Sheila Cochran, Chief Operating Officer/Secretary-Treasurer United Auto Workers Local 438, although nobody can figure out why she’s bothering with this quixotic race.
Biddle spent $4,468 during the period, the most interesting expense of which was $100 paid to Denver Biddle for a “campaign theme song.” The song’s title is not given, but perhaps it is “I’m So Raw,” which we find on Denver’s site.
Jim Witkowiak
Another race that will boil down to two candidates after next week is in the 12th Aldermanic District where Jose Perez and Angel Sanchez are taking on incumbent Jim Witkowiak.
Sanchez has been there before, and even unseated Witkowiak for four years. But he will have to step up to the plate this time, since his total campaign contributions of $55 came entirely from the candidate himself, in the form of a $25 and a $30 check from “Angel Sanchez, Laborer.” The Sanchez committee reported expenditures of $37.86, which was spent entirely on bank fees. The committee also has $17,631 in outstanding loans.
Perez raised $19,832 during the reporting period, including $400 from Melissa Goins, $100 from Lynn Sprangers of Mount Mary College, and a total of $300 from Jason and Evanjelina Cleereman. Jason Cleereman, a neighborhood resident, immigration attorney and organizer of the Walker Square Farmer’s Market says “I am not against Witkowiak, as much as I am a supporter of Perez. I have nothing against the alderman, but I think it is time for a change and Perez is my choice.”
Perez also lent his campaign $6,375.
Witkowiak, in the same period, took in $19,075 and spent $21,480. His donations included $200 from Mandel’s Dick Lincoln (who listed his occupation as “officer”), $100 from developer and Stevens Point Brewery owner Jim Wiechmann, $200 from Brett Haney and $100 from the reliable Gary Grunau. The Witkowiak campaign’s most interesting expenditure was to hire Joseph Slawinski for “handwriting analysis,” presumably of his opponents’ nomination papers.
Ald. Bob Donovan of the 8th District also faces two challengers on Feb. 21. One, Benjamin Juarez, took in $5,806 — including $50 from county supervisor Jason Haas — and has a balance of $4,421 going down the stretch. Jennifer Morales, who moved to the district from Brady Street to take on Donovan, raised $5,474 from such folks as developer Juli Kaufmann and fellow school board member Terry Falk, who pitched in $125. Supervisor Gerry Broderick also favored Morales with a $286 contribution. Announced candidate Chez Ordonez did not turn in a report.
Donovan raised $5,634 and spent $8,727, leaving him with $23,246 in his kitty. His contributors included Tom Nardelli (“retired”) who gave him $50 and county supervisor Joseph Sanfelippo who handed over $400. He also spent $200 advertising with “Pro Life Wisconsin ETF,” and paid his wife, Kathy Donovan $850 for “fundraiser prep and food.”
But Donovan’s most interesting expenditure, amounting to half of his outlays was $4,978 to the Friebert, Finerty & St. John law firm, which represented Donovan when he battled against Common Council File #110063 — the city’s redistricting legislation that put Donovan into a majority-Latino district where he would have to face two or more challengers. On the bright side, Friebert lawyers Brian Randall and John Finerty helped defray the alderman’s costs by donating $175 and $625 respectively.
It’s how the game is played.
[Update: The fundraiser for Rep. Gwen Moore is on Sunday, March 4, not March 2 as previously indicated]
Imaginary opposition?? I’m not so sure about that! In 2010 Dan Sebring got 30% of the vote, which is better than anyone else has ever done against an incumbent Gwen Moore. No one has ever run against Moore a second time and rather than running away with his tail between his legs as his predecessors have done, Sebring is running against her again in 2012. Presumably with better name recognition and resources than he had in 2010. I suspect Sebring is playing things rather close to the vest this time around. It would seem something is brewing over at the Sebring campaign. His campaign has taken up residence in the former office of Moore’s predecessor Gerald Kleczka. He has the endorsement of Republican heavy hitters like Alberta Darling and former Congressman and US Senate candidate Mark Neumann to name a few. His facebook page has him keeping company with RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, Congressman Paul Ryan, the Governor and Lt. Governor. And now you tell us that Gwen Moore has given all of her campaign funds away and Nancy Pelosi is coming to help replenish those funds so she can give even more away? That may prove to be the proverbial ‘likely story’ as it appears, at least to me, that Moore may have to actually defend her seat in 2012.
