Exclusive: Kathleen Sebelius Won't Say Whether Still Fundraising To Promote ObamaCare

First in a series of stories on the Obama administration's outside fundraising efforts to promote Obamacare enrollment.

 

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and other department staff may be continuing to solicit private donations to help an outside group promote the president's health care law as the administration works to boost enrollment figures after a troubled fall rollout.

News last May that Sebelius had asked business executives and nonprofit groups to donate toEnroll America, a nonprofit organization formed to help encourage millions of Americans to sign up for the new Obamacare insurance exchanges, provoked an uproar among Republicans on Capitol Hill.

Two GOP-led House committees launched investigations, and several Republican senators called on the Health and Human Services inspector general to investigate Sebelius' fundraising drive, which watchdogs have described as an unethical shakedown for cash.

Eight months after the news broke, Sebelius' spokeswoman last Friday sidestepped questions from the Washington Examiner on whether her boss has continued to solicit funds from outside groups for Enroll America's efforts.

“The secretary has engaged in a sustained, aggressive outreach campaign to reach as many Americans as possible during open enrollment,” HHS spokeswoman Joanne Peters said in an emailed statement Friday afternoon.

“We're [sic] have been working closely with a range of partners groups across the country to reach the uninsured, and to help get them enrolled in quality, affordable health insurance,” Peters continued.

She did not respond to a follow-up question specifically asking whether Sebelius has continued the fundraising.

Via: Washington Examiner

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Both Senatorial Campaign Committees Off Track for Start of 2014

Without explosive fundraising in November and December, both national party Senatorial campaign committees will start 2014 with smaller war chests than at the start of the 2012 election year.

At the start of 2012, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee had $12.2 million cash on hand and no debts. The report filed this week, covering through the end of October, shows they have $11.1 million cash on hand, but $6.25 million in debts.

At the start of 2012, the National Republican Senatorial Committee had $11.5 million cash on hand and no debts. The report filed this week, covering through the end of October, shows they have $5 million cash on hand and no debts.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee reported receipts of $4,873,125 and disbursements of $3,830,676 in October, leaving $11,073,955 cash on hand as of 10/31, with debts of $6.25 million. During the month the committee repaid $1.25 million in loans from Bank of America. Selected donors giving $32,400 each included Anthony Hsieh (CEO, Zappos.com, NV); Leslie M. Saionitz (philanthropist, FL); Jerome Simon (hedge fund manager, CA); and Joshua L. Steiner (co-president, Quadrangle Group LLC, NY); among others.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee reported receipts of $3,804,342 and disbursements of $2,214,774 in October, leaving $5,007,573 cash on hand as of 10/31, and no debts. Selected donors giving $32,400 each included A. James Clark (CEO, Clark Enterprises, MD); Raymond Debbane (CEO, Invus Group LLC, CT); Norman P. McClelland (executive, Shamrock Foods Company, AZ); W. Kent McClelland (CEO, Shamrock Foods Company, AZ); and L. Francis Rooney III (CEO, Rooney Holdings, FL); among others.

Via: Roll Call

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Obama using Obamacare meltdown to raise cash

President Barack Obama is using the disastrous crash of his Obamacare website to extract cash and volunteer hours from his supporters.

“By now, you’ve probably heard that the website has not worked as smoothly as it was supposed to,” Obama told his supporters in an email sent out late Tuesday.

“That’s why I need your help,” he said, in a video pitch that links to an online fundraiser.

“The other side has already spent a whopping $400 million in anti-Obamacare TV ads,” says the language on the fundraiser site. “We don’t have to beat that, but we need to have the resources to fight back. Make a donation to support OFA today.”

The video illustrates Obama’s eagerness and ability to convert even the most awkward policy setbacks into high-profile political campaigns that can help his progressive coalition. The money may be used to support Obamacare, but it likely will also be used to help Obama wage his next election campaign — the 2014 midterm election.

In the video, Obama also offers his supporters a psychological reward for joining “Team Obamacare.”

“I’m asking you to be part of Team Obamacare… I’m asking you to help tell you friends, families, coworkers, classmates, neighbors and anyone else what the Affordable Care Act can mean for them,” he said.

