* Money shocker! Hillary Clinton's campaign debt soars

(*UPDATE: Due to a mathematical error, Hillary Clinton's loans to herself were added twice in the calculation of this item. Her total debts are about $21 million, not $31 million. A corrected item covering the first five paragraphs of this one has been published here.)

No wonder Sen. Hillary Clinton was so late filing her required campaign financial reports Tuesday night. Her political team didn't want the shocking news in it to overshadow her lopsided thumping of Sen. Barack Obama in Kentucky.

But here's the morning after, pay-up time. Clinton's campaign debt has now soared to nearly $31 million, according to numbers crunched early this morning by The Times' campaign finance guru, Dan Morain.

She added another $9.5 million in unpaid bills to vendors this last month alone, pushing her total debt to vendors and herself to the new astronomical figure, about a 50% debt increase in one month.

According to a campaign release put out Tuesday evening as election returns revealed her big win in Kentucky and loss in Oregon, Clinton raised "approximately $22 million" from other people in April. The release also touted that $10 million had poured in within 48 hours of another lopsided Clinton victory over Obama, that one in Pennsylvania, and said it was the second best fund-raising month of her entire campaign.

But the number collected is actually closer to $21 million and the release also neglected to mention that she spent $28.9 million, nearly $8 million more than she took in. She used personal loans to make up part of the difference. She also delayed payments to consultants. Including the $9.5 million in unpaid bills from April, she owes consultants and other vendors $19.5 million. Not to mention the total $11.4 million she has loaned herself.

For other campaign finance figures, including surprising financial success by the Republican Party aided by the president, continue reading below the video.

The likely Democratic nominee Obama continues to vastly out-raise Sen. John McCain, but the presumed Republican nominee is closing the money gap with the significant help of his party, according to new campaign finance reports filed Tuesday.

McCain disclosed he had $21.7 million in the bank at the end of April, compared with ...

... Obama’s $46.5 million. But the Republican National Committee is proving to be a real financial equalizer for the Arizona senator with the notorious distaste for fund-raising.

With significant time and help from President George W. Bush, the RNC ended April with $40.6 million in the bank -- 10 times more than the Democratic National Committee, which had a modest $4.4 million in the bank.

The Democratic Party's fund-raising also was a fraction of the Republicans' in April -- a mere $4.7 million, compared with $19.8 million for the RNC.

The DNC’s cash in the bank actually fell from its March total, which was $5.3 million. Democrats have tapped former Vice President Al Gore in an effort to draw donors to party fund-raisers.

Party money can be used to help the nominees in a variety of direct and indirect ways during the general election campaign. Parties can pay for voter registration, voter turnout efforts and advertising.

McCain’s primary fight has long been over, which allowed him to limit spending to $6.4 million last month. Democratic front-runner Obama raised $31.9 million last month and spent $36.4 million, according to his report filed late Tuesday.

McCain disclosed he received $17.8 million in contributions in April, pushing his total receipts to $100.4 million for the whole campaign, less than half of Obama's total of $266.6 million since January 2007.

The freshman Illinois Democrat scooped up $31.9 million last month, a 20% drop from the $40 million he raised in March. He collected $55 million back in February, which seems millions of dollars ago, doesn't it?

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo: Associated Press

Comments

[CJKatl]

Wow. Has she spent beyond what she can contribute to the campaign?

It's not fair to keep going if you cannot pay the bills. It's wrong to incur debt if you cannot repay the debt. It's dishonest. It's bad planning and leadership.

Imagine what would happen if she were in charge of our economy? She has made so many costly promises. She's like a teenager with a credit card. Only the American public are the ones who will need to pay the bill.

Scary.

[kathleen]

clinton's campaign is sucking up a lot of money that could go to the dnc, to other candidates with a better chance of winning or to defeat mccain. that is why it is coming to look more and more like a vanity effort.

[obambi.com]

INVESTIGATE ALL THESE $25 obama donations

ITS ALL SOROS and CHICAGO MOB MONEY

book it

[Ohioliberal]

If you can't organize, fund and succeed in running your own campaign how- pray tell can you successfully run the country? Running a national campaign demostrates the leadership ability the candidates possess - I don't like what I see here!!!

