Hillary’s Campaign Slow in Paying Debts
[Guest post by DRJ]
The Politico reports that Hillary Clinton’s campaign is cash-strapped and has been slow in paying her bills, opting instead to make more media buys:
“Hillary Rodham Clinton’s cash-strapped presidential campaign has been putting off paying hundreds of bills for months — freeing up cash for critical media buys but also earning the campaign a reputation as something of a deadbeat in some small-business circles.
A pair of Ohio companies owed more than $25,000 by Clinton for staging events for her campaign are warning others in the tight-knit event production community — and anyone else who will listen — to get their cash upfront when doing business with her. Her campaign, say representatives of the two companies, has stopped returning phone calls and e-mails seeking payment of outstanding invoices. One even got no response from a certified letter.
Their cautionary tales, combined with published reports about similar difficulties faced by a New Hampshire landlord, an Iowa office cleaner and a New York caterer, highlight a less-obvious impact of Clinton’s inability to keep up with the staggering fundraising pace set by her opponent for the Democratic presidential nomination, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.”
The article explains that, even though Clinton has $38M in the bank, she has far less available cash than Obama. In addition, she has failed to pay large and small vendors for event expenses, a fact that the Politico notes is a concern because word is getting around:
“In fact, about a third of the nearly 700 individual debts Clinton reported at the end of February were for various types of “event expenses,” including $319,000 for catering and venue costs, $420,000 for equipment, $11,000 for photography and $9,000 for security.
Event production is important to big-time presidential campaigns. It shapes how candidates look and sound, not just to the thousands of people who turn out to campaign speeches and rallies but also to the millions who catch snippets of them on television.
And word is getting around that Clinton’s campaign does not promptly pay those who labor to make her events look good, said an employee of the event production company Forty Two of Youngstown, Ohio.
“I feel insulted by the way that the campaign treated this company and treated us personally,” said the employee, who did not want to be named talking about a client.
***
“We worked very hard to put together these events on a moment’s notice and do absolutely everything to a ‘t’ to make it look perfect on television for her and for her campaign,” said the employee. “Sen. Clinton talks about helping working families, people in unions and small businesses. But when it comes down to actually doing something that shows that she can back up her words with action, she fails.”
It sounds like it’s time for another personal loan to her campaign. If one is not forthcoming, I think that will speak volumes.
— DRJ
Hillary is a predator. She will harm anyone she has to in order to get what she wants. If she stands to profit from stiffing creditors, she will do so without even a thought.
Federal Dog (1404a2) — 3/30/2008 @ 1:34 pmI can’t wait for a rash of “Sam’s Deli v. Hillary Clinton” lawsuits.
That, or maybe Sen. Obama could pick up a few of the tabs just to make Hillary look bad. It would be funny if he did that for local businesses before giving a speech in the area.
Daryl Herbert (4ecd4c) — 3/30/2008 @ 2:13 pmI lived in NY State during Senator Clinton’s two Senatorial campaigns. To say that she and he entourage spent like drunken sailors is an insult to drunken sailors around the world. A friend who gave her credit and refueled her aircraft in 2000, declined to do so in 2004.
Her 2004 campaign horrified even democrats when she spent 50% of the state democrat campaign budget on lavish diners and cocktail parties despite having a weak republican opponent. It was an entitlement!
Her presidential campaign assumed it would be over by super tuesday and spent accordingly. If Hillary cannot manage a $200M election campaign, how can we expect her to manage a $13.4 trillion GDP?
arch (28fba7) — 3/30/2008 @ 2:19 pmDaryl, that’s ripe. Ever thought of running a campaign?!
Vermont Neighbor (e7ed47) — 3/30/2008 @ 2:45 pmRemember last year, when the Dems were crowing that their candidates had raised so much more dough than the Republicans?
Hillary and Obama did prove one thing: it costs a LOT of money to defeat a Democrat this year.
Steverino (6772c8) — 3/30/2008 @ 3:03 pmAh, she’ll find one person who didn’t get paid by Obama and claim that this sort of thing just happens and that her experience matters because she can fix it quickly now instead of telling the business people to just have hope and a little (spare) change.
And the media will treat that as a good answer.
MamaAJ (788539) — 3/30/2008 @ 3:45 pmOh no, Hillary is bogged down in an expensive civil war with no exit plan.
