2016 Dems and Bundlers

SECRETARY CLINTON WAS THE FIRST 2015 CANDIDATE TO VOLUNTEER TO DISCLOSE NAMES OF CAMPAIGN BUNDLERS New York Times: As Of July 2015, Secretary Clinton Was “The Only Candidate For President Who Has Volunteered To Disclose The Names Of Her Top Campaign Fund-Raisers.” “Mrs. Clinton, who has been criticized by Republican candidates for what they characterize as excessive secrecy, is now the only candidate for president who has volunteered to disclose the names of her top campaign fund-raisers. No Republican candidate has pledged to disclose his or her bundlers, and the last Republican candidate to do so was John McCain in 2008.” [New York Times, 7/13/15] O’MALLEY WAS A 2012 OBAMA CAMPAIGN BUNDLER IN 2012 Martin O’Malley Was An Obama Campaign Bundler In 2012 And May Win Some Other Former Obama Bundlers Over To His Side. “A Wall Street Journal survey of many of the top Obama fundraisers found that some are backing other candidates or weighing their options. Interviews with donors also found that Mr. O’Malley, a former Maryland governor, is making an aggressive push to win their allegiance. Mr. O’Malley, who was an Obama fundraising ‘bundler,’ has deep ties to the Obama campaign finance apparatus and has won sympathetic hearings or outright support from several of the people who helped pay for the $1.1 billion Obama re-election campaign…Interviews suggest Mr. O’Malley has the potential to pry loose some of Mrs. Clinton’s support, aided by his links to the Obama fundraising team. Mr. O’Malley raised more than a half-million dollars for Mr. Obama in 2012, when he was governor.” [Wall Street Journal, 6/11/15] BERNIE SANDERS CLAIMED HE DID NOT PLAN TO ACCEPT CHECKS FROM BUNDLERS DURING HIS 2016 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN Politico: The Bernie Sanders Campaign “Does Not Want To Spend Time Courting Major Donors Or Enlisting Them To Bundle Money In The Way That Clinton Has With Her ‘Hillraisers’ Program… The Campaign Is Open To Accepting Money From Billionaires As Long As It’s Just The Maximum Legal Donation For Any Donor — $2,700.” “In order to meet his fundraising goal, Sanders will travel sporadically to New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago and other Democratic strongholds in the coming months to raise cash, according to Sanders’ advisers. But the campaign does not want to spend time courting major donors or enlisting them to bundle money in the way that Clinton has with her ‘Hillraisers’ program. ‘He does not want to be the kind of candidate who builds his candidacy around going to fundraising events,’ said Sanders senior adviser Mark Longabaugh. Longabaugh clarified that the campaign is open to accepting money from billionaires as long as it’s just the maximum legal donation for any donor — $2,700. ‘That’s quite a bit different than Jeb Bush collecting $100 million with a super PAC,’ he said.” [Politico, 6/28/15] PRESIDENT OBAMA RELEASED CAMPAIGN BUNDLER NAMES IN 2008 AND 2012 New York Times: By Revealing The Names Of Her Bundlers, Secretary Clinton “Will Be Following In The Tradition Of President Obama, Who Disclosed Bundlers To Both Of His Presidential Campaigns.” “Mrs. Clinton, who has made overhauling campaign laws and reducing the influence of campaign money a centerpiece of her campaign, will be following in the tradition of President Obama, who disclosed bundlers to both of his presidential campaigns.” [New York Times, 7/13/15] JOE BIDEN DID NOT APPEAR TO RELEASE BUNDLER NAMES DURING HIS 2008 CAMPAIGN Washington Post Editorial: Joe Biden Had Not Released 2008 Bundler Names By July 2007. “In addition, some of the more long-shot campaigns have never bothered to answer our questions about plans to reveal their bundlers: Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D), to name two. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) has released one list; given his key legislative position, such disclosure should be a regular occurrence. These candidates don't get the same scrutiny as the front-runners, but, particularly for elected officials, the identities of their bundlers matters, too.”[Washington Post, 7/11/07]