[KatyR]

Being for the working man, doesn't it bother her to not be paying for their services? Don't want this kind of management in a President. Guess when you are suffering for PTSD from sniper fire it affects your judgement.

[Alamanach]

What is she up to? It is one thing to keep at a losing campaign when you can afford to stay in just for the hell of it. It is another thing to go $30 million in the hole when there appears to be no reasonable chance of recovery. People ribbed Huckabee for staying in so long, but I don't recall him going into debt. Is Clinton's staying in this race really a display of grit and determination, or does she know something we don't?

[ericmiami]

Maybe Terry McAuliffe can sell some used cars while he's waiting to get paid.

[bibleguy]

What good can possibly come from two or three people willing to spend a billion dollars for a job that pays half a million dollars a year?

Surely something is not good here.

When the campaign gets that large there are no public servants left.

50 million in debt, and still not afraid of the end. I can not see how that debt will ever be paid. Nor would I want a president that lived like that.

Thanks for listening,

bibleguy pgh, pa. USA

[frank]

After reading about how much she has spent in this losing proposition, I cannot believe she has what it takes to be the leader of the US... what a colossal waste of money--- handed over to advertising companies who are making millions over this campaign. Enough already-- does she realize how many people could have been helped with the millions she has spent?? What a greedy lesbian!

[hip2b2]

I've said it before; this is the political equivalent of a domestic murder-suicide.

[JAMIE]

So what if somebody doesn't get paid.....right, Hillary?
Not your problem.

[charles Lim]

can't she donate the money to the starving children of the world or fix up new orleans? what a waste!

[JasonR]

Sounds like the Bush approach to fiscal management. Or lack thereof.

[Bob]

I'm not sure how ethical it is for a candidate to kick 11.4 million of personal funding into their War Chest?

Fortunately, she wasn’t able to buy the nomination!

Sounds like she'd make a good Secretary of the Treasury!

http://klintons.com

[brad k. evans]

This is exactly why I would never vote for HRC.

$31m in debt, while Obama raises $31m?

Not too difficult to see how Obama really does mean change. If Clinton is willing to go into this deep of debt in an attempt to win, do you really think that she won't give a hoot how much further she'll tumble the US into debt to complete her agenda if she were elected?

HRC is a traditional politician, it's a fact, and it's not to hard to imagine how things would remain if this person were to win (status quo) we'd be getting the same thing we've always had... another 4 years of the same thing, lots of debt and more broken promises. Up until the late 60s the US had very little national debt (by comparison) yet by the mid 80s politicians realized that fiscal responsibility was irrelevant (thank you Ronald Raygun) and HRCs willingness to run up massive debts in her own bid to win, is reflective of how she would govern... aren't you sick of this already? We've squandered billions and billions... meanwhile the bare necessities are impossible to fund.

Black or not, who gives a rats a** (thank you Kentucky for proving that racism still is alive in 2008). Let's change the machine this time and see what happens - ake a risk on the real maverick...honestly can't be any worse than 8 years of bush/cheney

[bobbie]

All these millions of dollars wasted for a losing effort. Why doesn't she raise money like this for all those poor people she claims to care about?? Sickening.

[Walt]

How can she honestly be considered for the nomination when she is spending money she doesn't have to continue? She is preaching that she is best for the economy; she cannot run the economy in her campaign!
Obviously the voters are not urging her to continue; or they would contribute to her effort.
Any superdelegate that continues to support her in the face of this debt is inhibiting the long term fundraising efforts of the Democratic party. They need to end this today.

[Walt]

How can she honestly be considered for the nomination when she is spending money she doesn't have to continue? She is preaching that she is best for the economy; she cannot run the economy in her campaign!
Obviously the voters are not urging her to continue; or they would contribute to her effort.
Any superdelegate that continues to support her in the face of this debt is inhibiting the long term fundraising efforts of the Democratic party. They need to end this today.

[ahousii]

I think it's time for her to call it quits for now.No sense in letting her financial woes get more complicated than it is. My opinion, of course.

[ahousii]

I think it's time for her to call it quits for now.No sense in letting her financial woes get more complicated than it is. My opinion, of course.

[ericmiami]

Terry McAuliffe is selling used cars on the side to keep the campaign going. Anybody want to buy a clean, one-owner DeSoto?

