Clinton Won Easily, but Bankroll Shows the Toll
New York Times, The (NY) - November 21, 2006
Author: ANNE E. KORNBLUT and JEFF ZELENY ; Suevon Lee contributed reporting.
EXCERPT
Since 2001, when she took office, Mrs. Clinton has spent at least $36 million on her re-election. For 2005 and 2006 through Oct. 18, she spent $29.5 million; a final tally will not be available until next month.
At that level, she spent nearly twice as much as Senator Charles E. Schumer, her Democratic colleague from New York, did in his 2004 re-election campaign, when he spent $15.5 million and won 71 percent of the vote, four points more than Mrs. Clinton won this year.
For her money, Mrs. Clinton also won a slightly smaller percentage of the vote in New York this year than did Eliot Spitzer in his successful race for governor. Mr. Spitzer, who raised nearly $41 million for his campaign, won 69 percent of the vote.
Mark Penn, Mrs. Clinton ‘s pollster and longtime adviser, received at least $1.1 million. Mandy Grunwald, her longtime communications strategist, received more than $930,000. Hudson Media Partners, an offshoot of the Glover Park Group consulting firm where two prominent Clinton advisers, Howard Wolfson and Gigi Georges, work, received nearly $200,000.
Campaign aides said much of the consulting work went toward building a donor list that would be vital in a presidential race. But they did not specify the work done by each of the consultants or say exactly how much of the money they received went to preparing for a presidential run rather than Mrs. Clinton ‘s Senate re-election. And the figures have raised eyebrows among the people who raise money for her.
(snip)
A close friend of Mrs. Clinton , Maggie Williams , received a $37,500 consulting fee, paid to her firm, Griffin Williams Critical Point Management, at the end of July.
Asked what the payment was for, Mrs. Clinton ‘s campaign aides checked and subsequently responded that the payment had been a mistake. They said it should have been for less than $5,000 to reimburse Ms. Williams , who served as chief of staff to Mrs. Clinton in the White House, for travel costs. They said Ms. Williams would return the extra money. Ms. Williams , who was said by Mrs. Clinton ‘s aides to be traveling, did not return a call to her office.
Let's put this out there: In other words Williams was over-paid. But Williams did not mention it. She kept it. Until it was questioned by others and then investigated and found to be a "mistake." She was well aware of what her fee should have been, I am sure. But when she got $37,500 (or her "firm" received it) she was silent and did not return the extra money on her own! Is that the picture?
What does that say about character and honesty regarding this woman, and all associated with Hillary? So, has the money been returned, and to whom?
It would be VERY INTERESTING to find out who/what organization made such a huge "mistake." Or was it a mistake at all? Was it a way to channel money somehow to Hillary by paying Williams under the guise of a "consulting fee?" When dealing with any of the players in the Clinton camp, nothing is surprising...and everything that that they do is is suspicious. They are the Covert Clinton Clan - there is nothing they do that is forthright and upfront.
“...she spent nearly twice as much as Senator Charles E. Schumer”
I heard someone ask this question: In the whole, big state of New York, there was no one who would run for senator? They had to settle for Her Heinous, a carpetbagger from Illinois by way of Arkansas?? And she has to spend millions to get and retain the seat??