Mommy & Daddy Sullivan’s Cash Floods Into Alaska
While most parents might send grocery money to their son while he’s away at college, or just starting out in a new apartment, Daddy and Mommy Sullivan have been trying to buy their son Dan a whole state.
The Center for Public Integrity is reporting that Dan Sullivan’s Dad and Mom donated a cool $300,000 to Karl Rove’s American Crossroads – a PAC that has committed $5.5 Million for ads in Alaska.
Originally, American Crossroads filings state the donor is “Glenmede Trust.” Not so fast. According to The Center for Public Integrity: “Glenmede spokeswoman Melissa Stonberg says the wealth management firm — which manages more than $25 billion for wealthy individuals, families and foundations — didn’t give American Crossroads a penny.”
The initial FEC filings looked like this.
Then – “Several hours later, however, American Crossroads filed an amended report to the FEC that now identifies the $300,000 as coming from Thomas and Sandra Sullivan, the parents of U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan of Alaska.”
$150k from Mommy and matching funds from Daddy. Cute.
This isn’t the first six figure check that Tom and Sandra, of Ohio and Florida wrote to influence Alaska elections.
“For their parts, Thomas and Sandra Sullivan have previously donated $250,000 to an Alaska-based super PAC known as “Alaska’s Energy/America’s Values,” which supports their son.
But Ohio Dan doesn’t have to worry if he loses the election – he can always crash in Mom or Dad’s extra bedroom.
Mom, has a place on Lake Erie which is a 4 bed, 3.5 bath, (5,983 sqft) and is worth about $1.2 Million.
Or here’s Dad’s place in Florida. The apartment building has it’s own movie trailer – and it should as as $3 million for a 2,850-square-foot condo it costs more than an independent movie.
Guess that $550,000 is an early birthday present for Dan. I wonder if he asked for a pony too?
Unless Sullivan’s parents did something illegal, so what? If I were a candidate and my parents had millions, you can be sure I’d welcome their donations. Call it trying to buy an election, but any candidate who spends as a little as a dime on a campaign, isn’t that individual trying to buy the end result?
Money spent doesn’t have to be the deciding issue, it could be and should be non-GOP voters getting out and voting. But this is a midterm, and conventional wisdom suggests voters who don’t vote GOP tend not to exercise their right to do anything other than grouse about the results.
We hear a lot about how important this election is, that control of the senate could easily come down to one state. That state could be ours. With so few people voting in a state with such a small population, just a handful of votes could have national implications.
I have already voted early in our local elections, and I will be voting early as soon as the November election ballots become available. I can’t do anything about the money spent by either party on this election, but I can and I will vote.
If you think money doesn’t affect elections or doesn’t buy influence,you need to reassess your position. Money insulates and isolates candidates from the electoral populace and buys quality time with big spenders. In politics money IS the root of all evil.
Please point out where I indicate money doesn’t affect elections or doesn’t buy influence. We both know it does. Anything you or I can do about it other than to bemoan how the GOP always outspends Democrats? If I could wave my magic wand and make everything fair, I would. Money does not have to be the decider. What decides elections is people voting, even when they know their side is being outspent.
Fine, money in politics is the root of all evil. Is that stopping anyone from voting? Or will that be the excuse to throw up one’s hands and stay home.
Fine, money in politics is the root of all evil. Is that stopping anyone from voting? Ever hear of voter suppression? Ever hear of American Legislative Exchange Council-ALEC for short? Model legislation drawn up by whitey wingnut to be handed to whitey wingnut legislators in red run states to prevent persons of color,the elderly,immigrants,the poor and other likely liberal voters from voting- all in the name of free and fair elections. The koch bros and their well financed groups spend millions of dollars to suppress likely liberal voters,They spend money in courts on whitey wingnut judges trying to influence decisions. In Wisconsin the activist whitey wingnut Scotus readily accepts money from ALEC to push koch bros agenda.
Money does not have to be the decider. Ah,but it is in many races where one candidate is well funded and the other has little name recognition or the funds to compete. Massive amounts of money buy massive amounts of negative ads,phone calls,literature through mail,ads on tv or the internet. You may well be an educated voter. Not all voters are. Not all have the resources to be able to study the issues or listen to candidates. These people are at the mercy of negative campaigning. They are also the least able to afford the time to have to get mandated photo i.d.s or have the necessary documents to show at the voting booth. Voter suppression. Voter fraud as prevalent as whitey wingnut claims doe not exist,except in whitey wingnut’s mind.
We’re on the same page. I don’t disagree with your observations about suppression, nonexistent voter fraud, etc.
My immediate concern is that so many non-GOP voters don’t turn out for mid-term elections. It is easy for voters in this state to adopt a ‘what’s the use’ attitude. Every vote counts. And this mid-term is vitally important to both our state and nation.
Dan Sullivan is a sorry candidate. And Lisa Murkowski is a sorry human being.
Even the NRA has chosen to withhold an endorsement for the Alaska Senate race.
Moose Pucky endorses the Alaskan guy who works for Alaskans, Sen. Begich.
Shane/Bristol,
Surprised you can still type with your hand all banged up! So you think Ohio Dan Koch-Sullivan I’d going to win, we’ll see!
Thanks to the Supreme Court, the wealthy can buy junior a senate seat, just like corporations can buy referendums.
It’s not often you get to see what price love (costs).
Lessee . . .
Murkowski’s daddy APPOINTED his darling little girl to be senator.
So of course she thinks that Ohio Sullivan’s mummy and daddy should be able to buy him a senate seat.
It is how it is done.
With the snark at the end I had to recheck who wrote this and now I must apologize to both Zach and Shannyn. Shane,with yer head so far up Palin’s derriere,I wouldn’t gossip about stalkers. Lordy how I wish she’d eat beans.