McBride's chief fund-raiser reinvents himself again [McAuliffe's father-in-law]

AP ^ | Sept. 29, 2002 | Mike Scheider

[summer]

Election 2002: McBride's chief fund-raiser reinvents himself again

Sunday, September 29, 2002

By MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press

ORLANDO — Richard Swann stood at the bleakest point of his career a decade ago.

Federal regulators had taken over the savings and loan company that he led and nurtured in the 1980s. His collapsed S&L cost taxpayers more than $500 million and Swann was forced to declare personal bankruptcy, disband his law firm and sell the 17-room home where he had raised his four children.

Such a business disaster would have ended the career of many executives. But it didn't sink Swann, who has glided between the worlds of business and politics for more than two decades with his share of controversy.

After keeping a low profile the past few years, Swann, 62, is back in the game. He has risen to a new prominence as the chief fund-raiser for Democratic gubernatorial nominee Bill McBride, a newcomer to running for office. Not since his days as President Carter's top finance man in Florida has Swann played such a big role in a major campaign.

"I'm surprised I've gotten involved with this one as much as I did," Swann said. "I've just kind of gotten deeper and deeper."

Swann's rebound has been helped by a strong will, a wealth of contacts and always having enough balls in the air that should one drop, there's always another to chose from, friends and acquaintances say.

"He's resilient," said Irby Pugh, an Orlando lawyer and Democratic fund-raiser. "It's to his credit that he has been able to pull it out and he's doing well again."

It also hasn't hurt that Swann's son-in-law is Terry McAuliffe, current chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Swann has been known to telephone McAuliffe while his son-in-law is playing golf with former President Clinton.

"He has my cell phone number, which no other finance chairman of any other gubernatorial or Senate candidate has," McAuliffe said.

Swann's roots grow deep in central Florida. He was born into a well-connected Orlando family and went to college and law school at Duke University.

The soft-spoken Swann, described by friends as a family man and Southern gentleman, made a name for himself in national political circles as an early supporter of then-Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter's 1976 presidential campaign.

Swann met his future son-in-law during Carter's 1980 re-election campaign. Swann had gone to the campaign's Washington office looking for an assistant to help put together a fund-raiser at Sea World Orlando. That person ended up being a fresh-out-of-college McAuliffe, who wore a T-shirt and running shorts to his first meeting with Swann, who rarely is not dressed in a suit.

McAuliffe ended up living in Swann's house for weeks and later traveled around the country raising money for Carter's unsuccessful campaign. McAuliffe married Swann's daughter, Dorothy, several years later.

"Richard would introduce me to the people and I would work them for the next six weeks to get the money out of them," McAuliffe said.

Swann's Carter connections allowed him to meet high-powered players as MCA chief Lew Wasserman, who oversaw the Universal Studios entertainment empire. Swann would become Universal's Florida lawyer and helped broker the company's purchase of land in Orlando for a theme park resort. Swann also entertained at his home such dignitaries as King Constantine of Greece and Jordan's King Hussein.

Then in 1990, his world crumbled. Facing bad loans and debt, Swann's American Pioneer Savings Bank was taken over by federal regulators in 1990 at a time when large numbers of savings and loans were going under.

Swann and his business partners blamed the collapse on the effects of tax reform on real estate loans. The savings and loan, which at one time had more than $2 billion in assets, also owned an insurance company, a home building company and a commercial construction concern.

Swann said his family and close friends lost $55 million in cash. He hunkered down for about five years, trying to rebuild his law practice, and stayed away from politics.

"It was a very bleak story in my life," he said.

Everyone who was involved with a savings and loan had to lay low for a while because they were tainted just by their association with the industry, said Edward Haddock, Swann's former partner.

"I don't think Richard ever gave up his interest or willingness to help candidates he believed in," Haddock said. "But he was distracted substantially for a period of time."

Swann resumed his real estate law practice and eventually purchased the historic home that had belonged to his wife's parents.

At the same time, McAuliffe became Clinton's chief fund-raiser. But Swann and McAuliffe's business relationships led to an investigation by the Department of Labor over real estate deals in which the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers had invested. No wrongdoing was found.

It wasn't the first time that Swann's business dealings had been probed. He was called to testify to Congress in 1989 about a business deal involving former House Speaker Jim Wright. Nothing came of the investigation.

Swann's big return to politics has been with McBride, whom he threw his support behind in March 2001.

"He came over for dinner one night ... and he said 'I think you should run for governor and if you decide to do it, I will help you,'" said McBride, who has known Swann for 25 years.

