I think I'll just send a card
A friend who walks in Democratic fundraising circles passed on this copy of an invite to a Jan. 22 Bev Perdue birthday party-cum-fundraiser.
A $10,000 donation will get you "host" privileges, although a "friend" can get some cake for $500.
Still, better be good cake, no? I'm thinking extra-thick frosting or something.
The invitation is putatively from the Democratic Party and according to this ABC 11 story, a spokeswoman for the party says funds will go to the state party's general fund.
But since neither a spokesman for Perdue nor the Democratic Party bothered to return calls my way - hey, my cell phone works north of Kerr Lake, even up here on the shores of the Potomac - I feel no guilt in sharing an alternate theory:
The same person who passed on the invite said there is a great deal of speculation among fundraisers that the money might go to help retire some campaign debt.
He points to Perdue's latest campaign finance filing from 3Q of 2008, which shows over $1 million in loans and other outstanding debts -- lines 21 and 22 of the form.
According to this first quarter form, at least $500,000 of that appears to be from Perdue herself.
So my source's theory goes like this: Perdue needs/wants to raise money to repay those loans but can't do it under her own banner (looks bad, $10,000 is outside of guidelines, etc...) so she'll do it under the party banner and the party will help retire her debt.
I'll throw that in the "maybe" column. Sounds plausible but doesn't sound in keeping with Perdue's "I'm going to clean up government" mantra from the election.
Of course, even if the money IS going to the Democratic Party itself, there's this question: does having a governor headline a high-dollar fundraiser thrown in honor of her birthday at a time when $500 (much less $10,000) looks like a lot of dough to people struggling to make rent giver her political opponents an opportunity to be, um, critical?
Even admirals were cancelling Christmas parties last year due to the recession.
Comments (8)
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Even admirals were cancelling Christmas parties last year due to the recession.*Mark
You think that is bad! Wait until Gov Perdue takes office and she cancels all government meeting due to a 3 Billion budget overdraft from the taxpayers that they can't cover...Heck! Nothing like "let them eat cake" comment to get a French revolution going....
Posted on January 8, 2009 10:34 PM
The state of NC made a huge mistake in electing this airhead to the post of governor. I'm still in a state of shock that she managed to win when there was such a good candidate running against her. It just baffles me.
And in case anyone is curious, I was a die-hard, unabashed Obama and Hagan supporter, and I am absolutely thrilled that they both won. Unfortunately, there appear to be as many brain-dead Dems that voted straight ticket as there are brain-dead Repubs that did the same.
Posted on January 9, 2009 7:42 AM
Mr. Binker, you must feel screwed, all that sucking up and they want you to pay 10 grand.
No way in hell Perdue can be worst than Tax Hike Mike, he just got a free ride from the liberal media. Perdue will get the same.
Posted on January 9, 2009 3:57 PM
C'mon Doug - at least Connie Mack is funny when he leaves a comment. The best you can lay claim to is mildly foul-mouthed. Try harder in the future.
Posted on January 9, 2009 5:20 PM
Mark: Thanks for this post. It's good to be able to keep informed. It's also too bad the governor or the party couldn't return your call.
Did the GNR endorse McCrory?
Posted on January 10, 2009 4:29 PM
Jeffrey: Yes, the N+R endorsed McCrory, but so did every other paper in the state with a circulation about 75,000. I think the non-returned call was more a function of being busy as h-e-double-hockey-sticks in advance of today's swearing in ... no excuse, just saying there was a reason.
Posted on January 10, 2009 4:34 PM
I have a birthday in Feb. and would like to know how this turns out. I could use the$ $. I smell pork from Raleigh to DC. We'll see what promises are kept!!! Thanks for your insights.
Posted on January 11, 2009 2:48 PM
SmARdl hi! how you doin?
Posted on January 18, 2009 6:15 AM