Friday, February 5, 2010

Who Bought Brown's Election?

At last, the story can be told.

"Nearly 80 percent of the money Brown got from financial workers came from outside of Massachusetts, in places with a concentration of financial firms, such as New York City, Greenwich, Conn., Chicago, and San Francisco. In addition to financial giants such as Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley, the donors included executives from hedge funds and private equity firms"

How does it feel to be FOOLEYED, Massachusetts?


"Financial executives spent big on Brown; May be precursor to midterm elections; Obama’s proposed regulations key issue" by Casey Ross, Globe Staff | February 1, 2010

In a six-day span just before the US Senate election, Republican Scott Brown collected nearly $450,000 from donors who work at financial companies, a sign the industry is prepared to spend heavily in the upcoming midterm elections to beat back new controls and taxes President Obama wants to impose.

The donations, from hundreds of financial executives, far exceeded what Brown received from doctors and others in the health care industry in the final days of the campaign. While Brown saw donations from all quarters explode in mid-January, as polls showed him closing fast on opponent Martha Coakley, the donations from financial workers coincided with several key developments that would affect their companies....

The industry’s giving could also spell trouble for Democrats in next fall’s midterm elections, especially following the US Supreme Court decision last month that allows corporations to spend unlimited amounts to influence political contests.

Already, the financial services sector is the single largest base of donors to federal campaigns, giving an industry record $476 million in the 2007-2008 election cycle, much more than the second-largest giver, lawyers and lobbyists, who contributed $270 million, according to the Center for Responsive politics....

In the Massachusetts race, Brown received about $442,000 from Jan. 11 through Jan. 16, while Coakley got $92,000 from financial industry workers during this period.

ANOTHER REASON Coakley lost!

The Powers That Be ABANDONED HER!

Those figures are based on interim reports candidates must file to disclose donations of $1,000 or more within 20 days of an election. A more detailed accounting is not due until later in February....

Coakley enjoyed the fund-raising advantage last year. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Brown collected $23,700 from employees of securities and investment firms through Dec. 31, while Coakley got $79,050.

Yeah, when they realized she wasn't going to win they cut her loose.

Nearly 80 percent of the money Brown got from financial workers came from outside of Massachusetts, in places with a concentration of financial firms, such as New York City, Greenwich, Conn., Chicago, and San Francisco. In addition to financial giants such as Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley, the donors included executives from hedge funds and private equity firms.

And the "independent" Massachusetts voter elected a "populist," huh?

Richard Hillman, an analyst for First Wilshire Securities who lives in California, said he was following the Massachusetts election only casually, and decided to give to Brown at the last minute, when a friend told him the race was unexpectedly close....

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Related: Selecting a Senator: Brown Beats Coakley

I'm one of the few, the proud, the one-percenters of Massachusetts.