DSCC To Koch: Please Give Us Your Evil Money
Philip Ellender, president of government and public affairs at Koch Companies Public Sector got an aggressive fundraising pitch from an unexpected source. That would be Senator Patty Murray, the chair of the same Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that has been lambasting the political work of private citizens going by the name ... Koch. She sent a letter and she left a voicemail inviting him to a deluxe donor retreat in the fall.
So he asked her about it. And his letter is hilarious:
For many months now, your colleagues in the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee leadership have engaged in a series of disparagements and ad hominem attacks about us, apparently as part of a concerted political and fundraising strategy. Just recently, Senator Reid wrote in a DSCC fundraising letter that Republicans are trying to "force through their extreme agenda faster than you can say 'Koch Brothers.'"
So you can imagine my chagrin when I got a letter from you on June 17 asking us to make five-figure contributions to the DSCC. You followed that up with a voicemail* indicating that, if we contributed heavily enough, we would garner an invitation to join you and other Democratic leaders at a retreat in Kiawah Island this September.
He asks her to help him understand.
This has to be one of the more embarrassing fundraising gaffes I've seen and kudos to Ellender for exposing her stupidity, hypocrisy and cynicism.
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Comments:
Re: DSCC To Koch: Please Give Us Your Evil Money
tbc
Dec '10
Re: DSCC To Koch: Please Give Us Your Evil Money
Darn, the voicemail link is broken. I wanted to download it and save it as a ringtone.
Edited on July 8, 2011 at 6:47pmMar '11
Re: DSCC To Koch: Please Give Us Your Evil Money
P.J. O'Rourke had it right all along... Parliament of Whores.
Jun '10
Re: DSCC To Koch: Please Give Us Your Evil Money
I wouldn't want the Dems to get any of the Koch's money, but can imagine the look on Murray's face if the Kochs did give the money and then showed up at the fall shindig? I'd pay money to see that.
Also, if the Dems can't manage their big donor mailing list better than this, is anyone surprised at the shape the country is in?
Edited on July 8, 2011 at 7:02pmDec '10
Re: DSCC To Koch: Please Give Us Your Evil Money
Good thought, but how about this: they give the requisite donation to get invited to this high-roller shindig, and then send Andrew Breitbart, complete with cameraman, as their representative? Man, if they released that video I'd buy the special Blu-Ray edition with the extra bonus footage.
Jan '11
Re: DSCC To Koch: Please Give Us Your Evil Money
For some reason this scenario reminds me of a scene in Atlas Shrugged. Rather than describe this scene, just start watching from mm 2:20 of this near four minute segment to see why I was reminded.
Oct '10
Re: DSCC To Koch: Please Give Us Your Evil Money
Murray's voicemail is one I'll cherish as much, and for as long, as Eleanor Holmes Norton's "I'm on powerful committees, so maybe you'd better donate to my campaign" message.
Apr '11
Re: DSCC To Koch: Please Give Us Your Evil Money
" ... kudos to Ellender for exposing her stupidity, hypocrisy and cynicism."
Thank you for writing about this. You've pegged her in three although I'm not sure she's smart enough to be cynical.