Fourth Quarter 2007 FEC Report Round Up

Here it is again, the quarterly geekfest wherein bloggers like myself get their wonk on by reviewing congressional quarterly FEC reports. Were it not for this outlet we would have to get our jollies by counting the number of different colored M&Ms in a bag. (Not that I've done this mind you, but it is by no means an equitable division.)

I've kept to suburban Philadelphia races. This is the quarter where you tend to see a lot of PAC donations. Those within the city might want to take a quick look at Rep. Brady's and Rep. Fattah's individual / PAC breakdown. Very illuminating. While I sometimes write about the 5th district (incumbent Democrat Chris Carney vs. just about every Republican in the district, with Dan Meuser a front runner), there were enough local races to keep me busy so I didn't include it this time. Gort and his compatriots do a good job keeping track of that race.

Itemized contributions are those over $200; the donor's name, address, occupation, amount of donation and amount of total donations are listed. Contributions under that amount are lumped together as unitemized so it is impossible from the reports to see if those people live in Pennsylvania, etc.

In addition to the straight numbers there are some other things I note. One is whether or not the reports are scrambled. Most reporting software keeps donations in alphabetical order by donor's last name. This makes it easy to see multiple donations in a quarter and so on. However, the treasurer or assistant treasurer can scramble the reports so the donations are listed randomly. This makes it more difficult for people, such as their opponent and me, to keep track of their donations. So it has no bearing on politics generally, it just makes my review more difficult and more prone to error. Two items I note that scrambled reports discourage is counting how many donors have contributed all that they legally can, a total of $4600 ($2300 for the primary, another $2300 for the general) and how many donors are from out of state. The convoluted geography of congressional districts makes determining how many donors are from out of the district far too cumbersome, in state is as close as I can get. You should be all the more certain to double check anything I say about a scrambled report.

Another item I track is whether or not there are disbursement notes for health insurance. After all, if a candidate is in favor of people having access to health insurance that access ought to start at home, so to speak. I also note how many paid staffers are listed. And generally, anything else that catches my eye.

However, you should, as always and above all, keep in mind that I am a rank amateur, doing this by counting on my fingers or with a pencil and scratch paper and prone to being interrupted by small children yelling "The cat just threw up!" or something else breaking my train of thought. Should you be intrigued by anything mentioned here, please do look at the full report yourself. They are available at www.fec.gov.

If more than one number is listed, the first is for this quarter, the second for the cycle as a whole. Most challengers announced their intentions after the first of the year, after the end of this quarter. The next reports, for January - March, don't have to be filed until April 15 so we will have no idea what their campaign funds look like until just before the primary.

For a jolt, look at the numbers for individual donations in the 16th congressional district.

Here goes:

6th Congressional District:

Jim Gerlach, Incumbent Republican (elected 2002)

Contributions
Individual, itemized: 73,050.00
Individual, untemized: 13,209.47
Individual, total: 86,259.47 / 543,778.94
Political Party committees: 588.00 / 1,564.82
PACs: 116,500.00 / 545,500.00
Total: 203,347.47 / 1,090,843.76
Transfers: none this quarter
Refunds: none this quarter
Other Receipts: 5,028.34 / 9,559.44
Total Receipts: 208,375.81 / 1,108,512.80

Disbursements
Operating Expenditures: 108,554.46 / 707,812.92
Refunds: none this quarter
Other: 50.00 / 1,900.00
Total: 108,604.46 / 714,312.92

Summary
Beginning Cash on hand: 400,466.66
Contributions: 208,375.81 / 1,108,512.80
Disbursements: 108,604.46 / 714,312.92
Ending cash on hand: 500,238.01

Personal Observations: reports scrambled, 3 new maxed out contributors, most itemized individuals from in state. Web hosting, direct mail, and media consultants out of state. One salaried employee, reimbursed for health insurance. Interesting note: NRCC in kind blast emails listed as both contribution and disbursement. 19,000 in debt, nearly $16,000 to a direct mail consultant in Texas.