[MS]

H still running even though she doesn't have a chance - why would she continue to run? At some point, she'll continue the fund raising but stop her spending to help cover some of her debt. That's the only reason why I can think she's still in this race. She's a loser. How can we trust her to run our country when she deliberately tried to hide her finance problems? What else would she hide?

[Chris]

This is so sad! As I listened to HRC last night and heard her ask for more money to go on, I wondered how many venders will never see their money! I also wondered how many folks supporting Hillary are doing without based on false hope. She pushes the gas tax relief this summer, yet will not take office until Jan. 09. She is on the campaign trail for goodness sake. She is not in her office in the Senate! Promises, Promises, Promises!! We must have a change in our direction toward the future and HRC's methods even in running a campaign indicate that all will remain the same if she and Bill move back to the White House.

[B. W.]

Time for campaign finance reform to get serious.

Hmm, all those contributions in the milions of dollars. Imagine how much better spent they would be on education and health - not to mention the burgeoning poor in America.

Now, all the people who have donated get to write them off their next IRS declaration - and here we are with an economy in shambles, a war we cannot easily get out of but should never had gotten into in the first place, unemployment on the increase and the mortgage crisis bringing us ever closer to repeat 1929. And George helps the RNC get 40 million! And Hilary gives the "thanks but no thanks" to the invoices for people who did real work - oh, I forgot, so "all the voices can be heard"...

[fezziwig]

idiots. she's been working on 2012 for months. dick morris has been saying for a week what i've been saying since march. Obama gets MONDALED in the Fall. He has NO CHANCE. And Hill runs unopposed in 2012 after Obama is eliminated as a viable candidate.

she is such a total loser. she can't do anything right, and her 'intelligence' is truly suspect.

[Tim]

How can Hillary continue to solicit cash and then leave unpaid bills? She is leaving a lot of hardworking Americans with unpaid bills. Those not being paid are not just Big Time Ad Agencies, they are Mom and Pop establishments like Restaurant and Banquet Hall owners. These dollars are better suited for the DNC or other Dem candidates.

[krkyoldhag]

Notice that altho hilliary complains that media gives preference and more coverage to Obama ...not one word was said last night about her 31 million debt.

What does she plan? To be on the ticket...and then all her debts will vanish.

And yes ...the way she has run her campaign is a clear indication of the way she woudl run the country..into debt and defeat.

Ann Coulter was right. The only way to stop the two Clintons is with a stake thru their hearts ..but can you find one?

[m begin]

Larry Franklin--Look him up!

[Patrick]

Hillary will keep fighting until she can extract every last dollar she can from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund - a not uncommon practice among losing presidential primary contenders and one reason why I will never check off the $3.00 on the income tax return.

[pmojica]

It seems as if Obama has plenty of change and Hillary could use some.

[Z Man]

Obama fund raising will suffer if there is a perception that that his funds may go to pay off the Clinton campaign debt in future. She is taking funds away the main fight with McCain -- her legacy can only diminish from this point on.

[luke]

Go home Hillary, This is NOT about you and your greed. Your lust for power is eroding the chances the Democratic Party has to reduce the blight of the Bush administration. IF YOU TRULY LOVE AMERICA, GO HOME NOW, AND STOP ACTING LIKE A STUPID SKANK.

[WomanFromHype]

Clinton is so dedicated to "you" that she's willing to loan herself money to get back into the White House - money that others will end up repaying regardless of whether she wins or loses. What dedication. What sacrifice. Classic Clinton: incompetence, arrogance, utter selfishness and lack of principle Just like her last-ditch embrace of the working class whites she used to spit on back in the glory days when she flew over them in Air Force One and let 10 million illegal immigrants come in to take their jobs. Best thing about this election so far is the Democractic Party rejecting the Clintons. We need to follow up by kicking out all members of the worst Congress in history.

[roberto]

Got to check Obama's campaign for all the Saudi money he is getting funneled via the Wahhbasbi/Islamist "US citizens" in this campaign.

[txasslm]

CJK -- this is nothing new. overspending is nothing new, not for clinton (either one), not for washington d.c.

