Posted on 07/07/2006 1:38:51 PM PDT by CedarDave
The Bill Richardson campaign-money machine kept churning last month.
In his bid for a second term as governor, Democrat Richardson took in more than $824,000 last month, according to his campaign-finance report filed with the state Thursday. That brings the total he has raised for re-election to more than $8 million -- about the same amount he raised for his 2002 campaign.
Richardson, who has at least a dozen full-time employees on his campaign staff, spent more than $1.5 million last month, leaving just under $5 million in the bank.
Meanwhile, Richardson's Republican opponent, John Dendahl, was not able to get his report to the Secretary of State's office by 5 p.m. Thursday because of a misunderstanding over whether he had to file a report.
Dendahl did not run in the primary election. He was nominated by the state GOP Central Committee last month after the party's original candidate, J.R. Damron, stepped down.
In a letter to the Secretary of State's Office, Dendahl said in the past two weeks he'd raised about $100,000 from about 75 donors. He said he had eight donations totaling $55,000 that were more than $5,000. His largest contribution was $20,000 from "hydrocarbon producers," he said.
Damron, who withdrew on June 17, reported $5,185 in contributions during his final days as a candidate. He spent $26,393 in June.
Richardson's biggest contribution on the most recent report was $95,000 from the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees. AFSCME, which represents thousands of state employees in collective bargaining, was one of Richardson's biggest contributors in 2002.
The governor also received $50,000 from CAP II, an Albuquerque real-estate company.
He reported four $25,000 contributions. These were from AGS, a Stockton, Calif., development company; Peter Nuert, who works for the insurance industry in Fort Worth, Texas; The New Mexico Optometric Association; and Hereford, Texas, rancher Cliff Skiles Jr.
Richardson took in nine $10,000 contributions from the Ben Barnes Group in Austin, Texas; Brian Egolf of Santa Fe; My Way Holdings of Sunland Park, N.M.; lawyer Gene Gallegos of Santa Fe; David Barry, (no occupation listed) of Hoboken, N.J.; New York fund manager Peter Briger; Chicago lawyer Mark Taylor; New York investor Thomas Meehan; and Amarillo, Texas, banker E.W. Williams.
And there was sweet news from Florida for Richardson. He got $2,500 contributions from five Florida sugar companies: South Florida Industries Inc., St. Lucie River Co. and Vandergriff Williams Farms, all of Loxahatchee, Fla.; Stoffin Co. Inc., of South Bay, Fla.; and United States Sugar Corp. in Clewiston, Fla.
It is not clear why the sugar farms would be backing a candidate for governor of New Mexico, where there is no sugar industry. Traditionally, the industry pours millions into the campaigns of members of Congressional agriculture committees.
Spokesmen for Richardson's campaign couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday.
Richardson's running mate, Diane Denish, raised nearly $150,000 and spent more than $38,417 last month according to her report. In New Mexico, governor and lieutenant governor candidates run as a ticket, not separately, in the general election, though traditionally lieutenant governor candidates raise their own campaign funds.
Denish's biggest contributor was New York telecommunications mogul Leo Hindery, who gave $25,000.
She also got $10,000 contributions from three companies, Eunice Well Servicing Co., ABC Tool Rental of Hobbs and Controlled Recovery Inc. of Hobbs,. The GEO Group, formerly known as Wackenhut, which operates private prisons for the state, gave Denish $5,000, according to her report.
Denish reported a balance of more than $750,000 in her campaign treasury.
Dendahl's running mate, Sue Wilson Beffort, received $5,595 in contributions and spent $2,026. Her top contributor was the state Republican Party, which gave her $2,195. Her balance was just over $12,000.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bill Richardson...big time Clinton favorite and mouth piece.
Doogle
We all know that these funds won't all be spent on the gubernatorial campaign: They will wind up being transferred to his prez campaign. Bill has enough to win the governor's mansion already, and he will because of 1.) No real opponent, 2.) Name recognition, 3.) Because he's Hispanic (though, as one poster said yesterday, his roots are in Chicago and Mexico...what a laugh). 4.) Things in NM haven't gotten much worse while he was in office. I don't think I'm voting for governor.
Then goes off the deep end and concludes:
It's time for a new party in the this country: the Social Democrats. Democrats like Clinton and Richardson are far, far too Republican-lite for many in their party. After 6 years of Extreme Right, it will take at least 6 years of Extreme Left to correct us back to where we were in 2000..
Why do the good people in New Mexico support this clintonista (at least a majority I suppose)?
Don't they remember?
See post #3. The reasons are there. Point 4), especially is relevant. A booming oil and natural gas industry (in spite of Richardson's buds in the environmental movement attempting to kill the golden goose) and the state rolling in dough makes him look good, even though he spends like a homeless drunk who found a new $20 bill.
Many millions for a state-owned railroad, many more for a spaceport, new programs, lots of perks for government union types, eliminates taxes on food, etc. All passed with the help of a Democrat-controlled legislature. His cronies get prime jobs, any opponents, even Democrats, are politically punished by vetos on projects for their home districts, regardless of need. This guy learned well from watching Slick Willie.
Do I smell a troll? The information was copied from the article and appears in the article for this reporting cycle.
Now go away and have a nice day.
ZOT
The figures are from the article; click on the link.
As for ZOT, you will soon find out.
Thank you!
Why would out-of-state people give money to any honest man or woman? Maybe the idiots in congress ought to campaign finance reform this.
Richardson has his eyes set on the White House.
Obviously their tea leaves told them that Richardson might be more than just a SW governor some day. Duh!
He's an ineffectual liberal puffball...(pssst...and he cant speak Spanish but you wont hear that)
He lived in Mexico City for a while and speaks Spanish, but how well I can't tell as I don't speak it.
Are you kidding? Governor Rutabaga cannot speak Spanish? All the Sugar People in Florida.especially US Sugar in Clewiston are now looking at Sugar to be harvested to make ethanol. I do not understand what a NM Governor would be able to do to help them push the idea,unless he has friends in high places other than The Slickmeister couple.
Anyone know the extent of Richardson's knowledge of Spanish and how well he speaks it?
Ping to post #18
Being the first Gov. in the nation to Veto imminent domain abuse legislation (passed unanimousely-IIRC) against the wishes of the majority of his constituency, I have been waiting to follow the money trail. Hmm, big donations from out of state interests and realators groups. Maybe a pattern is emerging. Thanks for posting this CD.
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