Embattled home lender gives heavily to politicians -Ameriquest

SFgate.com ^ | 8/12/05 | John Wildermuth

[NormsRevenge]

A giant Orange County mortgage company accused of duping low-income homeowners has pumped more than $7 million into California politics since 2002, including contributions to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Democratic Attorney General Bill Lockyer and dozens of other state legislators, members of Congress and political committees.

Ameriquest's top executive, Roland Arnall, also has been one of President Bush's top fundraisers, generating $12 million for the president's political efforts during the past four years. On July 28, Bush nominated Arnall, a billionaire who was ranked No. 106 in the 2004 Forbes magazine list of the wealthiest Americans, as ambassador to the Netherlands.

Since Schwarzenegger took office in 2003, he alone has pulled in more than $1.5 million from Ameriquest, Roland Arnall and his wife, Dawn. Ameriquest also has given $1.5 million to groups backing the governor's political efforts and, along with the Arnalls, has contributed $1.5 million to the California Republican Party.

Ameriquest recently gave the governor a block of prime tickets and a luxury box for the Rolling Stones' opening concert on their U.S. tour -- for Schwarzenegger's use as a fundraiser.

"They're generous donors, and we're grateful for their support,'' said Marty Wilson, the governor's chief fundraiser. Ameriquest's legal problems "are not our area of concern. The governor has expressed no particular concern about taking Ameriquest's contributions.''

Arnall, 66, had been a major Democratic donor before he began raising and contributing money to Bush and Schwarzenegger. But Democrats haven't been forgotten.

Ameriquest contributed nearly $400,000 to the California Democratic Party in 2004 and 2005. The mortgage lender spent thousands on airfare, hotel rooms, food, gifts and football tickets to send Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, D-Los Angeles, and other Democratic Assembly members to Honolulu for a party fundraiser at this past February's Pro Bowl.

[NormsRevenge]

Full title and byline

Embattled home lender gives heavily to politicians Ameriquest, a big donor to both parties, accused of duping low-income borrowers

[NormsRevenge]

The Arnalls' largesse
Some of the California politicians who have received campaign contributions since 2002 from Ameriquest Mortgage Co. and its top executives, Roland and Dawn Arnall:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger: $1.5 million

Attorney General Bill Lockyer: $271,200

State Sen. Don Perata, D-Oakland: $78,200

Democratic state Controller Steve Westly, who is running for governor: $58,000

State Treasurer Phil Angelides, who also is in the 2006 governor's race: $15,000

State Sen. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, a candidate for lieutenant governor: $5,000

State Sen. Chuck Poochigian, R-Fresno, a candidate for attorney general: $8,000

State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria: $9,500

Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco: $1,500

Assemblyman Leland Yee, D-San Francisco: $3,500

Assemblyman Joe Nation, D-San Rafael: $9,400

Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, a Democratic candidate for attorney general: $2,500

Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo: $9,000

Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Garden Grove: $2,000

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.: $1,000

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom: $500

Source: state and federal campaign finance reports

[Sender]

Ameriquest also just launched a particularly badly-timed ad campaign featuring Mick Jagger and the Stones. And they keep sending me irritating junk mail.

[calcowgirl]

http://www.opensecrets.org/

 

ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025		04/19/89	$1,000	Vinich, John P
ARNALL, ROLAND	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Rea Enterprises	05/03/89	$500	Boschwitz, Rudy
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Savings	05/08/89	$5,000	Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Savings	05/23/89	$1,000	Cranston, Alan
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Savings & Loan	11/16/89	$1,000	Berman, Howard L
ARNALL, ROLAND	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Bank	05/21/90	$250	California League of Savings Insts
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Bank	12/20/91	$500	Seymour, John F
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Bank	02/01/92	$1,000	Schenk, Lynn
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Bank	05/04/92	$500	Seymour, John F
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Bank	05/04/92	$500	Seymour, John F
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Bank	05/19/92	$1,000	Schenk, Lynn
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Mortgage	06/30/95	$1,000	Wilson, Pete
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Los Angeles,Ca 90025	Long Beach Financial Serv	10/23/95	$1,000	Berman, Howard L
ARNALL, ROLAND	Beverly Hills,Ca 90210		08/27/96	$1,000	Helms, Jesse
ARNALL, R	Beverly Hills,Ca 90210		10/22/96	$5,000	New Hampshire Democratic State Cmte
ARNALL, ROLAND	Beverly Hills,Ca 90210	Long Beach Finan Svcs	10/22/96	$1,000	Swett, Dick
ARNALL, ROLAND	Beverly Hills,Ca 90210	Ameriquest Capital Corp	12/16/97	$1,000	Lantos, Tom
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Beverly Hills,Ca 90210	Ameriquest Capital Corp	01/26/98	$1,000	Berman, Howard L
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Beverly Hills,Ca 90210	Ameriquest Capital Corp	01/26/98	$1,000	Berman, Howard L
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Beverly Hills,Ca 90210	Ameriquest Capital Corp	07/06/98	$500	Hahn, Janice K
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Beverly Hills,Ca 90210	Ameriquest Capital Corp	10/28/98	$500	Hahn, Janice K
ARNALL, ROLAND	Beverly Hills,Ca 90212	Ameriquest Capital Corporation	06/30/99	$1,000	Kerry, John
ARNALL, RONALD	Beverly Hills,Ca 90212	Ameriquest Capital Corporation	06/30/99	$1,000	Berman, Howard L
ARNALL, RONALD	Beverly Hills,Ca 90212	Ameriquest Capital Corporation	06/30/99	$1,000	Berman, Howard L
ARNALL, ROLAND	Beverly Hills,Ca 90212	Ameriquest Capital Assoc	12/29/99	$1,000	Lieberman, Joe
ARNALL, ROLAND	Beverly Hills,Ca 90212	Ameriquest Capital Assoc	12/29/99	$1,000	Lieberman, Joe
ARNALL, ROLAND	Beverly Hills,Ca 90212	Ameriquest Capital Assoc	12/29/99	$2,000	Lieberman, Joe
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Beverly Hills,Ca 90212	Ameriquest	03/02/00	$1,000	Harman, Jane
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Beverly Hills,Ca 90212		08/04/00	$2,000	Carper, Tom
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Beverly Hills,Ca 90212	Ameriquest Capital Corp	08/26/00	($1,000)	Carper, Tom
ARNALL, ROLAND	Orange,Ca 92868	Ameriquest Capital Corp	09/26/00	$1,000	Lantos, Tom
ARNALL, ROLAND E	Orange,Ca 92868	Ameriquest Capital	10/06/00	$360,000	DNC/Non-Federal Individual
ARNALL, RONALD	Orange,Ca 92868	Ameriquest Capital Corp	10/10/00	$1,000	Clinton, Hillary Rodham
ARNALL DAWN	Orange,Ca 92868	Ameriquest Capital	03/31/02	$1,000	Strickland, Tom

[NormsRevenge]

Nothing like covering all the bases,, greasin' all the skids,, buying all the politicians, eh?

[calcowgirl]

I'm sure he contributes based on his deep political beliefs. ;-)

[NormsRevenge]

LOL..I sure am glad they don't contribute based on religious beliefs or the ACLU would be all over them. ;-)

[NormsRevenge]

Hey, How come Tom McClintock isn't on this list? hhmmmm? :)

[kittymyrib]

They are also underwriting the wrinkled rockers' concert tour. They deserve to be stoned for that...

[calcowgirl]

Ya mean this tour?

CA: Governor cashing in on Rolling Stones (For $100,000, party&get 'A Bigger Bang' w/ aRnold)
SFgate.com ^ | 8/11/05 | Carla Marinucci
Posted on 08/11/2005 8:45:49 AM PDT by NormsRevenge

Here's the ticket: a private evening rockin' the night away with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger during the kickoff of the Rolling Stones' "A Bigger Bang'' U.S. tour on Aug. 21 at Boston's Fenway Park.

Here's the bottom line: $10,000 a pop to get in on a private preconcert reception and front-and-center seats to watch the show -- or $100,000 to sit with the governor in his luxury box.

The eyebrow-raising event is one of a cluster of glitzy fundraisers the star-power governor will headline in the next few weeks...

[GVnana]

giant--Orange County--mortgage company-- duping low-income homeowners -- pumped -- million into -- politics

Does it get more loaded than this?