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| Donors to Congressman’s Fundraiser Vie For a Maserati | |
| (7 months later) | |
| Give money to your local congressman, get a chance to win a two-year lease on a Maserati? That’s the proposition for an upcoming fundraiser for Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Va. | Give money to your local congressman, get a chance to win a two-year lease on a Maserati? That’s the proposition for an upcoming fundraiser for Rep. Scott Rigell, R-Va. |
| As election costs continue to climb, lawmakers spend more and more time asking for money for their reelection campaigns. A leaked “model schedule” for House Democrats a few years back encouraged members to spend at least four hours a day on the phone asking for donations. And with a fairly limited pool of mostly wealthy donors willing to give thousands of dollars to candidates, lawmakers are getting creative in luring deep-pocketed Americans. | As election costs continue to climb, lawmakers spend more and more time asking for money for their reelection campaigns. A leaked “model schedule” for House Democrats a few years back encouraged members to spend at least four hours a day on the phone asking for donations. And with a fairly limited pool of mostly wealthy donors willing to give thousands of dollars to candidates, lawmakers are getting creative in luring deep-pocketed Americans. |
| The invitation sent to me by an Intercept reader shows that Rigell’s 5th Annual “Patriot Golf Classic,” scheduled for June 30, asks donors to give between $250 and $2,700 to participate in the tournament. And a donor who gets two hole-in-ones on par 3 holes gets a special prize: “a 2-year lease on a Maserati or Mercedes!” | The invitation sent to me by an Intercept reader shows that Rigell’s 5th Annual “Patriot Golf Classic,” scheduled for June 30, asks donors to give between $250 and $2,700 to participate in the tournament. And a donor who gets two hole-in-ones on par 3 holes gets a special prize: “a 2-year lease on a Maserati or Mercedes!” |
| And every donor gets face time with the congressman. | And every donor gets face time with the congressman. |
| It may seem like a natural fit for the congressman. Rigell’s father-in-law helped him launch his first car dealership, a venture that Rigell eventually expanded across Hampton Roads. Last November, the congressman announced his plan to sell off his majority stake in the company, Freedom Automotive. | It may seem like a natural fit for the congressman. Rigell’s father-in-law helped him launch his first car dealership, a venture that Rigell eventually expanded across Hampton Roads. Last November, the congressman announced his plan to sell off his majority stake in the company, Freedom Automotive. |
| Maureen McDonnell, Rigell’s fundraiser, would not say who would contribute or pay for the lease, should there be a winner, but said that such prizes are “completely commonplace around here.” Other lawmakers have offered similar golf tournament prizes for donors, she said. “There’s nothing magical about this. I don’t want to use a golf pun but it’s par for the course.” | Maureen McDonnell, Rigell’s fundraiser, would not say who would contribute or pay for the lease, should there be a winner, but said that such prizes are “completely commonplace around here.” Other lawmakers have offered similar golf tournament prizes for donors, she said. “There’s nothing magical about this. I don’t want to use a golf pun but it’s par for the course.” |
| Who is paying for it is an important question, however, said Adam Smith, communications director for Every Voice, a campaign finance reform group. “If it’s the campaign, they’re going to have to do a lot of dialing for dollars to break even. If it’s an individual or a car dealership then a possible violation of contribution limits comes into play,” he said. The high value of the car could constitute an in-kind contribution that goes beyond limits set in place by the Federal Elections Commission, he said. | Who is paying for it is an important question, however, said Adam Smith, communications director for Every Voice, a campaign finance reform group. “If it’s the campaign, they’re going to have to do a lot of dialing for dollars to break even. If it’s an individual or a car dealership then a possible violation of contribution limits comes into play,” he said. The high value of the car could constitute an in-kind contribution that goes beyond limits set in place by the Federal Elections Commission, he said. |
| And the winner of the Maserati lease could be saddled with an IRS tab. As National Journal recently reported, as political campaigns have offered high value sweepstakes-style gifts to donors, in some cases, winners were asked to pay taxes on their prizes. | And the winner of the Maserati lease could be saddled with an IRS tab. As National Journal recently reported, as political campaigns have offered high value sweepstakes-style gifts to donors, in some cases, winners were asked to pay taxes on their prizes. |
| (This post is from our blog: Unofficial Sources.) | (This post is from our blog: Unofficial Sources.) |
| Photo: Scott Olson/Getty | Photo: Scott Olson/Getty |