NYT: Big Donors Leaning on DNC Over FLA and MI Delegates

[Crooked Moon]

Democrats in Michigan and Florida struggled Friday to resolve the impasse over their disputed January primaries, coming up with a plan to hold a June primary in Michigan while remaining deadlocked in Florida.

Reflecting how tense the situation has become, influential fund-raisers for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton have stepped up their behind-the-scenes pressure on national party leaders to resolve the matter, with some even threatening to withhold their donations to the Democratic National Committee unless it seats the delegates from the two states or holds new primaries there.

<snip>

Pushing to seat the Florida delegates, at least one top Clinton fund-raiser, Paul Cejas, a Miami businessman who has given the Democratic National Committee $63,500 since 2003, has demanded Democratic officials return his 2007 contribution of $28,500, which they have agreed to do.

“If you’re not going to count my vote, I’m not going to give you my money,” said Mr. Cejas, who was the United States ambassador to Belgium from 1998 to 2001.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/15/us/politics/15donate.html?_r=2&ref=politics&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[Joe the Revelator]

1. Good to see these democrats are taking their ball and going home

[anamandujano]

18. I guess no one has informed you yet that politics runs on money.

[krawhitham]

2. Do you think Dean can be pushed around?

I don't, he seems like a good man

[LakeSamish706]

3. That is his right to request his donation back, but he shouldn't be blaming ...

the DNC for the trouble that exists in Florida. The party rules were well known and understood long before now.

[AX10]

4. Yes he does have the right to do so...

and he does not have to give them one more cent.
I most certainly won't.

[JackORoses]

6. awww, I'm sure they'll miss you, Moneybags

[madfloridian]

16. Hillary needs no one to win....right? Play dirty, put a squeeze play on Dean...

and then think she will coast in the general? I don't think so.

[BeyondGeography]

5. MI and FL need to be resolved, but fuck the big money bullies

It's predictable but wrong for them to threaten to withold future financial support from the party over this.

[Muttocracy]

7. so was his contribution before the dates were set? nt

[madfloridian]

8. I think Dean should resign and start speaking out about this outrage.

The Hillary campaign is doing this.

[Why Syzygy]

9. So much for not be beholding to donors,

Mrs. Rodham-Clinton. Isn't that rather the same as buying votes?

[madfloridian]

10. Dean offered a revote. Why more do they want? His head on a platter?

Yes.

[Why Syzygy]

12. The guy is just as likely to take his money back if she isn't on the ticket.

Now is as good a time as any for showing true colors. No pun ...

[iamjoy]

17. Money To Pay For It...

That's what people want from the DNC, money to pay for a revote.

And the current proposal is vote by mail, which doesn't thrill the Obama campaign. Now I like Obama over Clinton, but I wonder what more he wants...

[Nederland]

11. Who cares?

Obama doesn't need the big dollar donors. He's got millions of small dollar donors that will raise him even more...

[madfloridian]

14. They are asking for DNC money. Not Obama's. I care.

Because I donate.

They are putting Dean in a squeeze play.

[bilgewaterbill]

21. Then tell Dean that those 1 million Obama supporters

can easily outdonate - to the DNC - those bigwigs that HE'S been trying to fight against, too.

[anamandujano]

19. Small money donors like Exelon, Goldman Sachs, etc.

[madfloridian]

13. I told you something like this would happen. MI and FL were not coincidental

It was orchestrated.

It makes me sad, but these tactics will win for Hillary unless superdelegates step in now.

Power and money win....and underhanded tactics.

[Gore1FL]

20. Hillary can;t wein eweven weith MI and FL

which shows the sad facts about her campaign.

It is her staff that failed her more than anything else. But then, do yo want those morons in key administration positions?

[TheDoorbellRang]

15. How was he able to give $28,500? I thought personal limit was $2300

[boppers]

23. Donations to parties is not the same as

donations to candidates.

[TheDoorbellRang]

24. Ah. Thank you. I was not aware of that. n/t

[Beregond2]

22. Dean

There is nothing more Dean could do even if he wanted to. If they are so upset, why didn't they get involved when their states were fucking this up? It doesn't matter anyway. Hillary can't win in any case.