A look at Sarah Palin, fundraiser

As Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin starts her career on the national political stage -- and joins the frenzied chase for big-time bucks -- she brings a fundraising past to the table that is modest (to say the least).

Campaign finance reports show she raised $1.43 million from 2001 to 2006 -- less than what a winning race for a seat in the California state Assembly easily could cost.

She raised most of her total --$1.36 million -- in 2005 and 2006, when she was running for governor.

Palin has not raised money since becoming her state's chief executive. Under Alaska law, she cannot troll for dollars until next May, and at that point only if she declares for reelection (though if all goes well for her in November, all that will be moot).

Since John McCain chose Palin as his vice presidential running mate, Times staff writer Ben Welsh, researcher Maloy Moore and data analyst Sandra Poindexter have been gathering data from the Alaska Public Offices Commission’s website. A review of her campaign finance reports shows her biggest single source of money has been the Republican Party: $75,000.

People involved in the fisheries industry — her husband is a commercial fisherman — have contributed at least $70,000.

People listing their business as real estate have donated $46,000. Attorneys accounted for at least $30,000, and lobbyists donated $9,800.

Palin, who favors opening a part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil and gas development (a move McCain opposes), has taken about $13,500 from people involved with oil firms.

Although she is a Republican, Palin has friends in organized labor. Unions and self-identified union members have donated $17,000 to her campaigns.

Two days before McCain named her as his running make, Palin attended an AFL-CIO convention in Alaska and signed legislation ...

... putting up $500 million in state money to help TransCanada Corp. research the possibility of a natural gas pipeline from Alaska's North Slope, which could cost $30 billion and run 1,700 miles. The legislation includes guarantees of union jobs.

“We see eye-to-eye on a lot of stuff,” said Ron Axtell, vice president of a 1,500-member local of the Laborers Union that has donated to Palin and is in line to receive work on the pipeline. “She is an excellent pick. Most of the people in the state are shocked and pretty jubilant.”

Palin, who has made a practice of assailing Alaska’s political culture of corruption, took $5,000 from people affiliated with VECO Corp., the company at the center of the criminal inquiry of Sen. Ted Stevens, also a Republican.

Palin is not implicated in any wrongdoing in the case.

-- Dan Morain

Photo credit: Associated Press

Comments

[scootmandubious]

There wasn't a lot from Palin's mayoral days that I was able to find in my research, but the following article is a doozy.

From The Rocky Mountain News of 8/10/97. you can see how this idealogue walked over 3 elderly workers. I posted it in my blog, but thought others might like to see it, because it's not available by a Google search:

"WASILLA, Alaska -- Opal Toomey, Esther West and Ann Meyers don't seem like politically active types. There are no bumper stickers on their cars, no pins on their lapels.

But the three gray-haired matrons of Wasilla's city museum decided to take a stand. Faced with a $32,000 budget cut and the prospect of choosing who would lose her job, the three 15-year-plus employees decided instead to quit en masse at the end of July, leaving the museum without a staff.

``We hate to leave,'' said Meyers, who at 65 is the youngest of the three. ``We've been together a long time. But this is enough.''

If the city were broke, it would be different, she said. Instead, the city is flush with $4 million in reserves. There is no reason the museum's budget should be cut, Meyers said.

But the mayor and City Council members who supported the cut say the surplus is beside the point. They were elected to minimize government and concentrate on infrastructure - paving roads and extending sewer lines.

The museum, which had an annual budget of more than $200,000, was costing roughly $25 per visitor, said Mayor Sarah Palin. Museum supporters say losing the women will be a blow to this city north of Anchorage. The three have run the two-story building since the early 1980s."
--------------------------------------
Yeah, that's compassionate conservatism for you.

http://scootmandubious.blogspot.com/

[gorefan]

After being named as Obama's running mate Joe Biden made the rounds of News talk shows. Why isn't Palin on Sunday morning talk shows? Not ready yet?

[SO]

Modest fundraiser? Now thats refreshing! I like Palin even more now!

LA Times you may bash all you want, but people like Palin and you need to GET OVER IT.

[tommy jonq]

let's see if i have my menu options straight. on the left hand, i've got zero experience plus way too much experience, and on my right hand, i've got way too much experience plus zero experience. there's only one solution: lieberman uber alles!

[Dr. Dave]

It's quite obvious from this that such a rare and accomplished woman needs far less cash to get attention than the media favored Obama. She has a whopping 80% approval rate in her state! And just look how much free press and interest she has generated so far. Obama had the audacity to belittle her saying "she's an up and coming public servant". That's exactly what he is...up an coming compared to her.

Obama is an arrogant loser. He passed on Hillary cause he's cocky and thinks he can do it alone. Now he'll PAY..BIG TIME.

[Bubba Baxter]

This article is so typical of the left wing media bias. You dont report the news you are more like an tabloid with an agenda. I didnt see any of this vetting on Obammas pick for VP. The LA times is arguable the second most liberal media outlet in the country, I think only behind the Washington Post. I will love when in November your rag you call a news outlet will be counting chads and saying how the voters were disenfranchised.

[Ericmiami]

Country First? Now McCain will have to come up with a new motto.

[Thoren]

Palin Family Values: "Whew! As Vice President I won't have to be involved in caring for my special-needs newborn!"

[ben]

IMHO Sarah Palin is a great choice and a breath of fresh air

[Doris Mc Mullen Toledo]

Obama has hired the best campaign team off all time and garnered 19,000,000 votes by managing them well. Oh yeah the topic was bucks Obama has raised over $290,000,00 which of thee displays leadership you do the math. Mc Same going to New Orleans today for a photo op is just proof he abhors the pictures of him eating cake with George W. when Katrina had already destroyed a great American city. "Let em eat cake" while NOL burns Mr. Mc Cain. Your pictures today is just insult to injury with your one hour visit pick for V.P. the LOL portion of your campaign now at a never before seen guffaw. OBAMA BIDEN for the serious American in you. YES WE CAN! No Way No How No Mc Cain!

