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How Big Man In McAllen Bundles Big For Clinton
Washington Post ^ | 11/25/07 | Matthew Mosk

Posted on 11/25/2007 4:22:31 AM PST by xtinct

McALLEN, Tex. -- During the first nine months of this year, Sen. Barack Obama raised just $2,086 for his presidential campaign from people who live in and around this border town of stucco bungalows and weed-covered farm lots, and most candidates raised even less. But Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic front-runner, has already raised more than $640,000 here, and her campaign expects to collect even more.

Clinton's success in this unlikely setting is based almost entirely on her friendship with one man, McAllen developer Alonzo Cantu. A self-made millionaire who once picked grapes on the migratory farm labor circuit, Cantu persuaded more than 300 people in Hidalgo County, where the median household income in 2006 was $28,660, to write checks ranging from $500 to $2,300 to the senator from New York.

Cantu offers a simple explanation for what he's doing for Clinton. "To me, there's two things that will keep us from being ignored," he said. "Money and votes. I think we've shown we can raise money. That will get us attention, or at least get us a seat at the table, get us in the room."

Tiny McAllen, TX.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: alonzocantu; bundling; clinton; democrats; donors; hillary; mcallen; millionaires; texas
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"the median household income in 2006 was $28,660, to write checks ranging from $500 to $2,300 to the senator from New York"

Completely obnoxious to ask the people of McAllen to donate that kind of money on their meager earnings of average $28,660.

Because of the bundler position in the town (owns, controls quite a bit), it makes me wonder how much force is being used to *convince* (kawf) these people to donate to the senator from New York.

1 posted on 11/25/2007 4:22:34 AM PST by xtinct
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To: xtinct

this too will have hair on it...all of Hillary’s crap does.....


2 posted on 11/25/2007 4:30:14 AM PST by advertising guy (If computer skills named us, I'd be back-space delete.)
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To: xtinct

Another “Chinatown dishwasher” scandal that the drive-by media will pay little attention to. If Hillary had an “R” after her name, thid would be the biggest thing since Teapot Dome.


3 posted on 11/25/2007 4:31:15 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (Your "dirt" on Fred is about as persuasive as a Nancy Pelosi Veteran's Day Speech)
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To: xtinct
Another story by the Washington Post. They smell blood in the water.

$2,300 from someone making 28K a year! No way.

4 posted on 11/25/2007 4:36:14 AM PST by mware
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To: xtinct

Bundling is a very disturbing practice. Bundling is almost an un-American admission that money “buys” the election. That money could be ANYONE’s money—we don’t know that it actually comes from voters. In fact, it usually doesn’t. It comes from organizations with special interests and it has to be laundered into the campaign using voter identities. I don’t think a story like this makes Hillary look good, really. It is an admission that the average person cares nothing for voting for her, but that she uses convincing “shills” to do dirty work. For example, one of the Chinese dishwashers admitted that she was reimbursed by the Fujian Cuisine Association when she made a donation to Hillary. This was from an impoverished area in Chinatown.


5 posted on 11/25/2007 4:36:31 AM PST by browniexyz
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To: browniexyz

Interesting I wonder how the folks at DU are taking this one. They are not that keen on her anyway.


6 posted on 11/25/2007 4:40:20 AM PST by mware
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To: xtinct

You don’t for a second think it’s their own money do you?


7 posted on 11/25/2007 4:43:42 AM PST by abclily
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To: xtinct

The funds for the “bundling”, on closer inspection, may prove to be technically illegal transfers from the one big donor, to the accounts of the many much smaller “donors”, appearing to conform to the letter of the law. This has a two-fold purpose, first laundering the money, and also to foster the illusion that the support of Herself, the Cold and Joyless, is “widespread” and therefore reflects a plausible “populism”.

This apparently happens a lot with the various campaigns run by, for and on behalf of the regime of the “Former Occupant of the Oval Office, 1993-2001”. And it definitely was designed and refined in the years as governor of Arkansas. The Chinese connection certainly goes back that far and more.


8 posted on 11/25/2007 4:44:41 AM PST by alloysteel (Ignorance is no handicap for some people in a debate. They just get more shrill.)
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To: Calpernia; DAVEY CROCKETT; LibertyRocks

Ping.