“Remember, nobody ever expected this would be easy — change never is… [but] I’m absolutely confident that we will finish the job of making health care in the country not just a privilege for a fortunate few, but a right for all Americans to enjoy,” he insisted.

Via: Daily Caller

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House Democrat’s Low Fundraising Sparks Retirement Rumors (Again)

Rep. Collin C. Peterson, D-Minn., raised about $83,000 in the third quarter, according to histhird-quarter fundraising report filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Peterson’s fundraising haul is $10,000 less than last quarter’s fundraising total — both considered to be paltry sums for a long-time member of Congress. He reported $227,000 in the bank.

Such a small haul raises questions about Peterson’s plans for 2014 because weak fundraising can signal that a member is looking to retire. On Tuesday, Peterson’s campaign said in a statement that the congressman is still considering his plans for 2014.

“It’s premature to read too much into Congressman Peterson’s report this fundraising quarter given that he does not yet have an opponent, he is still considering whether he will run again, and the amount raised is similar to what he’s raised previously in off-year quarters,” the campaign said in the statement. “At this time, he remains focused on getting the farm bill completed.”

Republicans publicly pushed Peterson to retire earlier this year, knowing that Minnesota’s 7th District would be more competitive if he was not on the ballot.

GOP nominee Mitt Romney carried Peterson’s district with a 10-point margin in 2012.

There are no Republicans currently challenging Peterson this cycle. However businessman Scott Van Binsbergen has been eyeing a bid, and moved closer to making a decision last month, he told CQ Roll Call in a phone interview.

Minnesota’s 7th District is rated a Democrat Favored contest by Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call.

Via: Roll Call

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MONSTER HAUL: ROMNEY RAKES IN $112M IN FIRST 17 DAYS OF OCTOBER

Rising enthusiasm for Mitt Romney’s surging presidential candidacy has driven Americans to the donation box: Romney’s campaign raised a whopping $112 million in 17 days of October, according to the Republican National Committee. Much of that giving was obviously driven by Romney’s stellar performance in the first debate.

Romney needed a good showing after incumbent President Barack Obama defeated him in fundraising for September, $181 million to $170 million. The Romney campaign has approximately $169 million to spend over the final two weeks of this campaign. Approximately $38 million of the money raised in October came in donations of $250 or under, suggesting burgeoning grassroots appeal for Romney.

Via: Breitbart

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Team Obama raises $90 million in the first half of October

Earlier today, Team Romney (including Romney for President, Romney Victory, and the Republican National Committee) announced that, between October 1st and 17th, they raised a combined total of over $111 million, and still have about $169 million cash on hand — a pretty impressive haul no doubt aided by the general debate-watching public finally getting to meet Mitt Romney without all of the added negative noise from the Obama campaign.

This evening, Team Obama revealed via Twitter their own combined-total fundraising numbers for the first seventeen days of the month:

Barack Obama

• ✔

@BarackObama

In the first 17 days of October, 1,251,291 people came together to raise $90,500,000 for the campaign and combined committees.

25 Oct 12

• Reply
• Retweet
• Favorite

In the entire month of September, Team Obama outraised Team Romney with $181 million to their $170 million, but it looks like the debate season may’ve helped fuel a role-reversal from that trend. Either way, both campaign’s days of chic fundraisers are over and the donations are going to start petering out, and both sides will be looking to spend most of the money in their war chests in the next eleven-ish days. Ohioans — I do not envy you.

Via: Hot Air

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WINDFALL: OBAMA RAISES $181 MILLION, ONLY AROUND 2% CAN BE VERIFIED

The Obama campaign dropped a bombshell this morning. It announced that, combined with the DNC, the campaign raised a staggering $181 million in September. The windfall is a huge increase over July and August, when the campaign raised around $100 million, although it is slightly down from the $193 million it raised in September 2008. The news should raise eyebrows. 

The campaign said that just over 1.8 million people made donations to the campaign last month. According to the campaign, over 500k of these were brand-new donors, having neither given in 2008 nor 2012. 98% of contributions were under the reporting threshold of $250. Of these, the average contribution was $53. 

Its really a tale of two worlds. 35k people gave an average of $2,600, while just over 1.7 million people gave an average of $53. Half the campaign's haul came from people giving around the maximum amount and half from people who don't have to be disclosed. Seems a bit odd. 

