Sixteen tons
By most folks' standards, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter loaded tons of campaign contributions in the third quarter of this year toward retiring debt from his 2006 race. But, if he's not deeper in debt like Tennessee Ernie, he's still deep in debt.
Halter raised $91,470 toward his first primary debt, reducing it to $164,346
He raised $14,250 toward his primary runoff debt, now down to $82,401
He raised $107,711 toward his general election debt, now $326,297.
Another half-mil and he'll be close to breaking even on the money he advanced to his campaign.
Credit this: All the contributions came from a roster of familiar Arkansans and Arkansas-based businesses (save one from the Texas side of Texarkana), not from hedge fund and tech world pals in furrin places.
Comments
Seems like another one of those pesky ethics laws loopholes. Bill loans his campaign personal funds. His campaign has no debts per se to any vendors, employees, etc. It has one big debt to Bill, which is really just a place-holder accounting of his own money. Now, any contributions paid to retire "debt" really just goes straight to Bill, in apparent violation of the spirit but not the letter of the gift laws. So he bootstraps his campaign with out-of-state money and his own dollars, but now does a shake-down "a roster of familiar Arkansans and Arkansas-based businesses ".
ARK. BLOG: You forgot to mention how much easier it is for a winner to shake down than a loser. On the other hand, what's a lt. gov. got to trade?
Posted by: Theodosius![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
|
October 15, 2007 02:44 PM
"On the other hand, what's a lt. gov. got to trade?"
The Light Gov. has full-time floor access to the Senate during the session (something even Tom Kennedy doesn't have anymore). He has an office with staff at the capitol full-time. He can surely wow many a rather backward Country Caucus House member of his own party who would like an official visit to his small town to increase his own cred. And, most of all, he is automatically a potential contender for Governor in six years (or the US Senate if he should smell political blood). Halter didn't risk a measureable - if surplus - part of his personal fortune to be permanent Light Gov.
Posted by: Theodosius![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
|
October 15, 2007 04:15 PM
Speaking of losers, didn't Mike Hathorn have a :ittle Rock fundraiser recently to retire his Lt. Gov. campaign debt? I don't find any report of that online with the Secretary of State's website, nor do any of Hathorn's posted reports show a debt. Does anyone have more recent or more accurate information about this puzzle?
Posted by: Cassandra![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
|
October 15, 2007 04:18 PM
And, BTW, just look at Huckabee to see how political "potential" is often much more powerful than political "reality"...
Posted by: Theodosius![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.arktimes.com/blogs/arkansasblog/nav-commenters.gif)
|
October 15, 2007 04:18 PM