Democrat Mike Leibowitz filed a report but the only contribution listed is a $25,000 loan made by the candidate. He also lists debts of over $33,000. Democrat Bob Roggio announced his plan to run after the end of the quarter so we won’t see a report from him until around the primary.

7th Congressional District:

Joe Sestak, Incumbent Democrat (elected 2006)

Contributions
Individual, itemized: 250,018.33
Individual, unitemized: 35,913.68
Individual, total: 285,932.01 / 1,252,492.66
Political Party committees: 64.07 / 2,186.41
PACs: 84,979.38 / 489,031.27
Candidate: none this quarter
Total: 370,975.46 / 1,748,310.34
Transfers: 2,100.00 / 35,154.46
Refunds, etc.: 30.00 / 2,971.57
Other Receipts: 6,960.81 / 6,960.81
Total Receipts: 380,066.27 / 1,793,397.18

Disbursements
Operating Expenditures: 91,117.24 / 377,465.91
Refunds: 1,020.00 / 5,130.00
Other: none this quarter
Total: 92,137.24 / 384,595.91

Summary
Beginning Cash on hand: 1,425,373.18
Contributions: 380,066.27 / 1,793,397.18
Disbursements: 92,137.24 / 384,595.91
Ending cash on hand: 1,713,302.21


Personal observations: Report scrambled, about 11 newly maxed out contributors. Roughly 1 in 6 from out of state. Three paid staff people, some very well-paid, two named Sestak. Transferred $8000 to PA Democratic Party.




8th Congressional District

Patrick Murphy, Incumbent Democrat (elected 2006)

Contributions
Individual, itemized: 112,029.00
Individual, unitemized: 14,249.82
Individual, total: 126,278.82 / 963580.05
Political Party committees: 39.10 / 7095.13
PACs: 94,600.00 / 638,620.3
Total: 220,917.92 / 1,609,295.51
Transfers: none this quarter
Other Receipts: 5,615.30 / 43,399.34
Total Receipts: 226,533.22 / 1,688,315.33

Disbursements
Operating Expenditures: 94,095.79 / 572,231.17
Refunds: 1,900.00 / 5,277.00
Total: 95,995.79 / 580,508.17

Summary
Beginning Cash on hand: 1,041,439.99
Contributions: 226,533.22 / 1,688,315.33
Disbursements: 95,995.79 / 580,508.17
Ending cash on hand: 1,171,977.42

Not scrambled. Three new maxed out donors. Roughly one third of donations from out of state. The campaign donated $10,000 to Bucks Victory. Three paid employees, health insurance payments. Out of state fundraising consultant. Payment $4000 to the FEC for an Alternative Dispute Resolution. Rental and payroll taxes seem a little high.


13th Congressional District

Allyson Schwartz, Incumbent District (elected 2004)

Contributions
Individual, itemized: 227,815.66
Individual, unitemized: 9,300.00
Individual, total: 237,115.66 / 1,047,254.99
Political Party committees: 75.45 / 472.87
PACs: 97,550.00 / 464,200.00
Total: 334,741.11 / 1,511,927.86
Refunds, etc.: 462.00 / 20,455.88
Other Receipts: 8,331.25 / 18,932.71
Total Receipts: 343,534.36 / 1,551,316.45

Disbursements
Operating Expenditures: 59,481.71 / 355,766.16
Refunds: not this quarter
Other: 6,930.00 / 224,840.00
Total: 66,411.71 / 583,306.16

Summary
Beginning Cash on hand: 1,342,308.73
Contributions: 343,534.36 / 1,551,316.45
Disbursements: 66,411.71 / 583,306.16
Ending cash on hand: 1,619,431.38

Personal observations: Not scrambled. Seven newly maxed out contributors. More than one third of itemized donations from out of state. Payments to Philly ward committees for election day services. Payments for health insurance. Car payments. Three paid employees. Out of state web hosting and fund raising.


