Posted on 07/13/2005 3:06:17 PM PDT by Libloather
Full line of credit used up, Democratic Party chairman says
Wednesday, Jul 13, 2005
By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau
LITTLE ROCK - The state Democratic Party chairman says the party has used up its $150,000 line of credit, an Arkansas News Bureau columnist reports in today's editions.
State Democratic Party chairman Jason Willett told columnist David Sanders that the party has reached its credit limit and described it as an "investment" in the future of the party. He added that the money is being used to further the party's efforts in winning back the governor's office next year, and the presidency in 2008.
Messages left for Willett on his cell phone and at the state Democratic Party headquarters Tuesday were not returned.
Gabe Holmstrom, executive director of the state party, had little to say about the column or whether the party's line of credit has been maxed out.
"The report will be out Friday and we'll let the report speak for itself," he said, noting that the party's quarterly financial report is to be filed with the Federal Election Commission by Friday. Candidates for office in 2006 also are to file their quarterly reports with the secretary of state's office on Friday.
Former state party chairman Ron Oliver, who lost the job to Willett earlier this year, said he was not surprised that the line of credit had been used up, but declined to comment further.
"As far as the money, I don't have any real comment on that now that the ball is in the court of the (party's) state committee," he said. "I spoke out publicly before. It's not something I intend to do now."
In June, after it was revealed that the party had gone $50,000 in debt under Willett's leadership, Oliver said he thought the party was in financial trouble.
While not wanting to say anything critical about Willett or the debt issue, Oliver did say Tuesday that he thought the state party during his leadership did well against Republicans. In fact, he said the state Democratic Party made significant advances while he was director.
"I've heard people say that about Republicans having better grassroots organization, but I never saw any indication of that being true and the results certainly don't indicate that being true," he said. "That's hogwash."
"Since 1990 we actually had a net gain in legislative seats," he said, adding that the party, under his direction, regained the 4th District congressional seat in southern Arkansas and a U.S. Senate seat. Democrats also won back prosecuting attorney seats in Saline and Carroll counties, he said.
Clint Reed, executive director of the state Republican Party, said Tuesday that the only tangible evidence of increased spending by the Democratic Party that he has seen is the opening of a new office in Northwest Arkansas.
"Most of the money for that office will have to go into maintenance and operations, and it pleases us that they're spending that kind of money in an off year for something that's not related to voter contact," he said.
Reed said that his party will soon release specifics on "more than $800,000" raised in the last six months. Republicans are spending more time than money these days, he said, "building up the grassroots campaign organization that we had for the presidential campaign."
Reed also noted that Howard Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, recently came to Arkansas to help raise money.
"If (Willett) is close to Howard Dean, then maybe Howard Dean can bail him out of a tough financial situation," Reed said.
Reporter Doug Thompson contributed to this report.
(Say, aren't the VERY wealthy *Crintons from Arkansas?)
CUT
"Two of the state's leading Democrats, Mark Pryor and Mike Ross, publicly distanced themselves from Dean."
Wouldn't that effect global warming as well?
The entire Rat party is "out of" more important things than money.
They have plenty of sugar daddies and plenty of embezzled union dues.
But they do not have plenty of anything else. And that's what the arrogant Rats should worry about.
I'm more interested in the Dem party financial situation in major vote-fraud states like Illinois (Chicago) and Pennsylvania (Philly). If they can't pay for the "get out the vote" (Bring out your dead) crowd, then they are in deep doo-doo
Oklahoma RATs are in the hole over $500,000 and owe back taxes. They funded their last campaign based on money they didn't have. They owe IRS, Social Security, Workman's Comp, Unemployment and who knows what else.
Howard Dean has promised to help them out -- looks like he has a lot of helping to as the RATs across the Country financed the last election on credit and overdrawn accounts.
BTW, Oklahoma GOP is over $100,000 in the black!
I have been hearing about state 'rat parties drowning in red ink all over the country for some time. It would be interesting to see what both parties' financial situation is in every state.
Then again, if they were smart they wouldn't be Dems....
Hillary has the money.
as the ad says... PRICELESS!
Howard Dean was here in Madison, WI today (7/13/05) for a "grassroots" fundraiser.
The Madison socialists adore him, yet I cannot find a thing about it on line in the local papers. What's up with that?
I'll keep looking and report back tomorrow.
I am with you -- would love to know what is happening with other States. Here is ours:
Oklahoma:
GOP -- $100,000+ on hand
RATS -- -$500,000+ in the red but Dean is going to help! :)
Couldn't figure out in the last election how the RATs kept giving money to Dr. Coburn's opponent when they hadn't raised as much money as the GOP. First the OK RATs said they were in the red $119,000, gave their new Chairman a $15,000 raise, and then came out they were in the red in their revised ethics reports by over $500,000. Do you know how hard it is to type ethics and RATs in the same sentence?
I'm sure some money will come in from Stevens or some socialist foundation which will then be compensated by a foreign organization (I.E. CHICOMS, Indonesia, etc.)
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