In the First year of Public Campaign Financing in D.C., Washingtonians made enough Small-Dollar Donations to generate $3.4 Million in Taxpayer Funding, fueling Campaigns for several well-known Politicians and many Newcomers.
D.C. Council Candidate, Vincent B. Orange's Campaign spent some of its Public Matching Funds on Masks decorated with the Candidate’s Initials.
Other Candidates spent that Money on everything from Takeout Food to Branded Masks, and more, Campaign Finance Filings made Public last week, show.
Fifty-Six Candidates sought Funding to run in either a Primary or General Election in 2020, and 36 of them Collected sufficient Donations from the Public to Qualify for City Funding for either D.C. Council or State Board of Education Races, according to Office of Campaign Finance Records. Of the Dozens who Qualified, Seven Won their Races.
The Amount disbursed to each Candidate was based on the Total of their Own Fundraising, which was capped at $20 to $100 per Donor, Depending on the Office.
Ward 4 Council Member-Elect Janeese Lewis George, who Unseated Incumbent Brandon T. Todd, in the June Democratic Primary, took in the Most Money from the Campaign Financing Program, receiving $281,055 during her Primary Bid.
In the General Election, At-Large Council Candidate, Ed Lazere (I) Qualified for $256,370, closely followed by Christina Henderson (I), who received $252,960 and Won the Crowded At-Large Contest.
To Participate in the Fair Elections Program, Candidates had to follow More Stringent Rules on Donations and Expenditures than their Competitors who Opted Out of Public Financing. The Office of Campaign Finance will look for Violations in the Post-Election Reports that Candidates filed last week.
One Requirement, that Candidates Not Pay Themselves or any Family Members, Except for Reimbursing Themselves for Out-of-Pocket Campaign Expenditures. Another Rule, is No Payments from One Candidate’s Campaign to Another Candidate.
Several Candidates Reimbursed themselves at least Once during their Campaigns, including a Sizable Reimbursement by Former Council Member, Vincent B. Orange, who Unsuccessfully sought another Term on the Council. Orange’s Campaign also Reported a Payment to a Fellow Candidate. He said that the Office of Campaign Finance had Questioned him about the Payment but that he believes Both Expenditures were Proper.
The $2,300 his Campaign Paid him Aug. 3rd was Reimbursement for Supplies he bought for a Campaign Barbecue at his House, Orange said, including Hot Dogs and Hamburgers, and Huge Fans to Cool the Guests. And an $800 Payment to the Campaign of Fred Hill, who Lost his Race for the Ward 8 Council Seat, was a Fee to Advertise Orange’s Campaign in a Pamphlet that Hill’s Campaign Created and Distributed in the Ward. “It was for a Ward 8 newspaper that he put out — we purchased a full-page ad for my campaign,” Orange said, noting that he Outperformed the 21 other Non-Democratic At-Large Candidates in the Ward. The Office of Campaign Finance said Monday it was Reviewing the Matter.
The Rules of the Program proved in many cases to be Confusing, not necessarily to Candidates but to Donors. On at least 194 Occasions, Campaigns Reported that they had to Refund the Donations of Contributors who sent more than the Amount Participants in the Fair Elections Program are allowed to Accept.
Jay Stewart, of Southwest D.C., was Surprised shortly after the Election when Four Contributions he had made to the Campaign of Independent At-Large Council Candidate Monica Palacio were Refunded. He had been making Monthly Donations to Support Palacio, a Friend from Law School, without Knowing that Palacio was Allowed to Accept only a Maximum of $100 from any Donor in Exchange for Participation in Public Financing. “I was disappointed. I guess I understand that those are the rules,” Stewart said. “It should probably be the rule. I’m giving a pretty small amount, but other people could give more and unduly influence elections.”
Joi Chaney, of Northwest, said that she wanted to be able to Donate to Henderson more than Once but that her Second Check was Returned. “I like her — that’s the same reason people donate all the time,” Chaney said.
At-Large Council Candidates who did Not seek Public Financing could accept up to $1,000 from any Donor. Among those Candidates, just Six Donations had to be Refunded this Election Cycle.
The Expenditure Reports show that Political Consultants collected Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars during the Election Season, much of it Financed by Taxpayer Dollars because of the Matching Funds Program.
In the At-Large Council Race, Independents Lazere, Henderson, Palacio, Markus Batchelor, Jeanné Lewis, and Will Merrifield, all accepted Public Financing and made at Least One Payment of $15,000 or More for Political Consulting.
The Reports also point to Henderson’s Winning Strategy: making her Campaign into a Direct-Mail Juggernaut during an Election Season when In-Person Politicking was Limited by the Pandemic. Henderson spent more than $100,000 on Postage, far more than any other At-Large Candidate. The Next Highest Total came from Chander Jayaraman’s Campaign, which spent about $21,000 on Mail.
The Council Member-Elect said her Campaign sent out More than 514,000 Pieces of Mail beginning in the Summer. “Mail, we felt, was a surefire way to get into people’s homes,” Henderson said. “It was a thought of, ‘Okay, these folks may throw it away — but at least I’ll catch your eye from your mailbox to your trash can.’ ”
Another Sign of the Times, Orange’s $1,900 Purchase at Germ Away Solutions for Masks.
The Local Restaurant Industry benefited from the Money, as well. Among the Candidates’ Choices for Fundraisers and food for Volunteers.
Jayaraman’s Campaign spent $1,000 at Tortuga Caribbean Bar and Grille. Palacio spent $1,000 and Lewis spent $559 at HalfSmoke. Lewis spent $638.95 at the Salt Line. Batchelor, Henderson, and Palacio. Collectively spent $1,096 at Busboys and Poets.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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