Donor Bundling Emerges As Major Ill in '08 Race

Donor Bundling Emerges As Major Ill in '08 Race


From the WSJ:

The number of bundlers working for presidential campaigns has nearly doubled since the last election, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of data from campaigns and watchdog groups. The volume of cash they funnel to individual campaigns, as a percentage of all money raised, has soared as well. Bundled donations account for more than one-quarter of presidential campaign contributions this year, up from 8% in the 2000 race.

Bundling is legal and has been around for years, but new forces have turned it into an election-season cornerstone. Campaign costs have surged, with each candidate's viability increasingly measured by their ability to raise cash. Recent finance reforms have closed old avenues for individuals to make big donations, making stars out of connected fund-raisers who can coax small donations from a broad network of names. Campaigns encourage ambitious bundling by rewarding top fund-raisers with perks, including access to candidates.

Knowledge about these bundlers is limited, however, because candidates aren't required to disclose information about them. While some campaigns honor bundlers by name on their Web sites or disclose the total number of bundlers working for them, others guard their identities.


From a WSJ chart:


No. of bundlers and major source:

Clinton: 223 (lawyers-20%, securities-17%)

Edwards: 542 (lawyers-55%)

Obama: 263 (lawyers-23%, securities-21%)

Giuliani: 138 (lawyers-15%. securities-15%)

McCain: 442 (lawyers-13%, securities-9%)

Romney: 307 (lawyers-10%, securities-14%)

Thompson: 77 (lobbyists-10%, civil servants-24%)

Wasn't supposed to be that way,
it was supposed to be about people.

It's a very thorough piece on a very important matter. Bundling is a curse and it puts our candidates at terrible risk.

Donor Bundling Emerges as Major Ill in ‘08 Race
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2007/10/18/donor-bundling-emerges-as-major-ill-in-08-race/

that would be for subscribers only..

that the article is readable for non-subscribers. Inside this article, there is a link for the Graphic: Candidate-by-candidate data on bundling. Check out the menu on the left in the graphic, that shows lots more detail on the bundling boom.

bundled money is usually overlooked.

K&R

Thats interesting.