The Senate targeted a system that used a special account, called the Seventy-First Fund, to net $1.2 million in donations from lobbyists and wealthy Democratic contributors over the first two years of Patrick's term.
See: A Different Kind of Governor
Named for Patrick's standing as the 71st governor of the state, the fund allows individuals to contribute $5,500 in one check - a combination of $500 for the governor and $5,000 for the state Democratic Party - allowing Patrick to maximize his fund-raising leverage over special interests. The party has used a large portion of the proceeds from the Seventy-First Fund to pay Patrick's political expenses, about $700,000 in all....
The Seventy-First Fund has collected contributions from prominent executives and entrepreneurs, including Cleve Killingsworth, chief executive of Blue Cross/Blue Shield;
former Citizens Financial Group chairman Lawrence Fish;
and Joshua Boger, chief executive of
See: It Pays to Be a CEO
Patriots owner Robert Kraft donated $5,500 to the fund in December, just after the administration designated 500 acres near Foxboro Stadium as a growth district, making it eligible for fast-track approvals and infrastructure funds.
Related: Patriots Getting Into Biotech Game
Also see: Governor Patrick Un-Patriotic
Doug Rubin, Patrick's chief of staff, said limiting donations to the party would actually hurt other candidates more than Patrick, who has a proven ability to raise millions of dollars from big and small donors alike....
Translation: we know who has bought and paid for him.
Also see: The Boston Globe Censors Patrick's Past