[Morro]

Now was this really worth publishing? If you think of the population of Alaska and its few metropolitan areas I would think there fund raising is pretty good. So what is the comparison with the cost of an assembly seat in California. As I questioned, was this really worth publishing? I say NO!

[fred]

YES PALIN!!!

[Narvin]

I think she is the best! She has more experiece than Nobama. All the lefty nuts dint like her, thats why McCain will win.

[Ron]

McCain bows under pressure for the Religious right and will pay for it big time. Palin is now taking a four week course in foreign relations, so that she can be prepared to meet with Putin if she has to. We thought that Palin was very lucky to be asked after the first date but it seems that McCain has a history of making fast, instinctive and sometimes risky decisions. "I make them as quickly as I can, quicker than the other fellow, if I can," McCain wrote, with his top adviser Mark Salter, in his 2002 book, "Worth the Fighting For." "Often my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint." YIKES..........

[Kay B. Day]

Just for fun, why don't you do a side-by-side of Biden's contributors? Or for even more fun, Obama's?

Amazing that blogs associated with traditional media simply refuse to give Democratic candidates the go-over GOP candidates enjoy.

[gertrude]

Pseudo-conservative commentator, Andrew Sullivan recently made these comments which clearly delineate the essential difference in world view between those who view Palin as a viable VP candidate and those who reject her out of hand.

"He (Obama) was the president of the Harvard Law Review; she (Palin) was the point guard on her high school basketball team."

"He (Obama) has surrounded himself in his campaign with world-class people and though I am doubtless an elitist and snob for saying so, I doubt that she (Palin) has even met a half-dozen world-class people in her lifetime. "

Those who view Palin as a viable VP candidate tend to perceive ordinary Americans as "world-class" people and hold a skeptical attitude toward institutions such as the Harvard Law Review. Those who reject Palin as a viable VP candidate tend to revere the Harvard Law Review with a cult-like fervor and to see ordinary Americans as contemptible scum.

[Kentucky Thom]

Oh boy I certainly feel safe now that I know if McCain gets elected not only can the state quo continue, but should his heart miss a beat or two we can feel safe knowing we have a PTA mom that loves to hunt and fish to lead us and the rest of the world. I have a 21 year old niece that knows more about what is going on in the world than this lady. John you should have vetted my niece if you really felt compelled to make this type of political move.

[seneca69]

The very reason that Sarah Palin is immediately hated by big city liberal media is the same reason she has probably got my vote: Pro life, pro liberty, a real person who gets things done by actually working; will not toe the line to the party bosses, etc... she is the antithesis to Obama and I now can see just how same ol' same ol' he is. If he had the guts to fight the corrupt Chicago DNC cabal, I might have retained some respect for his candidacy.

[legal222]

What's scary about all of this is that the Republicans can spin any crap they want and somehow make it work. That's what's happened this past eight years. Lot's a crap. I think Sarah has proven she's a good Republican...she's managed to reach office without qualification and she's stingy with others. I love that her own mother in law contributed to her opponent. Wow That's sayin' something, isn't it? Who do you think is going to run the war in Iraq now, the tight tshirt wearing Sarah...or the bumbling "where am I today?" Mccain? I yi yi. And let's not be fooled....Ms. Palin won an election in a state where the majority of voters are men. I wonder if they were using the head on their shoulders for that vote? As an intelligent, hardworking, single mother I am insulted by this dirty move. Does McCain really think that I would vote for his ticket just because he's picked up a woman along the way. He doesn't even know her! Feels a little mail order bride to me. Wow. So on one side, he's got his pulled together, pinched, rich kid wife....and on the other side, he's got a beverly hillbilly, miss runner up beauty pageant queen with a clippy in her hair. And he looks like he doesn't know what hit him. Now there's a winning team!! woo hoo!

[Dan Twohig]

Your readers may find this interesting regarding Sarah Palin from an Alaskan's point of view.

http://mudflats.wordpress.com/2008/08/29/what-is-mccain-thinking-one-alaskans-perspective/

[Lew Warden]

Blog re Palin:

Talk about gagging on a gnat and swallowing a camel! The LA Times takes the cake.

[Dennis from FL]

The selection of Palin by McCain caused an immediate one day $7 million bump in contributions to McCain, including mine. Fiscal Conservatives, who have been sitting on their wallets (or have been selective in their contributions) are starting to open them up for McCain. By accepting federal funds, McCain will be bound to not accepting any more contributions, so expect the RNC's coffers to swell in the next few weeks as a result of McCain choosing Palin As the VP pick.

[mike grathwohl]

Any shift manager at any fast food restaurant is more qualified to be VP than Sarah Palin. I will not be voting Republican for the first time in life.

[Richard Brodie]

Palin is proud of her reputation for going against "the good ole boys" club. Well now she has a chance to face off with the mother of all such clubs, David Rockefeller's Council on Foreign Relations. She will undoubtedly be offered membership. Will she have the courage to refuse, and to risk assassination by going against the power elite's sovereignty destroying North American Union agenda?

[Maineshire]

It is astonishing to me the press has for the most part stopped being Journalists and are now predominantly Editorial contributors. I wish we could get back to a time when the media, would just report facts and not opinions. I want to know what Sarah Palin brings to the debate with regards to energy and ethics. I don't want to know that she doesn't bring big money with her.