9 posted on 11/25/2007 5:03:40 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (This is "Be an Angel Day", do something nice for someone today.)
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To: prairiebreeze

read later


10 posted on 11/25/2007 5:04:52 AM PST by prairiebreeze (Fred '08 Because our troops DESERVE BETTER than Mrs. Bill Clinton.)
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To: xtinct

How does she get away with this? Illegal town; if there ever was one. Most of the Mexicans in CA will tell you they are from McAllen, TX never thinking you might know anything about it.


11 posted on 11/25/2007 5:07:06 AM PST by freekitty ((May the eagles long fly our beautiful and free American sky.))
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To: xtinct

The peons can afford to give $2K to Hillary because they are simply selling their names to Cantu for the campaign finance reports.
They are happy to do it for a few bucks. It’s the Mexican way.
Perhaps someone should check to see how many of these contributors are citizens...quite a task though, since the population in South Texas has thousands of duplicate names. This is Hillary Country...an ideal spot for cash and vote fraud.


12 posted on 11/25/2007 5:14:39 AM PST by kittymyrib
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To: freekitty
Most of the Mexicans in CA will tell you they are from McAllen, TX never thinking you might know anything about it.

How funny! They are pro bably right as all they have to do is walk across the bridge with a shopping card. (visitor visa) The bankers with the help of John Cornyn have increased the number of illegals legally by extending the number of days an illegal may stay in the US.

McAllen is not a small or tiny town. The 2000 population sign state 140,000 people live in McAllen. By definition it is a city.

Cantu owns a construction company. He built a new hospital and about 2 years ago Hillary was here and touring the hospital. From what I understand, she didn't speak to any of the hospital personel. She just looked away from them and that didn't sit well with them. Bill Clinton also used Cantu to raise money. I have seen alot of pictures of Bill and another person. This is a huge democrat area. People will pay $1,000 for this.

Don't forget that Raul Yzaguirre, the former president of LaRaza From Pharr, Tx. is from this area. Pharr is just across the street from McAllen. Raul is part of Hillary's campaign.

Don't forget that there is alot of drug money in McAllen.

13 posted on 11/25/2007 5:32:35 AM PST by texastoo ((((((USA)))))((((((, USA))))))((((((. USA))))))))
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To: xtinct
Here we go again...

Note to the 'Rats: This is what you deserve for deluding yourselves into thinking that character doesn't count.

14 posted on 11/25/2007 5:40:48 AM PST by mewzilla (In politics the middle way is none at all. John Adams)
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To: texastoo

Note to Hillie: Drug lords and the PRC Politburo. Nice constituency ya got there.


15 posted on 11/25/2007 5:42:04 AM PST by mewzilla (In politics the middle way is none at all. John Adams)
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To: texastoo

Most La Raza people say they are from McAllen.

I wonder if the McAllen family donates to Hillary? They have a very interesting history and are very oil rich.


16 posted on 11/25/2007 5:53:12 AM PST by freekitty ((May the eagles long fly our beautiful and free American sky.))
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To: xtinct

COME ON!!! Where the HELL is the FBI?? The FEC?? These are STRAW DONORS!!!! OMG!!! Our JUSTICE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!! We are VENEZUELA!!


17 posted on 11/25/2007 6:43:45 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion: The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: xtinct
Completely obnoxious to ask the people of McAllen to donate that kind of money on their meager earnings of average $28,660.

You don't really believe it's coming out of their own pockets?

Big man in town probably wields a lot of influence - aka clout - and I rather believe a lot of people were coerced to sign a personal check with one hand while receiving the matching amount in the other = covering up where the money really came from = like the dishwashers in Chinatown-gate...and in the 2000 election, all those nuns...( another Clinton/Gore crime that went unpunished)

The real question is: When is someone going to investigate and expose this? There must be someone who would spill the beans.

18 posted on 11/25/2007 6:57:13 AM PST by maine-iac7 (",,,but you can't fool all of the people all the time" LINCOLN)
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To: xtinct
the median reported household income in 2006 was $28,660,

There. I fixed it.

19 posted on 11/25/2007 8:38:53 AM PST by oyez (Justa' another high minded lowlife.)
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To: xtinct

http://www.cantuconstruction.com/company_history.php

Cantu has done very well in McAllen and around the Valley. He’s had a ready supply of cheap labor for over 40 years. I just wish he had better taste in Presidential candidates.


20 posted on 11/25/2007 9:26:29 AM PST by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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