15th Congressional District

Charlie Dent, Incumbent Republican (elected 2004)

Contributions
Individual, itemized: 125,015.00
Individual, unitemized: 7,760.00
Individual, total: 132,775.00 / 421,693.44
Political Party committees: none this quarter
PACs: 63,163.33 / 340,837.33
Total: 195,938.33 / 762,824.77
Refunds, etc.: none this quarter
Other Receipts: 3,111.05 / 4,503.76
Total Receipts: 199,049.38 / 770,185.53

Disbursements
Operating Expenditures: 97,016.48 / 479,292.81
Refunds: none this quarter
Other: 25,875.00 / 29,675.00
Total: 122,891.48 / 509,117.81

Summary
Beginning Cash on hand: 458,933.83
Contributions: 199,049.38 / 770,185.53
Disbursements: 122,891.48 / 509,117.81
Ending cash on hand: 535,091.73

Personal observations: Scrambled report. Twelve newly maxed out contributors. Almost all itemized donations from in-state. Three people on the payroll, no mention of health insurance. A number of donations to county political committees, donation to Rudy Guiliani’s presidential campaign. Both in-state and out of state direct mail and fundraising. [blogger’s note: Charlie, Shawn is a nice guy and works hard for you; pay his health insurance.]



Sam Bennett, Democratic challenger

Contributions
Individual, itemized: 71,826.87
Individual, unitemized: 8,654.45
Individual, total: 80,481.32 / 142,446.03
PACs: 22,250.00 / 51,250.00
Total: 102,731.32 / 193,696.03
Other Receipts: 1,000.00 / 1,250.00
Total Receipts: 103,731.32 / 194,946.03

Disbursements
Operating Expenditures: 41,887.58 / 100,257.00
Refunds: 100.00 / 100.00
Other: 10.00 / 375.00
Total: 41,997.58 / 100,732.00

Summary
Beginning Cash on hand: 32,536.29
Contributions: 103,731.32 / 194,946.03
Disbursements: 41,997.58 / 100,732.00
Ending cash on hand: 94,270.03

Personal observations: Not scrambled. Two newly maxed out contributors. Very few out of state contributors. Campaign still being managed by Team Blue Politics in Maryland, which charges for health insurance.


16th Congressional District

Joe Pitts, Incumbent Republican (sworn in in 1997)

Contributions
Individual, itemized: 9,350.00
Individual, unitemized: 150.00
Individual, total: 9,500.00 / 53,195.00
PACs: 39,500.00 / 169,054.35
Total: 49,000.00 / 222,249.35
Refunds, etc.: none this quarter
Other Receipts: 1,793.99 / 4,897.82
Total Receipts: 50,793.99 / 227,819.17

Disbursements
Operating Expenditures: 27,854.42 / 199,939.89
Transfers to other committees: 15,000.00 / 15,000.00
Other: 5,200.00 / 49,250.00
Total: 48,054.42 / 264,189.89

Summary
Beginning Cash on hand: 173,157.54
Contributions: 50,793.99 / 227,819.17
Disbursements: 48,054.42 / 264,189.89
Ending cash on hand: 175,897.11

Personal observations: Scrambled. No newly maxed out. If my counting is correct, of the 11 individual contributors, six live out of state. In expenses, about $900 attributed to “petty cash” with no further explanation. Two people on the payroll, one of whom received a total of less than $300. The other was paid regularly and then received a $3000 bonus at the end of the year. There are a lot of ticket expenses also, including $250 to Longwood Gardens on 12/28.


Bruce Slater, Democratic challenger

Contributions
Individual, itemized: 8,189.70
Individual, unitemized: 1,685.00
Individual, total: 9,874.70 / 14,839.17
Total: 9,874.70 / 14,839.17
Loans: none this quarter
Total Receipts: 9,874.70 / 15,814.17

Disbursements
Operating Expenditures: 2,264.56 / 7,426.61
Total: 2,264.56 / 7,426.61

Summary
Beginning Cash on hand: 777.42
Contributions: 9,874.70 / 15,814.17
Disbursements: 2,264.56 / 7,426.61

Ending cash on hand: 8,387.56

Personal observations: No newly maxed out contributors. Of the six itemized individual contributors, all are in state. The primary expenditure was for web design and that was done by someone in the district as in-kind. (The cost of in-kind photography was listed as both a contribution and an expense.) Mr. Slater is also using Team Blue Politics of Maryland but to date those expense are not that large.