Gwen Moore and Lenna Taylor both need to be outed along with that clown thief Chris Larson, what is the left smoking? Larson was convicted of shoplifting in his own district and they still voted for him God help us. The silent majority is silent no longer!
Are you serious? Dan Sebring is the obvious choice over Moore. Moore is an embarrassment to this state! Between her temper tantrums, pointless rants, and supporting the use of EBT cards at liquor stores, she is not someone I want representing me. How are ordinary folks supposed to come up with $1,000.00? I was hoping this article was a joke. Apparently it is real? Very disappointing and slanted at best.
Mr. Sebring is a huge threat to Moore, she is being cocky about her seat!
Gwen Moore is not a “Shoo-in”. She has real opposition this time. Ms. Moore better wake up to the fact that her “base” supporters, are turning away from her.
Keep believing that Dan Sebring is not a threat. He got 30% of the vote last time. Look at what happened to Feingold last year. History does repeat!
Your word play on the campaign signs last time is going to be a liability this time:
Moore for US
Congress
I don’t care how many tires Gwen’s son slashes this time People are waking up. The whole intimidation tactics of the left aren’t going to work this Time. It’s past time for an honest candidate like Dan Sebring. We need someone looking out for the interest of all the people of WI not just a select group.
I don’t know why my comment didn’t post. I hope it doesn’t show up later making this one redundant. It’s time for an honest candidate to take on the inept and crooked Gwen Moore. We need someone to represent all the people not just a select few. The intimidation tactics of the past aren’t going to work anymore. People are waking up and looking at her base running around disrupting events, breaking laws, calling for boycotts of WI business’s and generally behaving in a boorish fashion and realizing “this isn’t what I’m about and if that’s what she supports I want anther choice”! I don’t care how many tires she has her son slash she faces real oposition in Dan Sebring!
Imaginary? Seriously?
Gwen moore is an embarrasment to this state. people are taking notice.
Go ahead and preach that this fight is unwinable. That will lower voter turnout and Dan might just get from 30% to 51%
Imagine THAT.
I agree Matt! I seriously hope the people who she continues to disenfranchise, i mean “serve” start to take notice and elect Dan Sebring to replace her! A man who wants to listen and help his community, a man of integrity and honesty!
Moor and Pelosi together ,,Nancy’s famous quote You must vote on the bill to see whats in it ?wth is that ? insider trading is an offence that would get the common folk locked up in prison, why is Nancy still running the streets and her delusional mouth ..yes Dan will be getting my vote this time. Because Gwen criminals of a feather will hang together
To say that Representative Moore has “imaginary opposition” is a flat out lie. As indicated previously Mr. Sebring received 30% of the vote in the 2010 election. Since then, many electoral changes have happened here in Wisconsin. Between the new voter ID law, elimination of straight ticket balloting, and redistricting that turned Milwaukee from a +22 Democratic district to a +10 democratic district the make up of Wisconsin politics and elections have been dramatically changed. When combined with the outrageous statements and actions of Representative Moore over the past months, which by the way have alienated a HUGE majority of the Latino population (that by the way she will need come election season) this election is going to be a very competitive and hopefully one that brings actual change and representative to the citizens of the 4th congressional district.
Though it is an uphill climb, I think it is a mistake to write off Mr. Sebring. The district’s demographics have changed a tad and he now has greater name recognition. You must also keep in mind that there is a anti incumbency feel to the electorate in general this year.
Dan Sebring has conviction ..he wont run like a spoiled teenager if thing are Knot going his way ,,Dan is a true American
You Sebring supporters crack me up.
Just as I correctly predicted he’d lose big in 2010 (a great year for Republicans, by the way) I’m predicting he’ll lose big in 2012.
Totally agree with this statement. Imaginary opposition? HA!
Sebring got 30% of the vote in the one tea party election…We know now that the tea party has been rendered irrelevant by their own hand. People saw how they governed and are horrified. Which is why thier “major events” now draw as many protestors as attendees.
No longer will a tea party member, unless in a wildly gerrymandered district ever win an election again.