The average of $53 from small donors is particularly noteworthy. Contributions under $200 don't have to be disclosed, but the campaign still has to keep track of the donor's name, in case subsequent donations push their contribution over the reporting threshold. 

For contributions under $50, however, the campaign doesn't even have to keep track of the donor's name. It is effectively considered a "petty cash" donation. A person could theoretically make 10 $49 donations and never be reported, even though their total contributions are above the FEC's reporting threshold. 

With an average donation of $53 from small donors, Obama has A LOT of donors who will never be disclosed and whose names aren't even known to the campaign. Tens of millions of dollars worth. 

Today's report certainly adds a great deal of interest to this news story from last week. 

Via: Breitbart

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Cities pay a price for campaign swings: $100,000 for recent Obama visit

President Obama Continues to leave a Trail of Debt at a time when the Cities Can Least Afford it.

President Obama's motorcade pulls onto Hunts Point Road last month on the way to a private fundraiser at the home of former Costco CEO Jim Sinegal.

Local law-enforcement agencies spent nearly $100,000 in overtime to protect President Obama during a fundraising trip to the Seattle area last month, according to records released by the groups involved in the effort.

The roughly $98,500 tab, which won't be reimbursed, could have been much higher — the largest security force in the presidential motorcade, the Washington State Patrol, adjusted its schedules, shifting troopers from regular duties to avoid what would have been an additional $60,000 in overtime.

The single largest overtime tab came from the Bellevue Police Department, which paid $28,817 extra to some 60 officers involved in securing the Hilton Bellevue Hotel, where the president spent the night.

In all, dozens of employees from nine local agencies were involved in security for the July 24-25 visit, Obama's sixth to the state as president. Although the Secret Service coordinated the protection effort, local agencies also had to spend hours helping to craft a 72-page incident plan, officials said.

The costs are not unique to Obama; all presidential visits require intense security, and President Bush's trips to the state cost about the same, officials said. Security is also required for Republican Mitt Romney, although his status as only a candidate means the costs are lower.

The local expenses are in addition to costs handled by the federal government, including the operation of Air Force One, which is estimated at about $180,000 per hour. The Obama campaign is required to cover part of the federal expenses, but not local ones.

Those local costs for Obama's July visit represented only a small fraction of the budgets of the law-enforcement agencies.

Still, some people wondered why taxpayers must pay for security for a strictly political visit that did not include any public events.

The president attended a $35,800-per-person round-table with business leaders and a $5,000-per-ticket dinner at which he spoke for 13 minutes before reporters were escorted out. He raised about $1.75 million from the events, both at the Hunts Point home of Costco co-founder Jim Sinegal.

Via: The Seattle Times

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Book: Obama Campaign Marginalizes Ineffective Wasserman Schultz

AP File

The campaign has had difficulties with Debbie Wasserman Schultz since her inception as chair, reports Thrush.

But Wasserman Schultz’s most public scrap with the Obama campaign came after a Free Beacon report on photographs posted on Facebook by one of her aides, according to Thrush:

From the start, Wasserman Schultz grated on Chicago. She insisted the DNC hire a handful of her top congressional aides. While she was a tough and effective cable warrior and a serious fundraiser, she tended to do better on MSNBC and struck too harsh a partisan tone when she crossed over to the Sunday shows, they thought.

By the spring, the simmering tensions briefly boiled into public view. GOP researchers discovered an old post from Wasserman Schultz’s liaison to the Jewish community, Danielle “Dani” Gilbert, in which she joking referred to herself as a “Jewbag.”

Obama’s aides demanded the chairwoman immediate fire Gilbert, people close to the situation told me. But Wasserman Schultz defended the twentysomething staffer, who turned out to be the daughter of a top Democratic donor and Florida power broker, Mark Gilbert. She won the skirmish but lost the war–eventually becoming marginalized. Her fate, to be fair, has been shared by many a party chief in an election year, but by spring some in Obama’s orbit were openly speculating about how much better things might have been under Strickland or Villaraigosa. No sooner had that speculation died down than Wasserman Schultz called Chicago to ask why her national TV appearances, especially on Sunday shows, had dropped off.

Via: Fox News

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