Perfect Sense (b6ec8c) — 3/30/2008 @ 4:14 pmThe article explains that, even though Clinton has $38M in the bank, she has far less available cash than Obama.
I don’t know enough about how campaign financing works to understand how that works. Does this mean that campaigns routinely tie up a lot of their money in investments that have longer-term maturity dates, or does it mean that much of that money isn’t really “in the bank” after all but has merely been pledged and is still awaiting collection?
JVW (0b3fa7) — 3/30/2008 @ 4:46 pmJVW,
My understanding is that some funds can only be used in the general election and will have to be returned if she doesn’t win the nomination.
In addition, here’s what the linked article says now:
Note that this isn’t what the article said earlier when I linked it. At that time, it said she had $38M in the bank – so either it’s been corrected or my eyes are getting old and I read it wrong. I’ll update the post when I have time, or I may wait awhile to see if it changes again.
DRJ (a431ca) — 3/30/2008 @ 4:52 pmHow much ya wanna bet she hasn’t actually “returned” the illegal campaign contributions that have come to light?
How much ya wanna bet that the drive-by media can’t answer this question?
Ed (215a21) — 3/30/2008 @ 5:45 pmThanks DRJ. I guess I have never made a donation in a primary season, because I don’t remember having to designate whether it is for the primary or general election. Or maybe only the big-ticket donors who max out their limits have to worry about that.
I am sure Ed is correct in comment #10. “Returning” the illegal contributions is probably something that the Clintons do via a special fund-raiser after the general election, a la Bill’s Communist Chinese money from 1996.
JVW (0b3fa7) — 3/30/2008 @ 6:29 pmI think this applies to those who have maxed out their contributions. Hillary has a lot more of those than Obama.
DRJ (a431ca) — 3/30/2008 @ 6:38 pmArch, #3…
Not being one to defend Hillary, but, Presidents don’t manage $13.4T GDP’s. They barely manage the $2-3T that the Fed Govt mis-spends. I have yet, in my 66 years, gotten a morning message, email, fax, memo, etc from the WH detailing what my role would be on any particular day/week/month/year.
That being said, Hill’s demonstrated lack of financial management skills (along with the other missing skill-sets all too readily identified by her many “admirers”, would qualify her for an executive position only in the most desperate of orginizations – Zimbabwe, perhaps.
Another Drew (8018ee) — 3/30/2008 @ 8:36 pmMaybe Bill’s Saudi or Uzbecki patrons will cough up another $100MM for his library and suddenly Billary will make a sizeable “personal” contribution to her own campaign…Move along, there is nothing to see here
in_awe (cde03b) — 3/30/2008 @ 8:56 pmJust think: this is the woman who wanted to overhaul the healthcare industry.
Paul (0f949e) — 3/31/2008 @ 5:02 amFor the lawyers on the board. Can some of the vendors to the campaign file liens, freezing assets and/or file a petition of involuntary bankruptcy against the campaign? The ruckus that would stir up would be fun to watch.
daleyrocks (906622) — 3/31/2008 @ 9:04 amCan’t the vendors file liens on Hillary’s pantsuit collection?
Vermont Neighbor (e7ed47) — 3/31/2008 @ 1:47 pmThe lien would be too big.
daleyrocks (906622) — 3/31/2008 @ 1:49 pmWHO IS THIS COUNTRY SHOULD BE SURPRISED? SHE FELT THAT SHE HAD THE ELECTION ALL SOWN UP. SO DIDN’T THINK ABOUT MONEY PAST FEB 5TH. NOW SHE HAS TO AND SHE IS BEHIND IN POPULAR VOTE AND THE DELGATE COUNT.
SHE SR COMMUNCIATIONS DIRECTOR STATED THAT THOSE BILLS WERE PAID WEEKS AGO, OBVIOUSLY NOT SINCE VENDORS ARE COMMING OUT NOW AN POLICTICO HAS PICKED UP THE STORY AND IT IS STARTING TO REACH PRIME TIME MEDIA OUTLETS AS WELL.
HEIDI (d671ab) — 3/31/2008 @ 2:00 pmMy understanding is that some funds can only be used in the general election and will have to be returned if she doesn’t win the nomination.
Youngstown Ohio (a4bb57) — 6/17/2008 @ 9:53 pm