McBride said he knew of Swann's experience with American Pioneer but acted surprised when told that Swann had filed for personal bankruptcy several years ago.

"That bankruptcy part, I didn't know that but it doesn't change my mind about anything," McBride said. "He's an honest, good man. He's someone that I, everybody trusts."

Swann helped McBride raise more than $3 million in the primary race. He has been effective at bringing aboard money people from the campaigns of McBride's primary opponents, Janet Reno and Daryl Jones, said McAuliffe, who stayed neutral during the primary but has since made fund-raising calls for McBride.

Swann has his work cut out for him since McBride spent most of his money during the primary and Republican Gov. Jeb Bush already has five times as much in the bank.

Politicians and friends say Swann is up to the challenge.

"The bottom line is performance," said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. "And he performs."

[cake_crumb]

McBride: "James Carville cookie-cutter"

Hmmm...has a nice ring to it.

[floriduh voter]

Yes, Floridians live in a BIG FISH BOWL every time there are elections. There are so many outsiders around during campaigns who don't even belong here. I suspect the rabble rousers will be ready to go into action as soon as Governor Bush wins re-election.

The question becomes, WHERE WILL THEY GO? I don't want them in my county!

[floriduh voter]

I think there was already meltdown at Holland & Knight before McBride left. I think he was there when allegations surfaced and then quickly vanished about solicitation of 9-11 victim families in NY and Boston. They had a TOTE BOARD and wanted their lower tier of attorneys to go solicit 9-11 families.

The local media here spiked that story and the guy who wanted the media to investigate his claims (former atty there who switched to teaching) he has this big story to tell but the media dropped it. I hope that guy has not dropped his claim but he should have gone to THE AUTHORITIES instead of the news media IMO.

[floriduh voter]

BREAKING...I like the reference to Jeb's false attacks. I don't recall seeing those.

MCBRIDE CAMP MEMO - "If you have not sent in your General Election contribution (again -limits are renewed for those of you that gave in the Primary), please send it today - we need to buy the television time to refute Jeb’s false attacks immediately!"

My point is that Swann must not be doing such a great job if they can't afford tv spots with one month to go.

[floriduh voter]

Bush Bump. I'm loaded for Florida grizzly bear above. I just saw your name. Have a nice Sunday.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks. You have a good Sunday too!

Hey, I don't if you've seen this article or not. Worth a check. Mark Steyn nails the DIMocRATS on their stunts this week regarding algore and daschle/gephardt accusing Bush of politicising the Iraq War/Homeland Security issue:

Mark Steyn: Those at the back cry 'Forward!'

Soul Mates: The Meltdown Continues
Tom Daschle calls Dick Gephardt
his "partner and soul mate" in the
afterglow of his mid-week meltdown.
This is too good...
Week of 9-23-2002

Steyn's summation:

Five weeks till election day and the Democratic Party's doing a dandy impression of one of those incompetent suicide bombers who accidentally self-detonates before he gets on the bus.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks for the ping. What is the difference between AP and the DNC? This is a pure puff piece....even ending on a pure Dem. campaign slogan. Where are the Republican comments? AP always ends profiles of Republicans with critical Dem. quotes.

As one top postal inspector said after 9-11-01, our guys should have bombed the American newsmedia first.

Sorry, but this isn't "news." How many American papers will pick up this story from the AP news wires? How much does an ad this size cost in most every major news outlet in America?

AP owes the Republican Party Big Time.

---

Official Price Tag on Class Size Initiative - Florida Tax Watch

Former Fla. Sen. and now McBride running mate received an "F" from the Florida Chamber of Commerce for the 2002 legislative session.
Link

JEB Gets An "A" (Wall Street Journal)

[Mo1]

WIPE THE SMILE OFF OF HER FACE.

VOTE THE RATS OUT!!

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[windchime]

Bump.

[Donald Stone]

BUMP !!!!!!

[Askel5]

This trust issue is really going to sway some FL voters to Gov Bush when they hear this Swann guy founded a collapsed S&L, bailed out by John Q. Taxpayer.

The Silverado Sympathy Vote?

[Askel5]

lol ... great gif.

[summer]

LOL...

[summer]

See post #31. LOL... :)

[MeekOneGOP]

heh heh ! Thanks...

[mssnoop]

Another failed bank with a rich and famous connection! What a surprise.

[mafree]

McBribe's campaign is going the way of Swann's S&L- GO JEB!!