Posted on 04/11/2011 7:43:32 PM PDT by MNJohnnie
Your daily dose of news and tidbits from the world of money in politics:
REPUBLICAN DONALD TRUMP’S PAST AND CURRENT GENEROSITY TO DEMOCRATS: Billionaire real estate tycoon Donald Trump's recent speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference excited a number of Republicans, many of whom applauded his statement that Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has "zero chance" of winning.
It also fueled speculation that the mogul would run for president. Cries of "you're hired!" to a Draft Trump 2012 website added to a growing sense of support among Republicans.
But that GOP support has not always been reciprocated by Trump.
According to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of Trump's federal campaign contribution history, The Donald has been a prolific donor to both Democrats and Republicans during the past two decades.
In all, Trump has contributed to 96 candidates running for federal political office since the 1990 election cycle, the Center finds. Only 48 of the recipients -- exactly half -- were Republicans at the time they received their contribution, including ex-Gov. Charlie Crist (I-Fla.) and ex-Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), who both of whom received their Trump contributions as Republicans.
Since the 1990 election cycle, the top 10 recipients of Trump's political contributions number six Democrats and four Republicans. Embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.), who was censured last year by his U.S. House colleagues, has received the most Trump money, totaling $24,750. The most recent contribution from Trump to Rangel was a $10,000 gift during the 2006 election cycle.
In the most recent election cycle, Trump doled out $22,500 to political candidates, of which $16,200 benefited Democrats.
The top Republican recipient of Trump's money is Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) who has collected $13,600 from the billionaire magnate, the second most of any politician. Trump did not contribute to McCain during the 2010 election cycle, during which the former presidential candidate was facing re-election.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) is the recipient of $12,000 in Trump contributions, including $10,000 for his 2006 re-election campaign.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has received the fourth-largest amount of Trump's contributions, including $4,800 in the successful 2010 campaign against Tea Party favorite Sharron Angle. In total Trump has contributed $10,400 to Reid.
In 2010, Trump also contributed $4,000 to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who easily won re-election. Schumer has received $8,900 from Trump since the 1996 election cycle. Trump has also been generous to New York's other Democratic U.S. senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, who's received $5,850 in Trump money.
After McCain, the Republican with the largest amount of Trump's contributions is former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.), who left office in disgrace in 2006 when his online solicitation of male House pages became known. Trump contributed $9,500 to Foley between the 1996 and 2006 election cycles.
Trump has also supported other notable politicians, including:
• $7,000 to former Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), the "liberal lion of the Senate" • $7,500 to former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R) • $5,500 to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) including $2,000 during his 2004 presidential run • $5,000 to former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) • $4,000 to former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) • $2,000 to former President George W. Bush (R) • $1,000 to then-Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.)
Trump's donations to various political action committees and 527 groups also demonstrate his bipartisan checkbook.
During the most recent election cycle, Trump contributed $170,000 to the Republican Governor's Association, $50,000 to the ultra-conservative American Crossroads PAC, $30,400 to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and $10,000 to the Democratic Party of New York.
However, of the nearly $420,000 Trump has donated to committees, the largest recipient has been the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee with $116,000 -- or more than one fourth of his total contributions to all party and political action committees.
Plainly, the Donald is scum.
Useful scum, if he succeeds in airing out the BC thing, but a worthless huckster nevertheless.
Fair enough...
If Trump is such a Conservative; why did he donate to Harry Reid, and a whole lot of other Democrats, in 2010?
Apparently the only major difference between Perot and Trump is Perot had political principals while Trump, apparently, has none.
Nailed it Nan
If Trump is such a Conservative; why did he donate to Harry Reid, and a whole lot of other Democrats, in 2010?
Apparently 1 major difference between Perot and Trump is Perot had principals while Trump has none.
If Trump is such a great "Conservative" why did he donate to Harry Reid and a whole lot of other Democrats in 2010?
We have to stick to our guns as the election heats up. The left is going to throw everything but the kitchen sink at us as our “savior”. Don’t be fooled. Dance with the one who brung ya. We know who Sarah Palin is. Any “Johnny com lately” has to be suspect. Do not trust anyone in Washington or has any connection with soros.
It’s unlikely Trump will win the GOP nomination. Perhaps you should start selling your candidate.
Trump’s already said he’ll probably run as an independent anyways if he does not win the GOP nomination. And as you say he has no chance so why not be bringing your candidate up in the polls to 70% or more rather than lowering the others down to your candidate’s percentages in order to win at with 15% popularity?
I was wondering about that possibility. Trump’s comments today about running as an independent candidate certainly make it a frightening possibility.
The fact that the MSM are giving him so much face time also tends to support the idea that he’s really out to help the Dems—either Hillary or Obama.
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