Found this little tidbit,
Questions Surround Democrat Party Subsidizing Walkout
.........."Indiana Democratic Party Chairman Dan Parker disclosed that the state party is financing the walkout to the tune of $2,500 per day. That changes the nature of this action from a legislative protest to an organized and fully funded political campaign."........
............."Late this week, the party sent out a fundraising request asking Democrat special interests to pony up big bucks to keep Democrats right where they are. The question: who, besides taxpayers, is really financing this walkout?
This isn’t a frivolous matter. We have campaign finance laws for a reason. By mid-week, national unions with deep pockets had arrived to direct the protest effort in Indianapolis and other places around the country. Special interests, in this case labor unions, should not be able to donate money to the Democratic Party during the legislative session so that money can be passed through the party and used to support a legislative walkout that affects the issues those special interests oppose without any transparency or accountability.
Democrats may also have a campaign finance problem.
If the Indiana Democratic Party is paying for hotel rooms for state legislators, that may have to be reported as an in-kind contribution to legislators according to the Indiana Election Division as explained in the 2011 Campaign Finance Manual. But legislators are prohibited from receiving contributions during the legislation session, which could include in-kind contributions for hotel rooms. The ban is in place to prevent groups and individuals from contributing money to affect legislative action during session. If it’s not a contribution as defined by law, then it is also not an expenditure that can be made by a state committee. Either way there’s a legal issue to resolve here.More on how the Indiana Democrat legislators are being funded for their walkout....From
Teachers Unions Press Members to Fund Democrat Walkout
"As we pointed out yesterday, and Shella’s blog alluded to today, questions are starting to be asked around how the Indiana Democratic Party can afford to foot a $2,500-per-day hotel bill for House Democrats who fled to Illinois to kill education and labor union legislation. Now we know.
State teachers unions are soliciting contributions from their members for the express purpose of paying the hotel bills of Democrat legislators they want to stay away from the statehouse and kill education reform bills. Here’s the solicitation that made its way to union members today:
If you support Democrats standing up for Public Education, and you can afford to bolster our efforts, please consider making a contribution today so that we can maintain our strong commitment to this cause. The Governor and his Republican lawmakers have drawn a clear line in the sand: it’s our way or the highway. Democrats chose the highway. In the end, it’ll also be the high road. We can’t afford to let Republicans run our state into the ground by stomping all over our rights and workers. Democrats apparently can’t afford to pay their own hotel bill either so they’re calling in the deep pockets of teachers unions for reinforcement.
Please stand with us as we stand up to an agenda that’s wrong for Indiana.
P.S. Your contribution would be a huge help as we keep up the fight. Please click here to use our secure, easy online donation form. Thank you for your support!
Also If you would rather send donations to help with Democratic House members expenses here is the address:
Indiana Democratic Party
115 W. Washington St., Suite 1165
Indianapolis, IN 46204".................
Wowsa!