Wednesday Open Thread

13 thoughts on “Wednesday Open Thread”

1. It isn't just Colorado: Repulican State Parties Financial Crisis. Reuters.

   In Today's "Good News":

   Real estate mogul Ron Weiser has been one of the biggest donors to the Michigan Republican Party, giving $4.5 million in the recent midterm election cycle. But no more.

   Weiser, former chair of the party, has halted his funding, citing concerns about the organization's stewardship. He says he doesn't agree with Republicans who promote falsehoods about election results and insists it's "ludicrous" to claim Donald Trump, who lost Michigan by 154,000 votes in 2020, carried the state.

   "I question whether the state party has the necessary expertise to spend the money well," he said.

   Arizona's Republican Party had less than $50,000 in cash reserves in its state and federal bank accounts as of March 31 to spend on overheads such as rent, payroll and political campaign operations, the filings show. At the same point four years ago, it had nearly $770,000.

   The Michigan party's federal account had about $116,000 on March 31, a drop from nearly $867,000 two years ago. It has yet to disclose updated financial information for its state account this year.

    

   Log in to Reply

   1. That's because the plutocrats do not want to squander their money by giving it to grifter and morons in MAGA-land.

      What will probably happen is that as the state parties shrivel up (or to use a metaphor they might appreciate: become small enough to drown in the bathtub), the plutocrats will finance their own "privatized" political organizations:  super PACs.

      Log in to Reply

      1. There is something to your theory, LB. Recalling in 2021; I don't remember his name without going elsewhere on line; the little known plutocrat entrepreneur gave Leonard Leo, of Federalist Society "fame;" a tax free gift of $1.6 billion.

         Log in to Reply

         1. From NYT – "The source of the money was Barre Seid, an electronics manufacturing mogul…"

            Log in to Reply

         2. And if results count – and in realpolitik, they do – then Barre Seid got a lot more bang for his bucks than anything those writing large checks to Colorado Republican Party can claim.

            Log in to Reply

            1. Mind you, the value of a donation to CRP might be closer to zero than certain people care to admit…

               Log in to Reply

   2. When do we get an update on Colorado's GOP? 

      Log in to Reply

      1. It may be a while. They can't afford to make payroll so I doubt anyone there is answering the phone.

         Log in to Reply

2. According to FEC reports, Colorado Republican Committee has  raised $9231 this year, started out with $325,748 1/1/23 and now has $117,622 on hand.

   Ouch.

   Log in to Reply

   1. "Ouch" is something we can agree on. I wonder how many donors gave that $9,231?

      Log in to Reply

      1. The donors are listed in the FEC report I linked to. I counted 24 of them.

         Log in to Reply

         1. Missed the link.

            Log in to Reply

   2. I went to look at the Colorado Republicans' FEC form  –  the monthly report covering May 1 to May 31, 2023,

      but it has YTD info, beginning cash: $325,747.68 raised $66,921.38   spent: $275,046.14  ending Cash: $117,622.92

      Going Month by Month

      Jan:  Total receipts $3,976.55 Total disbursements $62,709.13

      Feb: Total receipts $14,240.35 Total disbursements $66,572.05

      Mar: Total receipts $24,610.92Total disbursements $121,505.87

      Apr: Total receipts $14,861.76 Total disbursements $15,660.48

      May: Total receipts $9,231.80 Total disbursements $8,598.61

      By contrast, the Colorado Democrats FEC summary page shows:
      Beginning cash on hand  $230,975.70  

      Total receipts ……….$522,015.72

      Total disbursements $549,140.34

      Ending cash on hand [5/31/2023] $203,848.94

       

      Log in to Reply