[Elizabeth E]

Simple cost-benefit analysis. Her hole has already been dug. If she goes home now, she has no choice but to dig out of it. If she wins the nomination, then it was all worth it. If she doesn't win the nomination, then she is not much worse off; after all, what's $50 million contrasted to $30 million?! The answer to that rhetorical question is, "not much".

The benefits [to Ms Clinton] of a potential nomination far outweigh the marginal cost [to her] of continuing this race...

[Jamie]

Isn't she to one who took money from an 11year old who sold his bike and video games for her? Disgusting!!!!!!

[steve]

"INVESTIGATE ALL THESE $25 obama donations
ITS ALL SOROS and CHICAGO MOB MONEY"

I gave Obama about 25 bucks. So did a few of my friends, a few of their friends, and a few of their friends. It's amazing what a large number of people can acomplish if they all kick in and all it took was... the Chicago mob holding guns to our heads? Nah, I'm pretty sure it was hope =-)

[Bob]

Hillary realizes that the math isn't there for her to get the nomination. However, she will contest this all the way to the convention so as to have a huge bargaining chip that will allow her, in the end, to retire this debt (pay herself back), and secure the VP slot, or a promise of something else she wants. As usual, it's all about the Clinton's, not the party. Who knew? We all did and it didn't matter. We deserve what we got.

[Dave]

She'll roll the debt into her Senate campaign and fleece everyone one more time. Than she'll start seeing if she done enough damage so she has a shot at 2012. Nice one Billary.

[malach hamovess]

the last 20 million was solely for one of the most expensive ego trips on record

in her favor one can say that wherever there's a primary, Hillary is boosting the local economy

[Frank-IL]

There ought to be a law about this overspending. However, you have to consider who makes the laws.
How much more debt can she accumulate before she gives up?

I say: "Book Her, Dano!"

[Chuck]

and this is the same person asking us to elect her so she can manage the national budget - no thanks

[walterb]

Its not about the Democrat party, its all about her and my quest for power. Nothing else matters. The rules don't matter, the party doesn't matter, heck, the country doesn't matter. Hillary has had every advantage in the race, Money, name recognition, and she blew it. Runing record debt. JFK once said being president is like running a campaign. If this is true, then A Hillary presidency would be a 4 year disaster that makes President Bush reign look good. I hope she stays and keeps fighting until 2009 just so she and Bill looks as silly and as desperate as possible. We should never let these two creatures near power again.

[Ron]

What I'll want to know is if these vendors and other folks who are owed the money will get it and where will it come from? I'm guessing that report will never see the light of day once Obama has been nomintated and Hillary slithers back into her hole, leaving those who extended her credit holding the debt. I doubt very much she'll use her own funds to make everyone whole. Lets see what happens!

[Jeanne from Michigan]

I wonder how many little kids in Kentucky sold THEIR bikes and video games to fund this arrogant campaign. Amazing!

[Kit]

The Clinton Campaign claimed to have raised 10 million in the 24 hours after PA. The filing does not show that. Were they being truthful?

[Jonathan]

I'm one of those $25 donators, and I am no mobster, but rather a hard working American, as have many people who have donated. I've donated (and others) have donated for the first time for a campaign because I feel he's someone I can trust and believe in, unlike Hillary and McCain who have credibility issues.

[Mike]

You are looking at it all the wrong way. This is not 31 million wasted, this is 31 million invested. BIll Clinton left the White House and made 100 million "speaking" to big companies. Exxon, GM and other successful companies would pay Bill $150K+ to give them a talk about leadership or his time in the White House. Of course, if GM or Exxon needed something done on the Hill I am sure Bill could put in a nice call... Billary has been done for ages now and the new pathetic low of this contest came for me last week when she tried to claim she has more popular votes. Besides the fact she only had a lead if you counted a place Obama wasn't even on the balot, the "lead" was .02%. Hillary needs to exit stage right. IF I were on the Obama team, after securing a majority of pledged delegates I'd be flying to Michigan tonight and declaring you want "all the votes counted." Take that talking point away from her, show you really are the agent of unity you claim to be, end it as a sore point between Dems and unofficially declare victory by showing you are so confident in securing the nomination you are willing to seat half delegations. It doesn't matter anyway. There is no measure by which Clinton can win other than a sweeping super majority of super delegates.

[Patrick C.]

Thank you, Operation Chaos.